Having a baby

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Practical admin only, not medical advice. Your midwife, insurer, gemeente, UWV and SVB have the final word.

1. 1. Find a midwife and book kraamzorg early

   Care is usually midwife-led (verloskundige); use the KNOV finder for practices near you. Register for kraamzorg too: many organisations take registrations from week 12. Check which ones your insurer contracts.

   Zorginstituut · Midwife care ↗ · KNOV · Praktijkzoeker (find a midwife) ↗ · Zorginstituut · Kraamzorg ↗
2. 2. Not married? Recognise the child before the birth

   Erkenning can be done at any gemeente, for free. Since 1 January 2023 it usually also gives joint parental authority.

   Rijksoverheid · Kind erkennen: wanneer en waar ↗ · Rijksoverheid · Joint authority through recognition from 2023 ↗
3. 3. Register the birth within 3 days

   At the gemeente where the baby was born; it's free. In Amsterdam you can go to any City Office, or register online if the baby was born at OLVG, Amsterdam UMC (AMC location) or BovenIJ (not for home births).

   Rijksoverheid · Aangifte geboorte ↗ · Gemeente Amsterdam · Registration of birth ↗ · Gemeente Amsterdam · Online birth registration ↗
4. 4. Then: insurance, leave and benefits

   Add the baby to your health insurance within 4 months, sort your leave, and watch for the SVB letter about kinderbijslag.

   SVB · Kinderbijslag aanvragen ↗ · Rijksoverheid · Is health insurance compulsory? ↗ · Rijksoverheid · Having a child checklist ↗

Key facts

Midwife care

In the basic package, no eigen risico Zorginstituut · Midwife care ↗

Kraamzorg

24–80 hours after the birth; own contribution at home €5.70/hour in 2026; at a kraamhotel or birth centre without medical need, at least €22.50/day each for mother and baby Zorginstituut · Kraamzorg ↗ · Rijksoverheid · When do I pay an eigen bijdrage? ↗

Pregnancy + birth leave

At least 16 weeks in total (employees), paid via UWV Rijksoverheid · Pregnancy and maternity leave ↗ · UWV · Verlofregelingen (WAZO) ↗

Partner leave

1 week fully paid within 4 weeks, plus up to 5 weeks' additional leave within 6 months at up to 70% Rijksoverheid · Birth leave for partners ↗

Paid parental leave

9 weeks paid at 70% of daily wage (up to a maximum), taken in the child's first year Rijksoverheid · Zwangerschap en geboorte (verlof) ↗

Kinderbijslag 0–5 yrs

€298.40 per child per quarter (Q3/Q4 2026) SVB · Bedragen kinderbijslag ↗

Amsterdam JGZ

GGD contacts you a few days after the birth for a home visit GGD Amsterdam · After the birth ↗

Bookmark these

• Rijksoverheid · Having a child checklist ↗

  Rijksoverheid's checklist for everything to arrange when you have a child.

• KNOV · Praktijkzoeker (find a midwife) ↗

  Find a midwife practice near you.

• Zorginstituut · Kraamzorg ↗

  Kraamzorg: what's covered and when to register.

• Rijksoverheid · Aangifte geboorte ↗

  Registering a birth: the 3-day rule and the weekday table.

• Gemeente Amsterdam · Online birth registration ↗

  Amsterdam's online birth registration (OLVG, Amsterdam UMC, BovenIJ).

• Rijksoverheid · Kind erkennen: wanneer en waar ↗

  Recognising your child: when and where.

• Rijksoverheid · Pregnancy and maternity leave ↗

  Calculating pregnancy and birth leave.

• SVB · Kinderbijslag aanvragen ↗

  Applying for kinderbijslag.

• GGD Amsterdam · After the birth ↗

  GGD Amsterdam: youth health care after the birth.

• Rijksvaccinatieprogramma · Vaccinatieschema ↗

  RIVM: the national vaccination schedule.

• I amsterdam · Child Benefit ↗

  I amsterdam on kinderbijslag (child benefit) for under-18s.

• I amsterdam · Choosing a midwife and other tips for expectant parents ↗

  Choosing a midwife, plus tips for expectant parents.

Common questions

When should I contact a midwife?

You can contact a midwife once you're pregnant; Zorginstituut says the first appointment is usually between weeks 7 and 10. This is an admin pointer, not medical advice. Zorginstituut · Midwife care ↗

Can I register the birth online in Amsterdam?

Yes, if the baby was born at OLVG, Amsterdam UMC (AMC location) or BovenIJ and you register within 3 days. Home births and births at Bevalcentrum Oost or West are registered at a City Office. Gemeente Amsterdam · Online birth registration ↗ · Gemeente Amsterdam · Registration of birth ↗

We're not married. When should we recognise the child?

You can do it before the birth, at the registration or later. Before the birth means the second parent is the legal parent from day one, and since 2023 usually shares authority automatically. Rijksoverheid · Kind erkennen: wanneer en waar ↗ · Rijksoverheid · Joint authority through recognition from 2023 ↗

What does kraamzorg cost?

It's in the basic package with no eigen risico, but at home you pay €5.70 per hour in 2026. Choosing a kraamhotel or birth centre without medical need costs at least €22.50 a day each for mother and baby. Zorginstituut · Kraamzorg ↗ · Rijksoverheid · When do I pay an eigen bijdrage? ↗

How much birth leave does a partner get?

One week of your weekly hours, fully paid, within 4 weeks of the birth. Then up to 5 weeks' additional leave within 6 months, with a UWV benefit of up to 70% of daily wage. Rijksoverheid · Birth leave for partners ↗

How do we get kinderbijslag?

After you register the birth, the gemeente tells the SVB and they send you a letter; then apply in Mijn SVB. It's paid per quarter, after the quarter ends. SVB · Kinderbijslag aanvragen ↗ · SVB · Bedragen kinderbijslag ↗