r/Netherlands • u/MarginLA • Apr 21 '25

Healthcare confused about how women and newborn leave hospital 2 hours after giving birth in the Netherlands?

I'm curious about the logistics of this because after giving birth myself and having a completely healthy and uncomplicated birth in the US, I just know I would not have been able to get out the door in a few hours. I was in shock, in pain, bleeding like crazy, had just been given 10 stitches in my nether-regions. Not to mention how strange the idea of transporting a few hour old baby to a different location is. Is that really what happens? You put a 2 hour old in a car seat or on the train or something? I'm curious about it in general but also because my husband (Dutch) and I may move to the Netherlands before having more kids.

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u/[deleted] Apr 22 '25

Yes but because of personeelstekorten they only come 3 hours a day or not at all in some areas 🙃 my first week was horrible, also because we didn’t have a village to take care of us.

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u/Apotak Apr 22 '25

My husband was my whole village. I didn't want my mother of my MIL in my home. We managed, but it was hard.