Centering Pregnancy

Centering Pregnancy is a form of care where pregnant women meet in a fixed group under the guidance of a midwife and a maternity nurse for antenatal check-ups.

During these meetings, we discuss together in a fun way lots of topics that might be important to you during pregnancy. The big advantage of this is that there is much more time available. A meeting lasts two hours instead of 15 minutes during the consultation hour. This time flies and the meetings are often very pleasant!

How does it work in practice?

After the term ultrasound and intake, you will be assigned to a group of 8-10 pregnant women who are due around the same time. You will meet with this group 9 times in pregnancy, the first time when you are around 15 weeks pregnant. At the end of the pregnancy, one or more individual check-ups will follow. The last meeting is after delivery, when you also take your baby with you.

The first four meetings are every four weeks and the next five are every fortnight. A meeting lasts two hours and takes place at a fixed time at our location on Querido Avenue. During a meeting, medical care such as taking your blood pressure and checking the baby's growth takes place; your partner may attend this. Then we discuss various topics according to a set programme, with just the pregnant. There are two meetings where the partners are present for the full two hours, then we discuss childbirth and maternity. Pregnancy is often a period when you start making different choices. Where and how do you want to give birth? What food will you feed your baby later on? Will you work more or less? There are many more things to think about. These are all topics that will be discussed.

In addition, it can be nice to talk to other women who are as far pregnant as you are, you get along, can find support and companionship. Others often ask different questions or have different ideas that can be useful to you as you start to make your own choices.

Centering Pregnancy originated in America and is being developed for the Netherlands by TNO in close cooperation with the Royal Netherlands Organisation of Midwives and the Departments of Public Health and Obstetrics at Leiden University. For more information, visit: www.centeringzorg.nl.