Giving birth at home: what you need and how to prepare
Updated: Sep 24
A home birth often does not start with a firm decision, but with a feeling. A wish for calm, for giving birth in your own surroundings, with people you trust around you. At the same time it raises questions: is it safe, what do you need, and how do you prepare well?
Whether you give birth at home or in hospital is a choice you make together with your midwife. She looks at your pregnancy and your health and talks through with you what fits. If you choose home, good preparation helps you on your way.
As a maternity professional, I've had the honor of assisting many home births over the past few years. I've witnessed firsthand how powerful, calming, and positive a home birth can be, provided you're well-prepared.
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Preparing your home for a safe and relaxed home birth
A home birth isn't the same as just giving birth at home. It means arranging your environment so that you and the healthcare professionals can work optimally. Consider:
Choosing the right place
A space where you feel comfortable and have plenty of room to move around. This is often the bedroom or living room.
Creating access
Make sure the midwife can quickly store her materials and has sufficient light when needed.
Warmth and atmosphere
Soft lighting, soothing music, something personal that helps you relax, all of this supports natural childbirth.
Safety
Discuss this with your midwife beforehand. Consider stair safety, space for equipment, and sufficient workspace.
Raising the bed
Put the bed on blocks or bed raisers. The top of the mattress should be 80 to 90 cm above the floor. That way the midwife and the maternity nurse can work properly. Make sure this is ready from week 37. You can often borrow or rent blocks from a home care shop. Extra mattresses are not a good alternative.
An induction or a ventouse asks for a different kind of preparation.
How do you prepare for a home birth?
A home birth requires thorough preparation. Here are the most important steps:
Request a maternity package in time
Many health insurers offer a maternity package with supplies for the birth, such as underlays, sterile gauze, and maternity pads. A maternity package is not covered by the Dutch basic health insurance, only by supplementary insurance. Check with your insurer what your policy covers. Request the package in time, often at least two months before your due date.
Make a birth plan
A birth plan (not a rigid plan, but a guideline) helps you clearly define how you'd like to give birth. Consider things like who can be present and what equipment you'd like to use, such as a birthing pool. Flexibility is key, as every birth can be different.
Discuss your wishes with your midwife and maternity care
During your pregnancy, you can discuss your vision for the birth and postpartum period with your midwife and maternity care team. Discuss where you'd like to give birth, what support you'd like, and your expectations for the postpartum period. This way, everyone knows what's important to you.
Complete the home birth checklist to prepare
Use the handy checklist to ensure you are well prepared.
Births often don't go as planned. Therefore, pack a hospital bag in case you need to go to the hospital.
What if you still need to go to hospital?
Your midwife will closely monitor your progress throughout the delivery to ensure everything is going smoothly. Should there be a medical reason to go to the hospital, this will be discussed and arranged in a timely manner. Almost everyone in the Netherlands can reach a hospital with acute obstetric care within 30 minutes. The statutory norm is 45 minutes by ambulance. Midwives work closely with gynaecologists and paediatricians.
Keep a get away bag ready as well, in case you do go to hospital.
What the care costs and what your insurance covers is set out separately.
Frequently asked questions
When can I have a home birth?
If your pregnancy is low risk and you are cared for by a primary care midwife, you can in principle give birth at home.
What do I need for a home birth?
Think of a maternity package, enough towels, underpads, good lighting and a pleasant, warm room. Your midwife goes through this with you beforehand.
What happens if something goes wrong during a home birth?
Your midwife watches over you the whole time. If medical care is needed, you are transferred to hospital in time. In the Netherlands, hospitals are usually close by.
Do I need a hospital bag ready for a home birth?
Yes, you always make sure that a hospital bag is ready. Even with a planned home birth, you may still need to go to hospital.
Can I have pain relief during a home birth?
Medicinal pain relief is only available in hospital. At home you can use natural forms of pain relief, such as a birth pool, breathing and position.
A home birth requires preparation, but above all, it requires trust. Trust in your body, in your team, and in the choices you make.
You can never fully predict childbirth. You plan what needs to be planned, and then you can let go. The greatest gift you can give yourself is flexibility and space for how things unfold, even when things don't go as you expected. By trusting, going with the flow, and accepting that you can't control everything, you create the foundation for a positive and powerful birthing experience .
Love,
Bobby
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Written by Bobby, maternity nurse at Bobby Kraamzorg. Last updated: September 2026.
