Kraamzorg

Kraamzorg is a service in the Netherlands and Belgium in which postnatal care is provided to a new mother and her baby during the first eight to ten days after birth. The care is delivered in the home by a qualified maternity nurse known as a kraamverzorgster, who manages hygiene, monitors the mothers healing, supports breast or bottle feeding, and flags any concerns to midwives or doctors; standard care runs for eight days after hospital discharge, with extended coverage available for circumstances such as multiple births. In the Netherlands the service is included in standard health insurance packages, though patients may pay a small hourly contribution, and its overall purpose is to help the mother recover well and the baby develop appropriately.