When you are pregnant, many things change. Your baby is developing, and your body is changing. But not only that. Pregnancy is often also a period in which you start making other choices. Where and how do you want to give birth? What food will you be giving your baby? Will you work more or less? There are many more subjects you will have to think about. And of course you would like to know whether your baby is growing properly and whether the other medical checkups are good.
Centering pregnancy is a program that combines medical checkups with all the information about pregnancy, birth and the first days of the baby. There is also time to ask all your questions and share your experiences with women who are due around the same time.
How does it work? After your first individual check-up with your midwife, you will attend group meetings with women who are due around the same time. Such a group consists of 8 to 12 women and the meetings always take place on fixed days and times, which are known in advance until the end of the pregnancy. The last meeting takes place after delivery with all babies!
During such a group meeting, the medical care, such as checking your blood pressure and the growth of the baby are assessed. But in the meetings you will also talk to women who all experience and witness their pregnancy in a different way. This is where you support each other. In addition, you will learn how to go through your pregnancy in a healthy way. For example, there have been in-depth sessions with a father coach, about maternity care and about breastfeeding. Many women stay in touch with each other even after the pregnancy.
Some women have to get used to the idea of group meetings. But once they start, they experience the benefits: meetings of 2 hours so we can go much deeper into topics. But also getting to know other pregnant women who are currently going through the same. You will be supported by other women and learn from their experiences and questions.
Satisfaction is not only evident from the experiences we hear, but research has shown that it also has many positive effects for both mother and child:
- Less supplemental stimulation during labor and delivery
- Less pain medication during delivery
- More starts with breastfeeding
- Less referrals during the pregnancy
Women who followed Centering Pregnancy also indicated that they:
- Experienced more support
- Feel better prepared for the future
- Feel more involved in their care
- That their wishes and needs regarding pain management were better discussed
- Feel supported by other women and form a close team
During the intake with your midwife, we will provide you with more information about this.
