A referral from your family doctor is not necessary. When you register for the first time, the assistant will create your own pregnancy file and you will immediately receive reliable and useful information important to you at the beginning of your pregnancy. You will also receive a questionnaire, because we would like to quickly assess whether there are important things in your past history that could affect your health or your pregnancy. Therefore, it is nice if you fill it out and send it back at short notice.
What can you expect at your 1st appointment?
Of course, we also schedule a first appointment for you right away. During this appointment we will discuss everything in detail and there is room for all your wishes and questions. It can be exciting at the beginning of your pregnancy and everything is new. Then we are there for you. Everything you tell us is confidential. Should you have any urgent questions or concerns before the first appointment, you can always call us.
At the assistant’s office
The assistant will show you around the practice, our accessibility and so on. Then you can wait in the waiting room for your appointment with the midwife. You will soon discover that there is a lot of information available in the practice. After your appointment with the midwife, you can schedule another appointment with the assistant.
At the midwife’s office
Together with you and (possibly) your partner, the midwife will complete your pregnancy file. This will contain as much information as possible about everything that affects or may affect your pregnancy, labor or puerperium, or your health.
- If you have been pregnant before, we will discuss the course of this pregnancy. If you were also monitored by us then, we already have this information, of course.
- For example, if you have moved and your previous pregnancy was monitored elsewhere, it is nice if you bring as much information as possible.
At your first appointment, your health will be discussed in detail. Are you often sick? Ever had surgery? Do you still see a specialist in the hospital often? All these questions are also on the list you received earlier. These questions are designed to gain insight into your health. It is also important to mention if you are taking any medications. The midwife can see if any health problems need extra attention during your pregnancy, delivery or in the puerperium.
Unique consultation with the gynecologist
Sometimes it may be necessary to consult with a gynecologist (once). If some extra specialist care is needed, we have joint consultation hours with the gynecologists of the Catharina Hospital and the MMC. At these appointments, we discuss together with you and the gynecologist what tests and care you need. This is unique to 040verloskunde and ensures that all care is tailored to your needs.
Prenatal screening
During your first appointment with the midwife, a number of living rules will also be discussed, such as smoking, alcohol consumption, drug use and diet or any diets. This may affect the health of your baby or yourself. Also, feel free to ask for more or other information if you feel the need. The midwife will tell you more about adjustments during your pregnancy to prevent harmful infectious diseases, for example. It is nice if you tell her as much as possible about things that may be important during your pregnancy. For example, if you have ever had a venereal disease, this is also important to mention.
Heredity
Another topic that you could already prepare a bit for is heredity. Are all family members born healthy and alive? These are congenital or hereditary defects, physical or mental. Some abnormalities may be a reason to offer you more tests during pregnancy. Depending on the condition, the obstetrician will determine if this is possible and, if so, through what kind of testing. She will also see if your risk is really increased. Should this be unclear, information and advice will be sought from the clinical geneticist – heredity expert. In short, anything you think is important; let us know! Even if you are not sure if it is important.
The pregnancy
There is also a focus on your pregnancy, of course. After all, that’s what you came for! We begin by determining your due date. The assistant wants to know the first day of your last menstruation. On the basis of this date a provisional countdown date is established. Because you are usually still very early pregnant during your first appointment and the baby’s heart is not yet beating, it is not yet possible to hear the heart and you will see almost nothing on an ultrasound. So usually an ultrasound will be made at your next appointment for your first meeting with your baby. On average, we make the first ultrasound between 7 and 10 weeks, depending on your wishes and the course of the pregnancy. The term ultrasound by the midwife will give the final due date. This ultrasound is done between 10 and 12 weeks. Once we know your due date, the midwife can count out exactly how many weeks you are now pregnant. If you are beyond 12 weeks pregnant, she can try to let you hear the baby’s heart. Before then, your baby is still very small and can easily hide behind your pubic bone. We will also measure your blood pressure. This will be done every time you come for a check-up. And of course all your/your questions will be answered. From 12 weeks on, feel free to drop by at our heart consultation if you would like to come and listen to the heart briefly. This can be done without an appointment.
040verloskunde has 5 locations in the Eindhoven region. You can visit us in Eindhoven Middle, Eindhoven North, Eindhoven South, Aalst-Waalre and the Catharina hospital.
You can come to us if you live in Eindhoven, Aalst or Waalre:
- The center of Eindhoven
- Eindhoven North: from Blixembosch, Achtse Barrier, Acht, Orion, Eckart, Prinsejagt, Woenselse Heide to Woensel West and the center of Eindhoven.
- Stratum
- Eindhoven South
- Aalst or Waalre
Sign up with us early in your pregnancy! You can do this now using the application form.