Pregnancy

Congratulations! New life is growing inside your belly! We will be there for you throughout your pregnancy to provide you with medical follow-up and advice to prepare you for the birth itself.
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Follow-up

During your 9 months of pregnancy we will monitor you closely. You will see your gynaecologist, midwife or other healthcare providers at pre-arranged times. They will monitor both you and your baby. In the document below you will find a complete overview of all these contact moments.

If you have any questions or are worried, never hesitate to contact your gynaecologist.

Nutrition and Lifestyle

During your pregnancy, balanced nutrition is very important for yourself and your baby's development. Some concrete guidelines:

  • Drink plenty of water and eat a healthy, fresh and varied diet with adequate protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals. Plant-based foods are preferred. Pregnancy is certainly not a good time to diet.
  • To reduce the risk of toxoplasmosis, do not eat raw or semi-cooked meat and wash vegetables thoroughly. Cat feces also sometimes contain toxoplasmosis.
  • Soft cheeses made from raw milk can cause infection, so it's best to avoid eating them. 
  • Avoid alcohol, drugs and smoking during pregnancy. These products can cause developmental problems.

To support your baby's early development it is best to start taking folic acid while you are trying to get pregnant. If you have not done so, it is best to start this as soon as possible at the beginning of the pregnancy. It is recommended to take this supplement until week 12, after that you can switch to regular pregnancy vitamins.  

Preparing for childbirth

Infosessions

There are lots of things you can do to prepare yourself and your body for childbirth. We are happy to help you get started during our information sessions. You and your partner are welcome to ask our midwives any questions you have.

During this session you get more information about the course of labour, delivery and the postpartum period. Our midwife and gynaecologist give you practical tips. 

  • duration:  ± 1,5 - 2 uur
  • location: Conference room, campus Rummenweg (1st floor); Rummenweg 2, 3800 Sint-Truiden
  • registration: on the spot by midwife
  • who: in groups of 10-20 couples (depending on pregnancyterm)
  • when: Tuesday evenings at 17h30 and 19h30 (next one: 5 december 2023, 5 march 2024)
  • this infosession is optional, registration required through the gynaecology secretariat: 011 69 94 85 or dr_gynaecologie@stzh.be

This session is fully reimbursed trough health insurance. 

Under supervision of a midwife/lactation consultant you get tot know more of the advantages and functioning of breastfeeding and how it will play out in the hospital and at home. With guidance of a midwife/lactation consultant, you will get information about breastfeeding, its benefits, how it works and how it will proceed in the hospital and at home. This session is best taken when you are 30 weeks pregnant. 

  • duration: 45 minutes
  • location: Aesclepion room, 1st floor D-block (follow the turquoise arrow) 
  • registration at kiosk in entrance hall
  • who: in group (max. 5 couples)
  • when: every first Monday of the month at 17h and 19h
  • this infosession is optional,  registration required through the gynaecology secretariat: 011 69 94 85 or dr_gynaecologie@stzh.be

This session is fully reimbursed trough health insurance. 

Prenatal exercises

Prenatal exercises help keep the body in shape and prepare it for childbirth. Included are exercises to strengthen and relax muscles, tips for correct standing and sitting posture, lifting techniques, breathing exercises and relaxation tips. You will also learn different postures to accommodate contractions. You can begin these exercises from the 28th week of pregnancy.

Birthwish

Good communication is important  for an enjoyable birth experience. Therefore, discuss your wishes and expectations with the midwife and/or gynaecologist. You can make your preferences clear in terms of pain management, medical interventions, nutrition for the baby, delivery environment,... However, the midwife and gynaecologist always act in the interest of mother and baby. Because of this, not everything may go according to the expected plan. Childbirth cannot be predicted and during labor you may think very differently about some choices.

The brochure below can help you get started.

Geboortewens (250.3 KB)

Practical arrangements for your childbirth

Below you will find an overview of the things you need to sort out before the birth.

It is recommended that you contact a first-line midwife in your area at the beginning of your pregnancy, who will follow up and guide you both during pregnancy and after delivery. Consultations with a home care midwife are largely to fully reimbursed by your health insurance company.
You can find a midwife in your area through this link (in dutch): www.vroedvrouwen.be/zoek-een-vroedvrouw.

During your pregnancy you can also contact Kind & Gezin (Child & Family). They will support you and your baby after the birth. You can find more information here.

  • Acknowledge your child: If you and your partner are not married, it is best to make an appointment at the registry office of the municipality where you live. You can do this throughout your pregnancy. All you need is a doctor's certificate confirming the pregnancy and stating the expected date of delivery. An "acknowledgment" is then drawn up, allowing your baby to receive the surname of both parents. This can also be put in order after the birth.
  • Growthpackage: For the birth of a child in Flanders you can apply for a starting amount of 1,167.33 euros. You can do this from 24 weeks of pregnancy. The gynaecologist will make you a certificate for this.
  • Home care midwife: You will stay in the hospital for four nights after a natural childbirth, and five nights after a cesarean section. You can also choose to go home after two nights if the gynaecologist and pediatrician allow it. You can then rely on maternity care or a midwife at home. 
  • Maternity care: After you give birth, you can count on maternity care. The maternity nurse supports you and your family in the first weeks after giving birth. Light household chores are taken over from you, so you can calmly get used to your new family life. It is best to apply for maternity care when you are 20 to 25 weeks pregnant. The cost per hour is determined by the family income. Some health insurances provide a contribution for the costs.

During your baby's first 3 years of life this organisation would like to assist you as parents with professional help, information and advice on development, health, parenting, safety,...

The health booklet for your baby will be ready for you in your room. The nurse from Kind & Gezin will contact you within 10 days of the birth for a first home visit.

You receive the health booklet for you baby during your pregnancy. It is important you save this. If you didn't get it during pregnancy, the nurse from Kind & Gezin will give it to you during the first visit. The nurse will contact you after the birth to shedule a first house visit. 

More info can be found at www.kindengezin.be or the Kind-en-Gezin line: 078 150 100. For some English documentation: EN | Kind en Gezin. 

Links

Childbirth
Caesarean section
Breastfeeding

Departments

For more information, please visit the following departments:

Gynaecology
Maternity

Gynaecology 011 69 94 85 Maternity 011 69 98 41