My name is Lotte, I’m 33 years old and the proud mother of a 6-year-old daughter. Inspired by my own journey (yes, thanks to my daugther) I founded Mini&Mom, a center for professional pregnancy support.
Over the years, I have helped many women, both Dutch and international, through pregnancy and childbirth. Through my work, I realized that internationals often face extra challenges due to differences in the Dutch healthcare system. This insight led me to creating a dedicated course specifically designed to help expats feel informed and confident about giving birth in the Netherlands.
For many Dutch women, certain aspects of the system may seem obvious, but even they sometimes lack clarity. So, for internationals who don’t speak the language or know the local customs, understanding the system can feel even more overwhelming. This course addresses those gaps and helps bridge the differences for expat mothers-to-be.
Six years ago, I thought I was on track for a natural birth until I found out at 34 weeks that my daughter was in the breech position. It completely caught me off guard—something I hadn’t even considered (looking back, maybe a bit naïve). Honestly, at the time, I knew very little about pregnancy and childbirth. I had taken a course and done some online research, but it wasn’t enough. The course was very basic, focusing only on a "normal" birth, and didn’t prepare me for something like a breech baby.
I was referred to a gynecologist, and there, I was presented with two options: give birth "naturally" in the hospital or by caesarean section.
It felt like the choice was mine to make, but looking back, I wonder: Did I really have a choice?
Here's the thing: To make an informed decision, you need a lot of information—not just about your options but about your specific situation. At that time, I didn’t even know the exact position of my baby, and this information is crucial for making the best decision.
Would I do things differently if I could do it over again?
I get asked this question a lot, and my answer is: Yes and no.
Yes: I would have asked more questions. How exactly is my baby positioned? What would a breech birth look like? I would have sought out more (scientific) information about breech births and the associated risks, instead of relying solely on the advice of one gynecologist.
No: I can’t say for sure that I would have made a different choice, because I still don’t know exactly how my baby was doing at that time. But if everything seemed favorable, I probably would have considered a breech birth.
No matter how challenging, your birth experience is uniquely yours. I sometimes struggle with the feeling that I didn’t make the “right” choices, but I also believe that every decision, even the difficult ones, is part of the transformation into motherhood. Of course, having a healthy, happy child is the most important thing, and I’m incredibly grateful for my sweet daughter. But I also want to emphasize that your feelings and experiences during birth are important too.
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