Pregnancy counselling

The gynaecologist takes care of the medical follow-up of the pregnancy. He/she also makes time to give you the necessary information and to listen to any discomforts, questions and wishes.

You can make an appointment with the gynaecologist via the maternity unit or the gynaecology secretariat.

You can visit a midwife at least once during your pregnancy. Together with you, she will zoom in on your wishes and expectations regarding labour and delivery, and the feeding of your baby. Together with you, she will draw up a birth plan, provide information and listen to your questions. The midwife also provides practical information on admission, stay and discharge at the maternity unit.

You can make an appointment for a prenatal consultation with the midwife through the gynaecology secretariat.

Our maternity has been committed to breastfeeding promotion and counselling for years. New to our offer is a prenatal (during pregnancy) and postnatal (after delivery) lactation consultation. You can contact our trained lactation consultants with all your questions about breastfeeding. With their knowledge and experience, they can also give you many tips & tricks to make the breastfeeding period a success.

Make an appointment for a lactation consultation via maternity.

Health education by midwives

A GVO session consists of two lessons and is supervised by a midwife.

• First lesson: about breastfeeding
• Second lesson: about labour and delivery, caring for your baby and a guided tour of the maternity hospital and the delivery room.

Find more info via the button below.

Taking medicines during your pregnancy and/or breastfeeding period

Using medicines during your pregnancy or breastfeeding period is sometimes necessary. To ensure safe use for both mother and child, reliable information is needed. A national centre of expertise can help disseminate reliable information around this topic in the future.

A questionnaire will gauge your information needs and preferences regarding information on medicines during pregnancy and breastfeeding. The findings from this survey will help ensure that the operation of the Belgian centre of expertise matches the preferences of (future) parents as closely as possible.

Both mums and dads, pregnant and breastfeeding women and their partners, and couples with a desire to have children can participate in the study.

HypnoBirthing is a complete pregnancy course that focuses on breathing techniques, relaxation exercises and visualisations to prepare you for giving birth. The aim is for your body to master the relaxation to such an extent that it becomes automatic during birth, to gain confidence in your own body and to consciously prepare for the birth of your baby.

Find out more by clicking the button below.

The start fee, formerly known as maternity pay or birth premium, is a one-off amount from the Flemish Government that you can apply for when you are expecting a child. It allows you to give your little one a good start in life. The starting amount is part of the Growth Package. Find out more via the video below or at www.groeipakket.be.

Pregnancy, child birth and early parenthood can bring difficult moments. As healthcare providers, we are aware of this and want to discuss the emotions involved. We invite you to discuss your concerns as a future parent with your partner and with your gynaecologist.

Moreover, via the link below, you can fill in an online questionnaire that gauges your emotional well-being. Based on the result, you can talk to your relatives, midwife, gynaecologist, GP or other care providers. The questionnaire will only take 5 minutes of your time.

Finally, the 'Cloud in my head' initiative can also provide support. The network aims to improve the prevention, detection and treatment of mental health problems during pregnancy up to one year after giving birth, focusing on the broader psychosocial context of the pregnant or giving birth women and good cooperation between different health professionals and institutions. More info can be found via the button below.

Healthy and balanced nutrition during pregnancy is extra important. Not only do you put in a lot of effort yourself, your body also needs to provide the right building blocks for your baby's growth.