ELLE Midwives

We asked, she delivered. 😉
Our assistant Britt on why no question is too small, being kind to yourself, and what it really means to be there from the very beginning.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝗶𝗿𝘁𝗵?
No matter how much you read or prepare, parenthood is something you can only truly learn by living it. And that's okay. The experience itself is the teacher.

𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗻𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗵𝗲𝗿, 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗶𝘁 𝗯𝗲?
Be kind to yourself. Listen to your body. There is no perfect pregnancy, birth or postpartum period. Trust that you, as a parent, know best what you and your baby need. And don't be afraid to ask for help.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗮𝗹𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲?
Behind almost every call or visit, there's the same question underneath it all: is this normal? No question is strange or silly. I want every pregnant woman and every partner to feel completely free to ask or discuss anything. That matters to me.

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘀𝗼 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂?
I'm often the very first person a family speaks to at the start of their pregnancy. Getting to follow that journey from the sidelines, one of the most extraordinary experiences of someone's life, is something I never take for granted. A listening ear, a reassuring answer, or simply taking a moment for someone, that can make all the difference. That's what makes this work so valuable to me.

— Britt, assistant at ELLE

One minute you're staring at your baby. The next you're crying over cold coffee.
𝙒𝙚𝙡𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙖𝙗𝙮 𝙗𝙡𝙪𝙚𝙨.

Around 70-80% of new mothers experience sudden mood swings, tears or feeling overwhelmed during the first week after birth.

It's caused by a rapid drop in pregnancy hormones, combined with broken nights and one of the biggest life changes you'll ever experience.

Usually, these feelings improve within two weeks.

If they don't (or they become heavier) you don't have to carry them alone.
Looking after your mental health is part of looking after your baby.

We asked, she delivered. 😉
Our midwife Nanda on shaking after birth, letting go of control, and why your pelvic floor deserves more attention than it gets.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗲𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻'𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿?
During and after birth, women often shake quite intensely and there's nothing you can do to stop it. It's a natural response to the physical effort, the adrenaline and the release. Completely normal. Just let it happen.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗻𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗸𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗻𝘀?
The more you let go of control, the calmer and more in control you'll actually feel.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀?
Tips for heartburn! Rennies, Gaviscon or Antagel, pick your favourite. They'll become your best friends.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗽𝗶𝗲𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗹𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸𝘀 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝗶𝗿𝘁𝗵?
Book your pelvic floor physiotherapist at 6 weeks postpartum, even if you have no complaints. Your pelvis has been through a lot, it deserves a little attention.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗺𝗶𝗱𝘄𝗶𝗳𝗲?
Being part of one of the most beautiful and vulnerable moments in a parent's life and doing everything I can to make it a positive experience. When parents look back on it with gratitude, that's the greatest reward there is.

𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹. 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀.
Some babies latch straight away.
Others need time, patience and support.
That's why feeding is something we continue talking about after birth, not just before it.
Whether you choose breastfeeding, bottle feeding or a combination, informed parents make confident choices.

At ELLE, you're never expected to figure it out on your own. We work closely with trusted lactation consultants, and every ELLE family gets exclusive access to our online feeding course, covering both breastfeeding and bottle feeding. So whether you're preparing before birth or navigating those first weeks postpartum, reliable support is always within reach.
Because feeding your baby shouldn't come with the pressure of having all the answers, it should come with the confidence that you know where to find them. 🤎

Did you know your uterus grows around 500 times during pregnancy?
Before pregnancy it's about the size of a pear.
By the end of pregnancy, it has grown enough to carry a full-term baby, the placenta and amniotic fluid.

𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗮𝗯𝘆'𝘀 𝗴𝗿𝗶𝗽 𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗲.
Newborns are born with a grasp reflex. Touch their palm and they'll instinctively wrap their tiny fingers around yours.
It's one of the many reflexes that show your baby's nervous system is developing as expected.
One tiny hand.
A lot of information.

Meet Mariana, one of the midwives at ELLE. 🤎
From trusting your intuition to postpartum recovery, these are the conversations she has with parents every single day.

𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙨𝙚𝙚 𝙤𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙣 𝙞𝙣 𝙥𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩?
"How quickly mothers (and fathers) intuition kicks in. Society often teaches us to look to experts for every answer, but parents are often amazed by how naturally they actually know what their baby (and their own body) needs once they strip away the noise. Cliché, but listen to that feeling!”

𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙙𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙞𝙨𝙝 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙜𝙣𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙬𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙠𝙣𝙚𝙬 𝙗𝙚𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙜𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙗𝙞𝙧𝙩𝙝?
"That the 'perfect birth' isn't about following a script or a plan, but about how you feel. You are allowed to ask questions, change your mind and set your boundaries. Being truly heard makes all the difference, no matter which way it goes."

𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩’𝙨 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙡 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩 𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙠𝙨 𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙩𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙪𝙢?
"Be kind to yourself. Everyone is focussed on the baby, but don't forget to check in with yourself. You just gave birth to a baby, and you were reborn as a mother too. Give yourself time, rest a lot, book that postpartum massage, order sushi. Treat yourself, you so deserve it!”
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𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙙𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠 𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝙢𝙞𝙙𝙬𝙞𝙛𝙚?
"Whitnessing everyday of what the human body can do and being a reminder of how powerful women naturally are. I don't 'deliver' babies, women birth their babies. I'm just there to listen closely and make sure she feels safe enough to let her body do what it was made for."

𝟭-𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲

Preparing for birth is more than just knowing what will happen.
It’s about understanding your body, your options, and what helps you feel calm and in control.
In this 5-hour course, you and your partner will be guided through the physical, emotional and mental aspects of birth.

With a combination of theory and hands-on practice, you’ll learn how to navigate each stage of labour with confidence and how to make choices that fit your situation.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁:
• Understanding how your body works during birth
• Practical tools for pain relief and relaxation
• Techniques like massage, acupressure and positions
• A clear role for your partner
• Preparation for both physiological and medical scenarios
• Space to create your own birth preferences

Whether you’re planning a home birth or hospital birth, this course meets you where you are.
📍 ELLE Midwives Kralingen-Crooswijk
🗓 july 19, august 23, september 13
🕒 12:30 – 17:30
💰 €250 (often reimbursed by insurance)
📩 Register: [email protected]
(Language: English – hosted by Maggie Walker)
Limited spots available.

photography

𝙂𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙙𝙞𝙖𝙗𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙨: 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙩? 🤎
During pregnancy, hormones can make it harder for your body to regulate blood sugar. When your body can't produce enough insulin to keep up, gestational diabetes can develop.
Most women don't notice any symptoms, which is why testing is important when indicated.
You may be offered a glucose test if you have one or more risk factors, such as:
• A previous pregnancy with gestational diabetes
• A BMI of 30 or higher
• A close family member with diabetes
• A previous baby weighing over 4.5 kg
• Certain ethnic backgrounds with a higher risk of diabetes
The test is usually performed between 24 and 28 weeks. You'll drink a glucose solution, followed by one or more blood tests to see how your body processes sugar.
The good news? In most cases, gestational diabetes can be managed well with the right support, nutrition, exercise and, if needed, medication, helping you and your baby stay healthy throughout pregnancy.

Every pregnancy is different. That's why care should always be tailored to you. 🤎

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