5 months Ago
Kraamzorg, given in the first eight days after childbirth, is under severe pressure thanks to labour shortages and low wages. Just last year, 500 families went without care because there were too few kraamzorg workers. Unless there is change, that figure could increase to 37,000 families a year within a decade — nearly a quarter of all the births in the Netherlands — according to research from the union that was cited by FNV.
Badly paid midwives put vital postnatal care at risk
Unions argue that there is not enough compensation for the responsibility and commitment that the job demands. Consider that maternity carers are currently paid a mere $11.50 for an 8-hour shift of stand-by — before tax. They are calling for a ministerial lead healthcare to be placed in charge of maternity care and for staff to get paid properly for both active time and when they are on standby.
Former midwife and GroenLinks-PvdA MP Elke Slagt-Tichelman received the petition on behalf of MPs, and called the Dutch kraamzorg system an example for having contact with the new baby early and consistently.
"It was so crucial," said FNV's Yvette de Vries, a campaigner who is passionate about the issue, who explained how important care was for her family when her underweight daughter was born 18 years ago. "The Netherlands, you have your baby, you take it home after a few hours with the car seat, and I'm still feeling very unprepared. It's vital, for your confidence. And there is no substitute in the Netherlands," she said.
Demographics May Exacerbate the Crisis
The demand for reform coincides with broader demographic shifts. According to CBS figures, Dutch parents have been getting older, and increasing housing costs partly account for the decline in births since 2010. Sociologist Tanja Traag called it a "delaying behaviour" trend, and NIDI expert Daniël van Wijk cautioned that the Netherlands might suffer long-term consequences similar to countries with chronically low birth rates, including Japan and South Korea.
The unions and health organizations are worried that without intervention the kraamzorg system could be compromised beyond repair — endangering thousands of families and threatening a key part of the Dutch Central healthcare Services.
