EBB 351 -"Home Birth is a National Heritage!" and other Surprising Features of the Dutch Healthcare System with Doula Madi van Tonder

Evidence Based Birth®

Rebecca Dekker

Pregnancy, Health & Fitness, Childbirth, Parenting, Birth, Medicine, Kids & Family, Doula, Obstetrician, Midwife

4.6 • 978 Ratings

🗓️ 19 March 2025

⏱️ 33 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Madi van Tonder is a birth photographer, doula, and educator based in the Netherlands. Originally from South Africa, Madi has lived in multiple countries and brings a unique perspective to birth work, particularly for families navigating new healthcare systems.

Join Dr. Dekker and Madi as she shares insights into the Dutch maternity care system, where midwives play a central role, home birth is considered a national heritage, and postpartum families receive in-home support through the Kraamzorg system. We explore how Dutch birth culture prioritizes physiological birth, minimizes unnecessary interventions, and encourages parents to trust in their bodies. Madi also highlights the challenges faced by immigrant families and the importance of informed decision-making, regardless of where you give birth.

(00:03:16) Overview of the Dutch Maternity Care System: Midwife-Led Model

(00:05:52) Home Birth as National Heritage: Dutch Birth Culture & Trends

(00:06:54) Role of Doulas in the Netherlands & Their Place in the System

(00:10:33) Dutch Approach to Birth Interventions & Cesarean Rates

(00:12:46) Pain Management Options: Non-Medicated Comfort Measures First

(00:16:18) Early Hospital Discharge & the Kraamzorg Postpartum Care System

(00:20:01) Dutch Parental Leave Policies & Family-Friendly Work Culture

(00:22:54) Challenges in the System: Protocols, Immigration, & Language Barriers

(00:28:47) Lessons from the Dutch Birth Model: Autonomy, Education & Low-Intervention Birth

(00:31:08) Madi’s Advice for Expecting Parents & Birth Professionals

Resources

Learn more about Madi van Tonder and her work at Meraki Madi.

For more information about Evidence Based Birth® and a crash course on evidence based care, visit www.ebbirth.com. Follow us on Instagram and YouTube! Ready to learn more? Grab an EBB Podcast Listening Guide or read Dr. Dekker's book, "Babies Are Not Pizzas: They're Born, Not Delivered!" If you want to get involved at EBB, join our Professional membership (scholarship options available) and get on the wait list for our EBB Instructor program. Find an EBB Instructor here, and click here to learn more about the EBB Childbirth Class.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hi, everyone. On today's podcast, we're going to talk with Mottie Van Tonder about pregnancy,
0:05.4	birth, and birth work in the Netherlands.
0:11.6	Welcome to the evidence-based birth podcast. My name is Rebecca Decker, and I'm a nurse with my
0:16.8	PhD and the founder of evidence-based birth. Join me each week as we work together to get
0:22.7	evidence-based information into the hands of families and professionals around the world.
0:28.1	As a reminder, this information is not medical advice. See eBbirth.com slash disclaimer for more
0:34.9	details. Hi, everyone, and welcome to today's episode of the evidence-based birth podcast.
0:42.4	My name is Rebecca Decker, and I'll be your host for today's episode.
0:46.2	Today I'm so excited to welcome Madi Van Tonder to the evidence-based birth podcast.
0:51.9	Mottie is a birth photographer, doula, an educator who founded her company,
0:56.3	Maraki Madi, in the Netherlands. Maraki is a Greek word meaning soul, creativity, and love,
1:02.6	which reflects the essence of Mahdi's work. Madi has a degree in biology and education,
1:08.7	is a certified doula and recently completed her aromatherapy diploma.
1:13.4	Originally from South Africa, Madi has lived as an expat in multiple countries over the last
1:19.1	decade. Her mission is to provide safety and support, particularly to expats as they navigate
1:25.1	the vulnerabilities of new cultures, new languages, and new healthcare
1:29.2	systems.
1:30.4	As a lifelong learner, Madi believes in empowering people through knowledge and creativity.
1:36.3	Madi, welcome by the Evidence-based Birth Podcast.
1:39.8	Thank you well.
1:41.8	Who got it?
1:43.8	He'll good.
	...

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