An independent midwife can offer a holistic approach to your journey to becoming a parent, and can offer invaluable support before or when you are trying to conceive, and during pregnancy, birth and in the postnatal period.
Within Brussels and the surrounding areas, there are several teams of independent midwives, many of whom speak English.
Some midwives offer pre- and/or postnatal care, but do not attend births at all. While others offer pre- and/or postnatal care, and also attend births, whether:
- at home; or
- at one of the Brussels hospitals that allow independent midwives to ‘deliver’ babies (currently CHU St-Pierre in Brussels centre, Erasme in Anderlecht, Clinique Ste-Elisabeth in Uccle, CHU Brugmann, Hôpital Iris Sud – Etterbeek-Ixelles, and Clinique Sainte-Anne Saint Rémi in Anderlecht. Note that not all independent midwives can support births in these hospitals, as it depends on individual agreements.).
In this situation, it is your own midwife who cares for you during your labour at home and then in hospital, and who ‘catches’ your baby.
Midwives offering prenatal, birth, and postnatal care
- Bolle buik (website in English and Dutch) is a team of passionate midwives, serving Brussels and the east side of Flemish Brabant.
As well as homebirths, Bolle Buik midwives are also happy to support you during labour in hospital and can also ‘catch’ your baby in some hospitals – contact them for more details.
Bolle Buik midwife Patty Docx also runs ‘Birth and breakfast’ (site in Dutch) at her home in Viersel, Flanders. This is a small birth centre, where you can give birth in the comfort of a home setting, under the watchful eye of a midwife.
- Amala Espace Naissance (website in French, but many of the midwives also speak English, e.g. Aline Schoentjes – contact any of them to ask).
As well as homebirths, if you prefer to give birth in hospital, Amala midwives can also ‘catch’ your baby in Erasme hospital’s Cocon midwife-led unit (site in French) or in the regular Erasme labour ward, or in Sainte-Elisabeth hospital in Uccle.
- Au fil de la naissance (website in French, but many of the midwives also speak English – contact any of them to ask).
- Midwife Stéphanie Wampach runs Éclore naissance (website in French, but Stéphanie and the midwives who support her all speak English). With Éclore you can give birth at home, at their birth centre in Braine l’Alleud (3 minutes drive from the CHIREC hospital), or if you prefer to give birth in hospital, Stéphanie and her team can also ‘catch’ your baby in Erasme hospital, Sainte-Elisabeth in Uccle, or in Ixelles-Etterbeek hospital.
Services offered depend on the midwife.
Midwives offering pre- and/or postnatal care, but not births
- Zwanger in Brussel (website in English, French and Dutch) is a dynamic team of midwives ready to look after you during pregnancy and after the birth of your baby. They work in the 19 communes of Brussels.
Midwife Elke Van Den Bergh is also an IBCLC-qualified lactation consultant, who can offer consultations at any time on your breastfeeding journey.
NOTE: The team used to support births, but for a 6-month period starting October 2021 they will not be attending births, either at home or in hospital.
- Antenatal & Baby midwife and IBCLC lactation consultant Jo Everatt offers online breastfeeding support in English.
- Wheel of care (website in English, French and Dutch) offer pre- and postnatal home visits in the following communes: Brussels, Schaarbeek, Etterbeek, Ixelles, Saint-Gilles, Molenbeek, Sint-Joost-Ten-Node.
- Midwife team InTeam (website in English, French and Dutch) offer prenatal care at their centre in Hoeilaart (or at home if needed), and postnatal home visits in the east side of Flemish Brabant. The team also includes other professionals such as physical therapists, a pediatric physiotherapist, yoga teacher and more!
- Safems (website in English, French, Dutch and Turkish) is a team of three multi-lingual midwives offering pre- and postnatal care in the 19 communes of Brussels (and within a radius of 30 kilometres with additional contribution for travel costs).
Professional unions of midwives
- Union professionnelle des sages-femmes belges – professional union of Belgian (francophone) midwives
The website is in French, but you can easily find details of midwives per region. - Vlaamse Beroepsorganisatie van Vroedvrouwen – Flemish midwives association
The website in Dutch but you can easily find details of midwives per region.