If you're looking for expert childbirth education in English, The Positive Birth Hub is here for you. Whether you're a first-time parent or expanding your family, you deserve support, knowledge, and empowerment throughout your birth journey.

Check out the interview about me, Katherine Ellwood in Tervuren+ News where I share my passion for supporting pregnant and new expat parents in Belgium and why I set up this website!

Angela Vitiello, founder and owner of the Expat Parenting Collective urges you to plan not only for the birth of your baby but also for life after your baby is born. By thinking ahead, asking questions of yourself and and your partner and above all listening can enhance your parenting experience and support a healthy and successful relationship.

Most people assume lying on a bed to labour and birth a baby is best because that’s what they see in movies. A new study published this month shows that this is many women’s lived experience. But, the reality is lying on your back to birth your baby works against you and being mobile and upright helps labour progress and makes birth easier.

Why are women giving birth on their backs?

What happens in Belgium?

Do you have to get on the bed?

How can you get body-ready for birth? What is Spinning Babies® all about? In this article, Kata Rácz—a doula, Body Ready Method Pro, and certified Spinning Babies® Parent Educator living in Vlaams Braabant—explains why pain in pregnancy is not normal and how proactive birth preparation can bring more comfort during pregnancy while paving the way for a smoother birth.  

Here, Jane Piot, a British born, Brussels-based doula and breastfeeding counsellor shares 6 key reasons why hiring a doula can positively impact your birth experience supporting you prenatally, on through labour and birth and beyond.

Putting together a plan for the birth of your baby can seem daunting but knowing and understanding your options, relating them to you and your baby’s specific needs and discussing your preferences with your caregivers and birth partner puts you at the centre of your birth experience and gives you agency.

As moms, we wear so many hats—caretaker, problem solver, cook, planner, chauffeur, emotional support, and more. It’s a role that comes with immense joy but also with immense pressure. A pressure often exacerbated when you live in a country that is not your own. Somewhere in the whirlwind of caring for others, we often forget the one person who needs just as much attention: ourselves.

Writing a birth plan is a process that starts by understanding the available choices and ends with you communicating your preferences for labour, birth, and postnatal care to your caregivers. It can seem daunting especially when you are outside of your home country.

So, to get you started here are five key things to consider when formulating your birth plan

Krammzorg: a Dutch term that highlights the importance of human connection and the role of affectionate, non-medical care in promoting well-being and recovery.

Read on to find out how kraamzorg care (postnatal care) can support you on your postnatal journey.

Artist and poet Mimi Kunz shares her experience of being a young mother, and her moments of marvel, fear, and laughter, a revelation occurs. The body of mother and child are discovered as our first language, our mother tongue.

Brussels-based mum of teenage boys, Jane Piot is an experienced birth doula, certified breastfeeding specialist, La Leche League Leader and infant massage instructor.  Here she explains the importance of preparing for your breastfeeding journey before the arrival of your baby.

Finding daycare for your baby in Belgium begins before your baby is born - a daunting task and not one you thought you would need to consider early in your pregnancy. Check out our guide to finding daycare that sets you up to make the best choice for you and your baby.

www.thevillage.be closed on the 1st October 2024 - a huge loss to the expat community in Belgium.  So, to fill the vacuum and ensure expat expectant and new parents in Belgium can access the information they need to navigate the Belgian maternity services with confidence I have created ‘Pregnant In Belgium’.

Pregnancy is an exciting time, but it can also be uncomfortable, scary and overwhelming.  Plus, it comes with a host of mental and physical changes far too long to list here! One of the most beneficial ways to navigate through these changes and prepare for the journey of motherhood is through yoga.

So, how can yoga support you during your pregnancy? Emily Gold, Brussels based Yoga Therapist explains…

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