Dam Parenting

Dam Parenting Podcast
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  • CHAQUE SEMAINE

Parenting in the Netherlands as an international family can feel overwhelming — but you don’t have to do it alone. DAM Parenting is a weekly podcast supporting international parents through pregnancy, birth, and parenthood in the Dutch system. With 175+ episodes, we explore everything from giving birth in a system you may not fully understand to raising third-culture kids in multilingual homes. Featuring real birth stories, expert insights, and honest conversations, this is your space for clarity, reassurance, and community. You are not alone.

  1. -2 J

    Maternal Menal Health Month - it starts here.

    This month is about the conversations we don’t say out loud. I’m bringing in familiar voices and new ones to talk about maternal mental health, the reality of motherhood, and what it actually feels like beneath the surface. These are not easy conversations.They may feel uncomfortable at times. But they matter. Because motherhood can be both a gift…and one of the most draining, excruciating, identity-shifting experiences we go through. And yet, so many of us are expected to carry onas if our entire world hasn’t been turned upside down. These episodes are not for everyone. But they are for someone. They’re not here to give you answers.They’re not here to “fix” anything. They’re here so you can hear something and think: “Okay… it’s not just me.” You are not meant to suffer in silence.You are not meant to do this without support.You are not meant to navigate this without a village. So take what you need from this month. Leave what you don’t. And if something resonates—reach out, share it, or start a conversation of your own. Because it matters. And you matter in this too.

    9 min
  2. Maternity Rights in the Netherlands: What Every International Parent Needs to Know

    -4 J

    Maternity Rights in the Netherlands: What Every International Parent Needs to Know

    Are you pregnant in the Netherlands — and not sure what your rights at work actually are? You are not alone. This is the most asked-about topic in international parent communities, and in this episode we finally get it answered properly — by an employment lawyer. Eva sits down with Ferline van Laerhoven, founder of Fair Line Law and Dutch employment law specialist, who has spent a decade working with international companies and employees in the Netherlands. In this conversation they cover: →  When you are legally required to tell your employer you're pregnant →  Whether employers are allowed to ask if you're pregnant (even in a job interview) →  Medical appointments and prenatal checks — are they paid time? →  What workplace adjustments employers must legally provide →  Night shifts, overtime and physically demanding work during pregnancy →  Extra paid rest breaks — the legal right most people don't know they have →  Sick leave during pregnancy: why it is treated differently, and why you get 100% →  How sick leave interacts with maternity leave length →  What happens after maternity leave ends if you're still unwell (including PPD/PPA) →  The 16 weeks: how it splits, how it's applied for, and the WAZO process →  Permanent contracts, temporary contracts, part-time and freelancer rights →  What non-renewal of a contract while pregnant really means legally →  Miscarriage before and after 24 weeks — what Dutch law says right now →  The Amsterdam and Utrecht grievance policy — and what it means nationally →  Stillbirth rights and bereavement leave →  Documentation, complaint timelines and what to do when things go wrong →  Partner leave — the full 6-week picture RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Fair Line Law — employment lawyer specialising in pregnancy and parenthood at work Website: www.fairlinelaw.nl  Instagram: @fairlinelaw    Email: info@fairlinelaw.nl Juridisch Loket — free basic legal advice (income-dependent): www.juridischloket.nl UWV — Employee Insurance Agency, maternity benefit questions: www.uwv.nl Dam Parenting Podcast — questions and community: damparentingpodcast@gmail.com Paternity leave episode coming soon — send your questions to damparentingpodcast@gmail.com or DM us on Instagram.

    30 min
  3. You Can't Raise a Multilingual Child Alone — Building Your Language Village in the Netherlands

    22 AVR.

    You Can't Raise a Multilingual Child Alone — Building Your Language Village in the Netherlands

    If you've been carrying the weight of your child's minority language entirely on your own — this episode is going to change how you think about multilingual parenting. This week Eva is joined by multilingual family expert Eowyn to explore one of the most undertalked truths in raising bilingual children: you cannot do this alone, sustainably. Language lives in connection — not in one determined parent pushing harder. We talk about what a 'multilingual village' actually looks like for expat families in the Netherlands, how to build one intentionally when you don't have family nearby, the practical power of language partners and community events, and why having multiple people in your child's language life changes everything. Whether you're parenting in English, Bulgarian, Spanish, French or anything in between — this conversation will leave you feeling less alone and more equipped. For international families in the Netherlands, this is the permission to stop being a one-person show.

    20 min
  4. Why Dutch Supermarket “Healthy” Foods Can Be Misleading | Nutri-Score Explained

    18 AVR.

    Why Dutch Supermarket “Healthy” Foods Can Be Misleading | Nutri-Score Explained

    When I started moving beyond the easy first foods and into toddler snacks, pouches, crackers, and supermarket “healthy” options, I realised I had no idea what I was actually looking at. Why does one snack get a bright green A, while plain nuts or hummus score lower?How can the same crisps get a better Nutri-Score in the larger bag?And why are some brands now quietly removing their Nutri-Score altogether? In this solo DAM Parenting episode, I break down a fascinating Keuringsdienst van Waarde Dutch TV investigation into the Nutri-Score system — translated into English for international parents navigating Dutch supermarkets. We unpack: what Nutri-Score actually measures why it’s still voluntary across Europe how brands can “optimise” ultra-processed foods to score better why some frozen pizzas can jump from E to B why certain brands are now dropping the label under the stricter 2026 algorithm what this really means for baby snacks, toddler foods, and busy parents trying to make good choices If you’ve ever stood in a supermarket wondering whether the front of the packet matches what’s actually inside, this episode is for you. A practical, honest conversation about food labels, processed snacks, and the emotional labour of feeding a family in the Netherlands. If you enjoy these Dutch TV breakdown episodes, message me !

    9 min
  5. Two Births, One Family: How Learning Changed Everything- Vivi & Liam's Birth Stories

    15 AVR.

    Two Births, One Family: How Learning Changed Everything- Vivi & Liam's Birth Stories

    For the very first time on Dam Parenting, both parents are here — together. Liam and Vivi join me to share not one birth story, but two. Two children, two completely different births, and a journey that shows what can happen when you stop being afraid to learn. Vivi is a Greek mum building her own community space in Amsterdam. Liam was previously on the podcast speaking about the vulnerabilities of fatherhood. Together, they talk about the real experience of preparing for birth in the Netherlands — hypnobirthing, doula support, the midwife-kraamzorg-doula team — and what changed between their first and second birth when they truly invested in preparation. This episode is about knowledge as power. It's about what a woman's body can do when she believes in it. And it's about the extraordinary role a partner can play. Two births. Both on their due dates. Both in the Netherlands. One family, transformed by learning. If you want to reach out to Vivi - you can find her at GreekMama on Instagram - she is always up to new nad wonderful things! Liam can be found as a supporting member of so many projects, including - Dads Do Art - Connecting dads & families through creativity and play in Amsterdam Nieuw West. And of course his own Instagram page where you can find out more about his upcoming comedy projects. And soon enough this podcast also! And if you wan to find out more about their wonderful Doula - her instagram is Toni Muller Doula .

    49 min
  6. Who do i call when my child is sick in the Netherlands | A Youth Doctor explains the system

    8 AVR.

    Who do i call when my child is sick in the Netherlands | A Youth Doctor explains the system

    An episode over 2 years in the making, and finally it's here. It's not a full comprehensive episode, we dont want to bog you down with everything all at once, but Dr Marenne Van Hangel Budde joins Dam Parenting to discuss tthe foundational elements of the Netherlands health care system for children. We discuss why the system can feel confusing to immigrants, who is who in this system (Huisarts, Consultatiebureau, Kinderarts, SEH, HAP) . We have quick fire rounds to answer real examples of who to reach out to when our little one might need help. We touch on insuarnce, referrals and costs also relarted to our children.

    39 min
  7. A Mother-Assisted Cesarean Birth Story | Choosing MAC in the Netherlands

    4 AVR.

    A Mother-Assisted Cesarean Birth Story | Choosing MAC in the Netherlands

    On Wednesday , I rereleased the episode with Dr. Koen Deurloo — the OB-GYN who pioneered the mother-assisted cesarean at Diakonessenhuis Utrecht. You saved it, shared it, and sent it to friends who needed it. Today, we hear from the other side of that operating table. Geri had her youngest child with Dr. Deurloo as her gynaecologist, and in this episode she walks us through everything — the moment she first heard about the MAC, the decision-making process, her pregnancy, her preparation, and the extraordinary experience of lifting her own baby into the world with her own hands. This is an honest, emotional, and deeply human birth story. And it is for every mother who has ever wondered whether she is allowed to want something different. In this episode:— Why Geri chose a mother-assisted cesarean and how she made that decision— What the preparation and pregnancy journey looked like— A step-by-step account of the day itself — walking into the hospital, the operating room, the moment of birth— Recovery, the emotional aftermath, and what she knows now that she wishes she had known before— What she would say to a mother sitting somewhere right now, wondering if this could be right for her Whether you are planning a cesarean, hoping to avoid one, or simply want to feel prepared for every possibility — this episode will stay with you. Follow Geri on Instagram here moedergeassisteerdekeizersnede Listen to our Dr. Koen Deurloo episode for the full clinical picture — linked in show notes. @kldloo on Instagram DAM Parenting is a weekly podcast for international families navigating pregnancy, birth and parenthood in the Netherlands. Every Wednesday (plus an extra here or there!)

    23 min
  8. Mother-Assisted C-Section in the Netherlands: Your Rights, Your Birth, Your Choice | Dr. Koen Deurloo

    1 AVR.

    Mother-Assisted C-Section in the Netherlands: Your Rights, Your Birth, Your Choice | Dr. Koen Deurloo

    April is International Cesarean Awareness Month — and I can think of no better time to bring back one of our most-loved episodes. In the Netherlands, the cultural weight around birth can make a cesarean feel like a deviation from the "right" path. But what if a C-section could still be a deeply empowering, connected, and beautiful birth experience? Dr. Koen Deurloo, OB-GYN at Diakonessenhuis Utrecht, is proof that it absolutely can. Dr. Deurloo is the pioneer of the mother-assisted cesarean — a practice he developed in 2017 in which the birthing parent plays an active, physical role in their own surgical birth. Since then, he has performed around 400 mother-assisted births, published his book Door de ogen van een gynaecoloog, and is now training gynecologists across the Netherlands to bring this option to more hospitals. In this episode, together with Dr. Deurloo we explore: What a mother-assisted cesarean actually looks like — and why it's just 4 extra minutesHow the Dutch medical system approaches maternal agency in the operating theaterSkin-to-skin contact, postpartum recovery, and bonding after a cesareanHow to advocate for your birth preferences — even when the system pushes backWhy cesarean births deserve to be honored, not minimizedWhether you're planning a C-section, want to be prepared for every birth path, or simply believe that mothers deserve to feel empowered in every delivery room — this episode is for you. Find Dr. Deurloo:📱 Instagram: @kldloo💻 Expert at Ouders van Nu & How About Mom

    50 min
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À propos

Parenting in the Netherlands as an international family can feel overwhelming — but you don’t have to do it alone. DAM Parenting is a weekly podcast supporting international parents through pregnancy, birth, and parenthood in the Dutch system. With 175+ episodes, we explore everything from giving birth in a system you may not fully understand to raising third-culture kids in multilingual homes. Featuring real birth stories, expert insights, and honest conversations, this is your space for clarity, reassurance, and community. You are not alone.

Informations

  • Création
    Dam Parenting Podcast
  • Années d’activité
    2023 - 2026
  • Épisodes
    187
  • Classification
    Contenu explicite
  • Copyright
    © Dam Parenting Podcast
  • Site web de l’émission
    Dam Parenting

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