Living with a baby
Life changes
Being a parent changes your life a lot.
You may:
- feel a great responsibility for the baby, who is dependent on you for food, care and love;
- feel insecure and scared about the baby’s emotions and needs. You only get to know these little by little;
- become short of sleep because you have to get up at night;
- have difficulties breast-feeding (women);
- worry about the future;
- have to give up previous habits and hobbies;
- have to plan your activities carefully.
Social life
Your social contacts may change. For example, you may:
- want to spend a lot of the time with your baby;
- get to know new people who also have children;
- move and get new neighbours;
- have to plan more in advance: some contacts may become less intense.
Both the mother and father of the baby experience changes.
Changes are normal. It takes some time to get used to the new situation.
More information or help needed?
Family doctor
You can talk to a family doctor about almost every intimate issue. If necessary the family doctor can refer you to a specialised health professional. Find a family doctor in your neighbourhood:
Community health centre (wijkgezondheidscentrum)
You can visit a family doctor in a community health centre. Other care professionals such as nurses and social workers also work at community health centres. Care is provided free of charge. Find a community health centre in your neighbourhood:
CAW - Centrum Algemeen Welzijn
Centre for general well-being - Help with all kinds of issues: a difficult relationship, medical, financial, administrative, legal or material problems, family problems,... CAWs also provide assistance to victims of violence and abuse. Find a CAW in your neighbourhood:
Aquarelle
Prenatal and postnatal care for women who migrated to Belgium
02 535 47 13
De Kraamtuin
Information about a desire to have children, pregnancy, delivery, maternity care, breast-feeding and parenthood.
078 05 52 00
Expertisecentrum Kraamzorg De Bakermat
Information about a desire to have children, pregnancy, delivery, maternity care, breast-feeding and parenthood.
016 20 77 40
Expertisecentrum Kraamzorg De Kraamvogel
Information about a desire to have children, pregnancy, delivery, maternity care, breast-feeding and parenthood.
03 238 11 00
Expertisecentrum Kraamzorg De Wieg
Information about a desire to have children, pregnancy, delivery, maternity care, breast-feeding and parenthood.
0473 45 14 38, 050 33 02 70
Expertisecentrum Kraamzorg Kraamkaravaan
Information about a desire to have children, pregnancy, delivery, maternity care, breast-feeding and parenthood.
09 333 57 60
Expertisecentrum Kraamzorg Volle maan
Information about a desire to have children, pregnancy, delivery, maternity care, breast-feeding and parenthood.
02 229 25 58, 0478 88 11 86
Kind en Gezin
Assistance to (prospective) parents with information, practical tips and medical follow-up until the child is 3 years of age. Services are for free.
078 150 100
Midwife
A midwife helps pregnant women before, during and after delivery. Find a midwife in your neighbourhood:
ONE
Free social and medical monitoring during pregnancy and monitoring of the child. ONE works throughout French-speaking Belgium. Contact the local ONE branch: