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48 Responses
Huge thanks for your guidance during our pregnancy, labour and puerperium. What a passionate, expert, enthusiastic and warm group of care providers you are! I really enjoyed your personal support, which was always attentive to my uncertainties and wishes. I always felt heard! Special thanks to Rochelle and Tessa, for reassuring me and thinking with me in the last weeks and afterwards. Marieke, you really make the ultrasounds a party and are wonderfully straightforward. Dagmar, for sensing exactly what I needed for my delivery. Your calmness and clarity gave me all the confidence I needed.
Kind regards,
Josine
'There is no "I" in team'.
We are happy to do this together to be able to help and support you. Kind words from you and they do us all good! Great to have had you in practice.
Dear Ladies of the First Step,
Last year was dominated by the pregnancy of our beautiful daughter for us. Like many parents-to-be, we had no idea where to register and made our choice based on the reviews we had read. You really lived up to those reviews 100% ... I can recommend everyone to come to you if you are looking for a nice midwife practice.
We were treated very well and clearly at every appointment, all ultrasounds and check-ups went smoothly and well. And although the delivery was eventually transferred to the hospital, we only have good words for this too. We are genuinely very happy with everything you did for us. The trust you gave us and the peace you radiated as a team.
Thanks for everything!
Love the proud mum and dad of Rose
What sweet words! Most importantly, you had a great experience in one of the most important moments of your life. Good luck with your family and who knows, we might see each other again 🙂
My wife and I went to De Eerste Stap during our/her first pregnancy. From the first moment, we were kindly welcomed and time is always taken for you. We mainly visited the Haven location a lot, which is the closest for us. In addition, we visited both other locations once, which we had to do due to busy times and staff holidays. This is where (I think), for us, the only downside arises, namely that it happens quite often that you have to wait a while and the agreed time is not met. On the other hand, however, they always take their time for you, and this minus point was dwarfed by the good care you receive in return.
The locations all look equally nice and beautiful. You can always grab a cup of coffee or tea in the waiting rooms. Of course, the toilet is also there for the pregnant woman ;). Furthermore, there are some magazines you can read in and some you can take away for free!
The ultrasounds were well done, you get the necessary explanation of what to see. We ourselves did one pretecho, so that both mothers could watch once. This was a nice experience.
They use a handy app Orfeus to give you insight into your own records. They also use the app Tricefy, to send you some photos of the ultrasound, for example, in addition to the printed photos. These worked very nicely for both of us.
The midwives themselves, are all equally sweet and nice. They always ask if they can touch you, and when they do they tell you they are going to touch you, super neat! They have an eye for mother and child and make sure both get through labour safely. This is how we were sent in to hospital once just to be safe, which is not so nice at the time, but afterwards you (and the midwife) will know if you and your baby are doing well.
Of course, the birth is discussed beforehand using a birth plan and whether you have any specific wishes in this, so they can then take them into account as much as possible. During labour, we received super support and felt at ease.
If we ever need another midwife (practice) we will definitely come back here!
Leon and Daphne, what a great post to read from you. Nice to see what steps you have appreciated in practice. Thanks for the feedback. We try to combine appointments at all times. Since this year, this has been easier in Almere Haven because we can now staff 2 consulting rooms there at the same time. We made a conscious decision to have several consulting locations instead of one large branch. We did this to give all clients without a car the opportunity to come for a check-up close by, on foot or by bike, or by using public transport if necessary. This also allows people to go to the nearby location after work or choose a favourite day when they are free.
Good luck with your beautiful family and know until then!
Dear ladies of First Step, I want to thank you again for the great & professional guidance during my pregnancy! Both times! After my first pregnancy, I also had my IUD placed at First Step. When our wish for a second child came, I had my IUD removed (with you too) and said, "Hope to see you soon" because I knew I definitely wanted to be guided by you again. If I was unsure again about my hard bellies, or if I called again for other complaints . you always reassured me and made me feel that it is okay to call and share your concerns. I want to thank you again for super guiding my labour super well. The right words at the right time so I could get on with it! Even after the birth, I know I can count on you. Thank you, you helped me to bring my two most beautiful gifts into this world. Love, Marcella
Marcella what a sweet post from your beautiful 'men's family' 🙂 What a wealth! Just goes to show that every pregnancy is different huh? You are always welcome, even after childbirth and before pregnancy. Good luck!
When I found out I was pregnant with our second, I did not hesitate for a moment and called De Eerste Stap again. We again received very expert and personal support during pregnancy, delivery and afterwards. All the ladies are equally passionate and know how to give you confidence in yourself. Thanks in large part to you I had a dream birth and I am confident I will be able to cope well with the intense second part.
Glad you had a pleasant experience Suzanne. The proud sister can now happily mother her little brother. Should we be able to help you in any way, please do not hesitate to contact us. We will do our best to help you where we can.
Sweet greetings from us!
My first pregnancy was through the hospital after 20 weeks. There was little personal attention at the hospital.
I therefore desperately wanted to stay with you in my second pregnancy but in vain. I only saw you after my delivery. The aftercare was super. No excessive checks like with maternity care but only the essentials that were needed as it was our second.
Thank you so much for the good aftercare.
If I ever get pregnant again, which by the way is not on the cards, I will definitely knock on your door again.
Personal attention is precisely what makes our profession so much fun and we also like to do it whenever possible. Some appreciate it more than others. Glad we could do this for you in that short period of time. Good luck with your little ladies.
Should you change your mind you can always come;)
Dear ladies of De Eerste Stap,
Thank you so much for your support before, during and especially after Harvey's birth. During pregnancy and especially during labour, not everything goes as planned beforehand. We were very well supported by you and always experienced a warm contact. Thank you very much for that,
Harvey's mum
Thank you Romee for your kind words. How nice that you experienced us like this! Certainty in what is going to happen is sometimes nice but indeed not always manageable, especially when it comes to getting pregnant, being pregnant, giving birth and de-pregnancy. We are happy to offer help where we can. Good luck in your family!
You guys are great! Expert and exceptionally involved with great attention to what we needed. Always felt comfortable and relaxed at the check-ups. With a smile and a tear. Thank you for all the time you took for us. Especially during the discussions when we were faced with possibly another macrosomia baby, your 'down to earth' expert information reassured us.
What I especially appreciate is the personal involvement throughout the pregnancy and also our entire family through multiple pregnancies. It is wonderful to build a relationship over the years with some of you who we have seen more often. It feels familiar, lots of personal attention, you guys are a fun and sociable team! There is also plenty of room for jokes and personal conversations.
Thank you dear ladies for the check-ups, the many ultrasounds, answering all our questions, the sociability! I don't know what the future holds, for now I can't imagine a fourth at all, we have our hands full with three! But, should this become a reality for us in the future, I guess you never really know, we will definitely come back to you!
What a sweet message Judith! After a few years, you also know that people don't come back for (more) children. Too bad you don't see each other in such regularity then. That also means we can offer contraception, general and hormonal coaching, gynaecological ultrasound and later this year also lactation support. This way, we remain accessible to anyone who has given birth and does not (want to) come back for a pregnancy. We wish you the best of luck with your beautiful family. Should we be able to help you, may it be in another area than obstetrics, you remain more than welcome!
Wow , no becoming for all woman here work , supper sweet and well arranged for us , Thank you all ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Hey Huy, how nice that you appreciate us. We do our best and loved having you in practice. Good luck!
I gave birth in Dec 2021. Knew beforehand that it would be medical due to the previous delivery. But I was allowed to just be with a midwife this time instead of the gyn at the hospital. The gyn was fine too, but so different. With you, I really felt the warmth, the genuine interest. Every time I visited I could have a chat. I didn't visit the doctor. But with a friend, who meanwhile also went to check how I and my little miracle were doing.
I also came to you for check-ups after I gave birth. My GP wanted to refer me to the hospital, but I remembered that you also offer check-ups outside pregnancy. I was very happy that I could come. And it also saved me a lot of money 😅.
Thanks again so much for everything 🥰
Thank you for your sweet message! We are happy to hear that we were able to do this for you and yours. How nice it is when you can experience the whole process together and we can guide you through it. This is what we call continuity of care and is a high priority for us when possible. Good luck in the future!
A great team with wonderful, lovely ladies, every one of them. The ultrasounds at Marieke's are always a party, even when the little one is not showing. 🙈 We recently moved to Lelystad and I enjoy driving to Almere for the check-ups! So happy to be guided by you again for my second pregnancy!
You are, of course, more than welcome ☺️
Thanks for your sweeter post!
What a top-notch team you guys are! You guided us through the pregnancies of our two daughters with such passion and care. We have seen some of you more often than others, but you all have a listening ear and an eye for what you need. The ultrasounds were an experience in themselves, but Marieke always made them an extra nice moment. The "regular" check-ups with the other ladies were also always relaxed and nothing was too much. Vera and Marieke accompanied my deliveries and how nice it was to have you by my side! Many thanks again and hopefully you will accompany many more mothers and fathers (to be) in giving birth!
Thanks Lisa for your sweet message. It was also a treat to have you in practice . We wish you the best of luck with the girls.
Joined First Step with my first pregnancy. Never regretted it for a moment! All the ladies are very sweet, involved, sociable and above all very professional!!!! This made all the exciting appointments a lot nicer. Always felt the space to be able to ask questions/concerns no matter what time. I was always well informed about everything, but also felt room to follow my own feelings within the choices I had to make. I personally liked this a lot. I experienced the appointments as very pleasant and nice and would 100% definitely go to Eerste Stap again in a next pregnancy!
How nice that you felt the space to be able to express how you feel. Every woman should be able to indicate and make this known. The more we talk about the things we find exciting, the more we can respond to that and guide you in it.
Thanks for your sweet response!
Dear Ladies,
I first came to you in 2015 after I came to live in Almere gate highly pregnant.
After a very quick delivery, our first son Roxas was born.
After two years, my second pregnancy allowed me to join you fine again.... A girl this time... Unfortunately, our girl Nine was stillborn at 18 weeks.... After this I was so well supported by you.
My third pregnancy of our youngest son Maze became medical due to several factors and I had to go to the gynaecologist. Luckily, I was also very welcome with you with this pregnancy so that I could have some extra check-ups and if I was scared I could come for a moment so I could hear his heart.
Dear Ladies thank you for everything. You are a beautiful loving and warm team
💙💙💓
Fortunately, most of it goes well in our profession. Glad to hear that you found our care with all three of your children to be pleasant.
Thanks for your note.
Sweet greetings!
Fortunately, most of it goes well in our profession. Glad to hear that you found our care with all three of your children to be pleasant.
Thanks for your note.
Sweet greetings!
💙💙💓
Meanwhile, I get to be a mother of 2 amazing babies, in 2020 and 2022 I gave birth with your support. The first delivery I was helped by Marieke and the second delivery by Tessa and Vera. I experienced both as super nice. In both pregnancies you helped me very much and you were always available. All of you are very sweet and friendly girls. I would definitely recommend you to all (pregnant) women! I'm going to miss you a bit, thanks for everything!
Every year when it's your child's birthday, as a woman (maybe as a man too) you still think about the delivery and the period before. Hopefully that way we will stay in our thoughts for a while. Good luck with your family.
Sweet greetings from us ❤️
We are very, very grateful to all of you. We were really helped tremendously during our pregnancies. Clear, sweet, interested and always a listening ear for us... even on the occasions when things unfortunately went wrong. Thanks for everything! Greetings Kevin & Samira
Thank you for your message. Glad we could have a role with all the children ❤️
So incredibly pleasant experience with and by you guys! I was very insecure and afraid of all the doomsday scenarios in my pregnancy. Despite the fact that I bothered you so often, I never felt that you were annoying. I was also listened to very carefully when I reported an allergy to dissolvable sutures and you arranged for me to get other sutures. Really very nice! Should I expect another child in the future, I will definitely come back to you!
You don't bother us, that's our job! Everyone should feel good and preferably go to bed with peace of mind every night. Then so do we☺️
Thanks for your message ❤️
How much I enjoyed being with you. Three pregnancies I experienced extra special thanks to you. I would almost want a fourth child to be able to go to these appointments again. I now also recommend my friends to sign up with you if they are pregnant. 🤩
Thanks again for everything.
🤭 Don't get kids to see us again though! Come and have a cup of tea then!
Good luck with your family! ❤️
Already 2 pregnancies the First Step midwife has had the pleasure of accompanying me. I experienced all the check-ups as a treat! After both births I just had heimwhee to the check-ups so pleasant had I experienced it. I recommend this practice to everyone!
It's funny how you have an ending that you can see coming but sometimes feels so abrupt. It makes you realise how special such a period is! Good luck!
I was expecting our son in 2021 and felt very comfortable with all the ultrasounds with Marieke and all the other check-ups with the other ladies. You are listened to and thought about! I am now expecting our daughter again and never doubted where to go, because with you it's just perfect!
Perfect no one is , but we try our best! Thank you for your sweet message. Great to have you with us again. Another 10 weeks and you will have another little one in your arms. ❤️
I gave birth to my first child in February this year. The period from my pregnancy to a week after giving birth, I was made to feel very comfortable by the lovely girls at De Eerste Stap. At the check-up appointments, they really listened to me and treated me like I was special. The ultrasounds with Marieke were a party and even with the sex-determination ultrasound at 14 weeks, which I didn't want to know the results of yet, she managed to put me at ease. During the delivery I was assisted by Vera, what a great experience that was! Her calmness and the confidence she gave me ensured that I was able to give birth completely at home.
Dear ladies, thank you for everything!
P.S. In a future pregnancy (should I be so blessed), I will definitely come back to you!
What a sweet comment and how nice to hear that you had a good experience with us. You are of course always welcome should you need us!
Gave birth to my 1st child in 2019 through another practice. In 2021 landed at 1st Step for a sex determination ultrasound of my 2nd child. And how comfortable I felt there, it felt like my baby was special and a lot of time and attention was paid to the examinations. At the other practice I really felt like a number who was finished. I switched immediately and didn't regret it for a second. All sweet girls and a very pleasant delivery and pregnancy counselling. Definitely recommended!
Thank you for your lovely post Barbara. Every pregnant person deserves proper treatment in those nine months. You don't have a baby every day , that's why every pregnancy is special!
In 2017, I had my first baby. I very much wanted to give birth at home in the bath. Unfortunately, because there was meconium in the amniotic fluid, I still had to go to hospital. Vera even then assisted me for the first few hours in hospital. That was very nice. In the end, my daughter was born after a long labour with an episiotomy and a vacuum pump.
My second child was born in 2021. This time, though, at home and in a bath. Tessa assisted me during this delivery. At the end of labour, things got a bit tense as my daughter was stuck. But with help, it still worked out and I didn't have to go to hospital after all. I really loved this experience.
The support during pregnancy was also very nice. The ultrasounds with Marieke were always a party.
Thank you for all the good care 🙂 .
Fine Inger! Thank you so much! Good luck with your family.
Sweet greetings from us
After going through 2 pregnancies in the hospital, I wanted to go through the 3rd through the first-step midwives. I had heard so many good stories and am so glad I did. What lovely ladies each and every one of them. Special thanks to Marieke what a fantastic personality and lovely how enthusiastic she is. And Angela who supported me the last few months with all her calmness and knowledge. Unfortunately a caesarean section so no delivery with these ladies, but thank you so much!