Helpful Links

Support Helpline

CHS (Community Help Service)
24 hour English speaking help line and counselling services
02 648 4014 (Help Line)
02 647 6780 (Office)
www.chsbelgium.org

On-call Doctors

SOS Médecins
French-speaking GPs who make house calls
02 513 0202
www.sosmedecins.be

Preparing for Birth and Parenting

BCT Pregnancy in Belgium
Regular evening sessions that provide helpful information when planning for or having a baby in Belgium.
www.bctbelgium.org/pregnancy-in-belgium

BCT Birth & Parenting Courses
Antenatal courses in English for first time parents-to-be and 'Refresher Courses' for parents expecting their second or subsequent child. Various locations around Brussels.
www.bctbelgium.org/birth-and-parenting-courses/

BCT Confident Breastfeeding
A hands-on and practical course that provides parents-to-be with a headstart in building confidence in the body's ability to feed the baby.
www.bctbelgium.org/birth-and-parenting-courses/

BCT Tens Machine and Valley Cushion Hire
Drug-free pain relief during birth and sitting comfortably after birth.
www.bctbelgium.org/tens-machine-and-valley-cushion-hire

Volle Maan
Expertisecentrum kraamzorg (Expertise center for maternity care):
Information resources for the time before and after the birth, specifically for Brussels (Flemish)
www.expertisecentrum-vollemaan.be

Babycentre
Information on pregnancy, babies and toddlers.
www.babycentre.co.uk

Doulas

Belgian Association of French-Speaking Doulas
Association Francophone des Doulas de Belgique:
Information about doulas and how to find one in Belgium (in French)
www.doulas.be

Association of Flemish-speaking Doulas
Vlaamse Federatie van Doula's
Information about doulas and how to find one in Belgium (in Flemish)
doulasite.be

SoCocoon
English-speaking doulas (Website French)
A doula in Belgium: SoCocoon on Facebook (English)
www.sococoon.net

Independent Midwives

Zwanger in Brussel
A group of independent midwives based in Brussels who can assist home and hospital births. Prenatal and postnatal support care in English, French and Flemish.
www.zwangerinbrussel.be

Amala
An association of midwives who offer a holistic approach to pregnancy and childbirth.
Specialists available in shiatsu, physiotherapy, perineal reducation, body-mind therapy and massage, psychology, Feldenkreis method, homeopathy, baby massage, hypnobirthing and osteopathy. Also doula service in French.
www.naissance-amala.be/en

Bolle Buik
Provides midwives for home births and postnatal care in Dutch, French and English.
www.bollebuik.com

Belgian Union of Midwives
Union professionnelle des sages-femmes belges:
Offers a list of midwives by postcode.
www.sage-femme.be

Centrale des Accoucheuses
Midwives Centre (Forest)
Provides a similar service to the Bolle Buik in French and English.
02 344 2740

Loss

BCT Miscarriage Support
Families who have experienced such a heartbreaking event can reach out to miscarriagesupport@bctbelgium.org for more information and to be added to our miscarriage support chat.
BCT Support Groups

The Lullaby Trust
We exist to keep babies safe and to keep grieving families supported. We won't give up until no baby dies suddenly or unexpectedly. We empower families and professionals with trusted advice and provide grieving families with bereavement support.
www.lullabytrust.org.uk

Sickness

Pregnancy Sickness Support
To improve the experience and alleviate the suffering of all those affected by pregnancy sickness, including hyperemesis gravidarum (HG). We exist to champion the needs of those suffering with nausea and vomiting in pregnancy and HG.
pregnancysicknesssupport.org.uk

Bliss - for babies born premature or sick
We champion the right for every baby born premature or sick to receive the best care by supporting families, campaigning for change and supporting professionals, and enabling life-changing research.
www.bliss.org.uk

Special Needs

BCT Special Needs Support Group
A group of BCT members that shares general concerns and experiences about baby/child development or developmental support (e.g. speech therapy or special educational needs).
BCT Support Groups

Downs Syndrome Association
DSA - Downs Syndrome Association in the UK
www.downs-syndrome.org.uk

Newlife Foundation
Newlife Foundation for disabled children in the UK
www.newlifecharity.co.uk

The National Autistic Society
The leading UK charity for autistic people (including those with Asperger syndrome) and their families.
www.autism.org.uk

Family Support

BCT Early Days Support
A team of volunteers offering general emotional support and practical information in the early weeks and months of parenthood.
BCT Early Days Support

De Bakermat
Provides short term help for families with a sliding scale of charges. Also provides postnatal care for Mother and baby. Flemish speaking organisation with English speaking helpers.
www.debakermat.be

CPAS
A Woluwe-based French and Flemish speaking network that offers support to families in case of sickness or after childbirth.
02 778 1160
www.cpas-ocmw1150.be

Familiehulp
Largest non-profit in Belgium. Flemish family support network. They offer baby care in the home in 4-hour blocks at set rates until baby is eight weeks old. They also offer household help.
www.familiehulp.be

La Ligue des Familles
French-speaking family organisation.
www.liguedesfamilles.be

Gezinsbond
Flemish-speaking family organisation (with English section). Also second hand children's toys and clothes.
www.gezinsbond.be

Infor Jeunes
Information for young people in Brussels (in French).
www.jeminforme.be

Feeding

BCT Feeding Support
Your feeding choice, our support: Breastfeeding support from trained volunteers or bottle-feeding support from a BCT volunteer, both offering mother-to-mother support.
BCT Feeding Support

Borstvoeding VZW
Dutch speaking breastfeeding support network in Flanders. Contact persons can be found under 'Consulentes'.
www.borstvoedingvzw.be

Infor Allaitement
French speaking organisation providing support and information on breastfeeding. Brussels and Wallonia. Phone contact under Permanence téléphonique.
www.infor-allaitement.be

La Leche League Belgique
Breastfeeding Support and advice (FR)
www.lllbelgique.org

La Leche League Vlaanderen
Breastfeeding Support and advice (NL)
lalecheleague.be

Baby Clinics

Kind en Gezin
Kind en Gezin (child and family) is a Flemish speaking agency, equivalent to the ONE, that focusses on preventative treatment and guidance of young children geared to good outcomes in the future.
www.kindengezin.be

ONE
The French-speaking office of birth and childhood (Office de la Naissance et de l'Enfance) is a public institution developing birth and childhood policies. Prenatal care and consultation clinics for children age 0 to 6 years.
ONE information in English
www.one.be

Expat Websites

The Bulletin
English-language web magazine covering Brussels and Belgium
Offers news, a Q&A forum and newsletters
www.xpats.com

Expat Welcome Desk
Information and help for new expats from the Brussels government
www.commissioner.brussels/i-am-an-expat

Expatica
"Living in Belgium for expats, by expats"
www.expatica.com/be

Tourism Websites

be.brussels
Homepage of the Brussels-Capital Region
be.brussels/brussels

Belgium - Wallonia
Office for the promotion of tourism in Wallonia
walloniabelgiumtourism.co.uk

Visit Flanders
Tourism website for Flanders
www.visitflanders.com/en/

Ostbelgien
Tourist office for East Belgium (DE-FR-NL)
www.ostbelgien.eu/en

365
An attraction for every day of the year
www.365.be/en/

Daily Life in Belgium

Infobel
Phone directory online (both for companies and people)
www.infobel.com/en/belgium

SNCB
Belgian Rail
www.belgianrail.be/en

STIB
Travelling in Brussels - metro, tram and bus
www.stib-mivb.be/index.htm?l=en

Bruxelles Propreté
Website about waste management in Brussels, especially the rules on sorting waste
www.arp-gan.be/en/

Culture in Belgium

BrusselsLife
The best of Brussels in one click: Restaurants, bars, real-estate, culture...
www.brusselslife.be/en

Que Faire
Up to date information on what's happening in Belgium, searchable by province (FR, NL)
www.quefaire.be

Agenda Brussels
Cultural listings in Brussels
agenda.brussels/en

Brussels museums
Brussels museums' official website, with information about events and exhibitions
www.brusselsmuseums.be/en/

Theatre in Brussels
English-language theatre in Brussels
www.theatreinbrussels.com

The Children's Library
English-language children’s library
www.thechildrenslibrary.be