Homeopathy practice
What do we stand for?
At the Birth Centre many pregnant and new parents seek the support of a classical homeopath for their baby. The aim is to restore balance and thus allow complaints and problems to disappear. And this is also the basis of homeopathic treatment. Complaints are always taken seriously and never dismissed as ‘something that’s just part of pregnancy or babyhood’. If someone is suffering from something, whatever it may be, it can put them out of balance and more complaints can develop. A restoration of balance can benefit the whole person.
The practice
Location and address
De Genestetstraat 1, first floor
1054 AW Amsterdam
Tel: +31 (0)6 52518403
E-mail: netjereezigt@planet.nl
Telephone surgery hours
Telephone surgery hours are every weekday between 1.00pm and 1.30pm, tel.: 06-52518403. During the telephone surgery you can also make appointments or discuss other administrative matters. You can also leave your name and telephone number on the answering machine and we will call you back promptly.
Make an appointment
To make an appointment call on weekdays, preferably between 1.00pm and 1:30pm, on 06-52518403.
What is homeopathy?
Many people seek alternative ways to find healing or maintain their health. They do so either because they are unable to fine a solution within conventional medicine or because they are looking for an approach that deals with the cause of the complaint and doesn’t just suppress the symptoms. Classical homeopathy is a therapy that fulfils these requirements and which can be applied to a wide variety of complaints. This includes not only physical health problems like headaches, eczema or constipation, but also stress, grief, tension or sleep problems. And of course complaints during pregnancy or breastfeeding, or problems with babies.
History and principles
The basic principle of homeopathy was described by Hippocrates and Plato, but the founder of homeopathy as it is applied today was Samuel Hahnemann (1755-1843). Hahnemann was a German doctor who discovered that the symptoms of malaria and cinchona bark poisoning were very similar. At the same time, it was also known that cinchona bark (quinine) could cure malaria. In other words, when a healthy person takes a medicine for malaria, for a short time he develops the symptoms of malaria. And if someone with malaria takes the same substance, it cures him. Hahnemann then set out to discover whether this was a coincidental exception, or if it was there was an underlying law. He found the latter indeed to be the case! At the same time he discovered that the more levels at which a similarity could be found (physically, emotionally, and also in terms of sleep patterns and hypersensitivity, for example), the better it worked.
Homeopathic treatment
Consultation
The classical homeopath (in short, the homeopath) assumes that no disorder is an isolated symptom, but is part of a connected process, which is causing a disruption of balance. This disruption produces illnesses, symptoms, so you don’t feel well. Given that everyone has their own background and is unique, each patient has his or her own overall picture of illnesses/symptoms. Consequently, during the consultation the homeopath asks a variety of questions, not only concerning the symptoms the patient is reporting, to determine exactly what is causing the disruption of balance.
The homeopath gives each patient a medicine suited to the individual pattern of illness, so it is possible for two patients with the same physical complaint to receive a different treatment.
This treatment stimulates the capacity for self healing, thus restoring the balance. Given the individual approach, the prognosis fro each patient varies and it is hard to indicate in advance. Depending on the cause of the disorder, the length of time the patient has experienced it, the patient’s capacity to respond and the choice of medicine, one patient may recover more quickly than another.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Because during pregnancy and the period that you are breastfeeding you can only take conventional medicine to a limited extent, homeopathic treatment can provide a solution. It is highly recommended for all sorts of complaints during pregnancy (nausea, pelvic pain, sleep problems, heartburn etc.), breastfeeding problems (breast infections, cracked nipples, thrush etc.) as well as for existing complaints for which medicine can no longer be taken during pregnancy.
Homeopathic treatment is risk free during pregnancy. Also during breastfeeding there is no risk to the baby. The aim of the treatment is to restore balance. This can only be good for the pregnancy and the baby.
Childbirth
Classical homeopathy can be applied effectively during childbirth. However, it is necessary to begin the treatment before the birth itself.
Recovery from childbirth
Complaints during the recovery period after a birth are well suited to homeopathic treatment. A home visit from the homeopath may be necessary. This is assessed case by case.
Homeopathy and children
Homeopathy is well suited for use with children and babies, for example for physical complaints like eczema and asthma. Moreover, it can also produce good results with problems like hyperactivity or separation anxiety. Particularly for babies who have colic or who cry for extended periods you can consider homeopathic treatment. Don’t think that it is just part of babyhood; something can be done about it.
Vaccinations
Homeopathy can be effectively applied in support of vaccination, to ease side effects. For children who are not vaccinated, homeopathy is a way to build up and maintain optimal resistance. Of course this is also the basis for the support of children who are vaccinated. It is possible to make an appointment specially for vaccination support. Firstly the homeopath will determine whether the baby needs a homeopathic medicine in order to begin the vaccination programme in as good balance as possible. At the same time, she will discuss the various possibilities with regard to vaccinating fully, partially or not at all, and you will be referred to sources of information to help you reach a decision. Finally the homeopath will explain the course of the homeopathic support for the vaccinations, and draw up a plan.
Fees and insurance cover
First consultation: €75.00
Subsequent consultations: €50.00
Telephone consultation per 15 min.: €15.00
Payments may be made in cash after the consultation or by bank transfer on receipt of the invoice. Rates may change.
Most health insurance policies cover the consultations in whole or in part, because the Birth Centre classical homeopath is affiliated with the Dutch Association of Classical Homeopaths (NVKH).
Changes or cancellations
Please call during the telephone surgery hours to inform us of any changes, for example a change of address. Cancellations of appointments should be made at least 24 hours in advance, otherwise you may be invoiced for the full consultation fee.
Information
For more information on homeopathy in Dutch, please see the website of the Dutch Association of Classical Homeopaths (NVKH), www.nvkh.nl, or the website of the Amsterdam Homeopath Collective, www.amsterdamshomeopatencollectief.nl.
Staff
The classical homeopath is Netje Reezigt. She studied in Amsterdam and began her homeopathy practice at the Birth Centre in 2000. Her registration number with the NVKH is 04-1035 and she is a member of the Amsterdam Homeopath Collective (for more information see the websites above).
She worked for a number of years as a surgical assistant in a large general hospital, in the gynaecology and plastic surgery departments, and later with heart and lung operations. She was forced to give up this job due to allergies and subsequently studied economics at business school. After working for a number of years as a coordinator and manager in business she returned to the health care sector to study Classical Homeopathy in Amsterdam, graduating in 2000. From that time on she has worked as a classical homeopath at the Birth Centre Amsterdam.
Netje: ‘The reason I did the training was because in my past job as a surgical assistant I often suffered from extremely stubborn allergies that conventional medicine couldn’t deal with. With homeopathic treatment my allergies greatly reduced, and I experienced for myself the fantastic effect homeopathy can have. My enthusiasm for the effect of homeopathy, and the huge developments that it was undergoing at the time, has since then only increased. The effect of a well-chosen homeopathic medicine can be seen at every level. The patient feels more in balance, is able to put their problems in perspective, and physical symptoms diminish or disappear. I do in-service training on the latest methods, views and medicines and I notice that this brings me good results. During my training I worked as a coordinator at the Birth Centre. When I completed my training, alongside my work I had the opportunity to build up my classical homeopathy practice here. I should stress that the practice is a general one, so I treat patients with all sorts of problems, but because of the collaboration with the Birth Centre of course I deal with a lot of pregnant women, new parents and babies. The fact that I have two young children myself also makes it an interesting target group for me.’
Publicity
Netje Reezigt took part in the Teleac television programme Bij ons thuis (‘At our house’) on vaccination. She has organised information evenings on the dilemmas surrounding vaccination and has given many interviews on the effect of homeopathy and the support of vaccinations under the state vaccination programme.