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**We currently do not
have a Midwife on Staff. Please
check back often for changes and updates**
What is a Midwife?
Midwives are registered health professionals who are trained and
licensed to provide complete prenatal, birth, postpartum and newborn care.
Midwives practice within accepted community standards for maternity
caregivers, while providing a holistic, personalized and educational
approach to the childbearing experience. Midwives provide lengthy prenatal
and postpartum appointments in home or clinic and can order all necessary
prenatal lab work, ultrasounds, and if desired, genetic screening tests.
Midwives provide current, evidence based information to assist parents in
making informed decisions and are on call 24 hours a day. Midwifery care is
completely free if you have a BC CareCard and you can choose to have your
baby at home or in hospital. You may transfer into a midwife’s care
at any time during your pregnancy.
The Midwifery Model of Care offers you:
- Personal, individualized
care that respects physical, emotional and cultural diversity.
- Informed choices in
pregnancy and birth including a choice of birth place.
- Support and empowerment
to discover your body’s natural ability to grow a healthy baby
and have a healthy birth.
- Family-centered care
that welcomes spouses, family members, and siblings in the
childbearing process.
- An opportunity to build
a strong and trusting relationship with your caregiver.
- Non-interventive care
based on the most recent medical research available.
- Sensitive, continuous,
one to one care during labour and delivery.
- In home postpartum
visits the first week after delivery.
- Consultation and
collaboration with physicians should the need arise.
Is midwifery care safe?
There is a large body of evidence that supports midwifery as a safe
choice for low risk, healthy women. Midwifery is the standard of care in
New Zealand, Australia, England and Holland where research has shown
excellent outcomes for women and babies. In Canadian studies
comparing midwifery and physician led care, midwifery clients experienced
lower rates of forceps, vacuum extractions, cesarean sections,
episiotomies, infections and babies born requiring resuscitation.
Stats Canada released a recent survey indicating that midwifery clients are
more satisfied with their care than clients of other maternity care
providers therefore midwifery consumers are proven to be SAFE and
HAPPY!
Is midwifery care legal?
Yes, since 1998, midwifery has been regulated through the Health
Professions Act, by the College of Midwives of British Columbia.
Check out the CMBC website at www.cmbc.bc.ca
Registered Midwives undergo rigorous education as well as written and
practical examinations to become licensed in BC.
Do I have to pay for midwifery care?
In BC, the Ministry of Health pays for the services of registered
midwives. If you are covered under MSP all you have to do is show
your BC Care Card.
Can I have a midwife and a doctor at the same time?
MSP will only cover one primary care provider for the duration of your
pregnancy and birth, to six weeks postpartum. The choice of caregiver
is yours and you may transfer into midwifery care at any time in your
pregnancy. Midwives are experts in deciding when a second opinion is
required and will consult with family doctors, obstetricians and
pediatricians should complications arise. In this situation, a mom or
baby may see both caregivers for as long as the consultant deems
necessary. At six weeks postpartum, your care is transferred back to
your family physician.
Can I have a midwife and still give birth in the hospital?
Midwives support a women’s right to choose the place of birth and
offer women home or hospital birth. Also popular, is the option of labouring
at home as long as desired and then going to hospital for the birth.
Research has shown that delayed admission to hospital in labour improves
outcomes for moms and babies. Midwives provide continuous support and
monitoring of mom and baby, in person and in the setting of choice
when active labour is established. All Registered Midwives maintain
hospital privileges and this practice delivers babies at Lion’s Gate
Hospital, St Paul’s Hospital and BC Women’s Hospital.
Does having a midwife mean I can’t use pain medication?
The appropriate use of a range of natural and pharmaceutical pain relief
options, including ordering epidurals, is part of the midwifery scope of
care. Most important in midwifery practice is that women feel
supported and respected regarding birth preferences. While midwives
excel in helping women achieve “drug free” deliveries,
medication use in labour is a personal choice and can sometimes be a
beneficial intervention. Your midwife can help you decide if/when
medications may be useful.
When and where do I see my midwife?
Women may book into care at any point in their pregnancy, but early
booking is recommended, as space is limited. Midwives see their
clients with the same frequency as one would see a GP or OB for prenatal
care: every 4-5 weeks until 28 weeks, then every 2-3 weeks until 36 weeks,
then weekly until delivery. Visit schedules are customized when
clients need more or less visits for any reason.
This practice offers clinic and home visits, days, evenings and
weekends. Appointments are 30 to 45 minutes long, allowing your
midwife to assess your physical and emotional health, share information,
and answer your questions. After your baby’s birth, home visits
are made as needed, usually every second day for the first week. Then
home or clinic visits take place at 2, 4 and 6 weeks postpartum. In
between visits, your midwife is on call by pager 24/7 should concerns
arise.
What is the difference between a midwife and a doula?
Doulas are trained to provide labour support but do not provide medical
care and do not deliver babies. Some doulas are also registered
massage therapists, chiropractors or naturopaths. Midwives provide
medical care as well as labour support and can perform detailed assessments
to monitor the health and well-being of you and your baby. Doulas
work as part of the team, with a midwife or doctor and nurse. Doulas
provide continuous emotional and physical support to the labouring woman
and her partner and are an excellent addition to the birth team. For
more information about doulas, contact the Doula Services Association of
BC.
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