Midwives are specialists in pregnancy and childbirth, and provide maternity care for low-risk women. They recognize birth to be a significant, yet normal, part of a woman’s life. Midwives are registered with the College of Midwives of BC (CMBC). This organization ensures clients receive safe, competent care. Midwives in BC are licensed and deliver babies at the hospital or at home, depending on the mother’s preference.

Midwifery offers continuity of care. The same midwife/midwives will provide care throughout pregnancy, labour, birth and the postpartum period. Each appointment lasts up to an hour. This time permits opportunities for discussion, questions, and time to develop a trusting relationship. The midwifery model of care is family centered, so partners, families, friends, and siblings are always welcome. Midwives always encourage informed choice. Similar to medical care midwives frequently use local services including the lab, hospital, and ultrasound clinics to order diagnostic tests. The midwife’s goal is to help each woman discover her own unique way to give birth. After the birth the midwife assists with breastfeeding, and will help clients through the adjustment of becoming parents. Midwives visit their clients in the hospital and at home (several times in the first week). Statistics on midwifery care indicate excellent maternal and infant outcomes. By choosing midwifery care you can reduce the likelihood of receiving medical interventions such as Caesarean Section, forceps, and episiotomies.

At appointments and during labour a midwife will assess and monitor clients and their babies to ensure everything is within safe and normal limits. The College of Midwives of BC has guidelines indicating when a midwife needs to consult or transfer care to another specialist. Midwives are trained to handle emergencies but transfer of care is always entrusted to a specialist in high-risk situations. Midwives have established professional relationships in their communities and have obtained hospital privileges. This enables emergency care to occur promptly and efficiently if the need arises. A teamwork approach is always available should care be required with a pediatrician, obstetrician, anaesthetist, lactation consultant, or other health care professionals. Please try to remember that most women have normal pregnancies and delivers.

For some women home provides the perfect place to relax — a key component to having a natural labour and birth. Massage, water and relaxation techniques are just a few methods used to help women cope with the challenges of labour. Home provides more opportunity in regards to other choices such as candles, nourishment, sibling attendance, privacy, and water birth.

Many women on the other hand feel more at ease in the hospital and plan their birth there. One of the main differences at the hospital is the availability of various medications for pain control should that be desired. Most hospitals provide equipment such as CD players, showers & tubs to help moms relax.

Regardless of where a woman chooses to give birth the midwife will provide the same attentive care. It is important for the woman to choose the environment where she feels most comfortable and relaxed. Flexibility is always encouraged as birth is unpredictable and plans may need to change due to circumstances. On occasion babies come quickly and there isn’t time for transport, and at other times labour is not progressing effectively, and we need to transfer to the hospital because help is warranted. The important thing is for each and every woman to feel respected and empowered, so that she can give birth safely and with dignity.

Midwives will present their clients with many options for maternity care. During appointments the midwife will provide current information on several tests and procedures that are available. Each client will choose which course of care is best suited to their individual situation. This is one of the reasons midwifery care becomes so personalized. Informational handouts are often used to present information, and further discussion is encouraged at home. Longer appointments ensure there is always time for conversation. Midwives are the only health care professional that can offer a client the choice of birth setting, as they routinely deliver babies at home and in the hospital. See the informed choice documents on the main page for information on:

• Maternal Serum Screen
• Gestational diabetes
• Group B Strep
• Rh immunglobulin
• Newborn tests and procedures