We recommend contacting midwives for care as early as possible in your pregnancy as demand for care is often more than what we can accomodate. Also, the nature of midwifery care limits the number of women we can provide care to. Ideally, your first visit should be prior to twelve weeks of pregnancy. Occasionally women may begin care later if space becomes available.

We are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week by pager. Our clients know they can contact us anytime for questions or concerns that cannot wait until their next clinic visit.

The initial visit gives you and your midwife a chance to get to know each other, and will take approximately 1 hour. This visit includes a complete health history and physical assessment including pap test, if appropriate, and breast exam. Your midwife will give you the requsitions to have appropriate bloodwork and ultrasounds done, and there will also be time for nutrition/lifestyle counselling, as well as time for your midwife to address any questions or concerns that you may have. Recommendations for prenatal classes are also provided at this visit.

Subsequent visits (every 5-6 weeks to 30 weeks, every 2-3 weeks to 36 weeks and every 1-2 weeks until baby’s birth) will be approximately 30 minutes. The health of you and your baby will be carefully assessed. Women weigh themselves and then time is spent discussing the progress of their pregnancy, measuring blood pressure, baby’s growth, heartbeat and movement, and discussing lab results. We know it is important that you and your family have time to discuss issues important to you such as planning for labour and birth, emotional issues, and relationship/sibling/parenting concerns, time is made for this during routine prenatal visits as this is a priority in your care. Laboratory tests and diagnostic tests, such as ultrasounds, or referrals to other health care providers are discussed and booked as necessary.

A home visit is scheduled at 36 weeks of pregnancy for women planning a birth at home. An hour is scheduled in our clinic for those planning birth centre or hospital births. This time is set aside to discuss plans for labour and birth. A list of things to have ready for your birth will be given to you, as well, a “birth supplies bag” is available for purchase at our clinic.

Assuming that pregnancy and labour is progressing normally, it is a woman's choice where she would like to give birth. It is well researched in Canada, for healthy low risk women cared for by Registered Midwives, that birth at home or in a birth center is equally safe for mother and baby as birth in a hospital setting. Home births, however, have statistically the lowest rates of intervention.

Water birth is an option, usually at home or in the birth centre. Many of the women in our care choose water birth for relaxation and analgesia. Hospitals in Europe, particularly the UK offer water birth, and there is limited availability in Calgary hospitals. We have hospital admitting privileges at all hospitals in Calgary, however the majority of our hospital births occur at Foothills Medical Centre and Rockyview General Hospital because of our geographic proximity. Care in hospital is provided by us as your admitting midwives, and generally no hospital staff are involved in your birth unless we specifically ask for assistance.

If medical consultation is necessary, we are able to access our obstetrical colleagues for an opinion, or for assistance in the event of a situation which is outside our regulated scope of practice. We have, over many years, developed very good working relationships with family doctors, obstetricians, pediatric specialists, and other consultant physicians. If a woman requires consultation during a birth in the community, this is usually non-urgent and is accomplished by transferring to hospital

Approximately 85-90% of women wishing to birth at home or birth centre will, in our care, be successful in doing so.

Immediately following birth, we are able to assess the health of mother and baby, assist with breastfeeding, and of course celebrate with you and your family! If you give birth in either hospital or birth centre, you will generally be discharged to home within 3 hours after the birth.

We do home visits several times over the first week to assess mother and baby, ensure breastfeeding is going well, and to answer any questions and address any concerns about newborn care and self care. These home visits are often seen by parents as the most valuable part of their care! We are, of course, available 24/7 by pager for questions and concerns.

Mother and baby are seen in our clinic at two weeks post birth, for a complete check up to assess the health of both mother and baby, baby weight, breastfeeding, and emotional adjustment. At six weeks, we conclude care with an hour long visit which includes a well woman and baby check up. A referral letter is provided for the ongoing health care provider, usually a family physician. Although our care is complete after the six week visit, we always enjoy keeping up with families that we have cared for and enjoy updates and visits.

First baby born in hospital:

"Brendon, myself and our families thank you for all the love, support, patience, and guidance that you gave to us during our pregnancy and birth. Benjamin’s birth was the most special day of our lives and we wouldn’t have wanted that day to go any differently. We will be forever grateful to you for being such an important part of the delivery of our first born."

» Brendan, Tracy and Benjamin