THE MIDWIFE DIFFERENCE

Midwives work together with clients to determine the appropriate place of birth. Our training ensures that birthing in the community is as safe as possible and we are glad to support clients in their choice of birth place when risk factors remain low. For those with increased risk factors or electing for hospital delivery, our midwives hold hospital privileges at Northern Lights Regional Health Centre and routinely attend births there.

The philosophy of midwifery care is that pregnancy and birth are normal physiological processes that will most often progress uneventfully. Midwives support position changes, hands-on comfort measures and provide emotional support to reduce the need for pain-relieving drugs while also recognizing that sometimes medical intervention and medications are required. When this becomes necessary, the midwife is able to continue providing care with rare exceptions (ie. midwives do not perform vacuum or forceps deliveries or cesarean sections).

Midwives are skilled in attending births in the community. Healthy women who are low risk for complications have the option to give birth in their home or at Luna Dea Birth Suite. Midwives review the benefits and risks of this option with their clients during their pregnancy to help them decide the most suitable place to welcome your baby.

When clients choose community birth, the midwife will attend to them once labour is established. If it is still early when the midwife arrive, they will provide guidance and return once things have progressed. Once in the active phase of labour, the midwife will stay with the client to monitor their well being as well as the baby and ensure labour progress is normal. When it seems like the baby will be born soon, a second attendant (another midwife, labour and delivery nurse or paramedic) is called to assist the midwife. For every community birth, midwives bring essential items that are needed to complete a normal delivery as well as equipment and medications for managing a potential emergency. 

On occasion, situations can occur that indicate risk factors have increased and birth may be safer in the hospital. Most of the time these situations are not urgent and transport will take place by car, but on rare occasions, transport by ambulance may be necessary. In these situations, your team will make arrangements with the hospital to facilitate a smooth transfer.

When electing to birth at the hospital, a nurse is assigned to assist the midwife with labour assessments, any procedures and help with the delivery just as they would a physician. Evidence shows that unless a woman is higher risk, it is beneficial for her to wait until active labour to be admitted to the hospital as earlier admission results in higher rates of intervention. With this in mind, the midwife and client will work together to determine the best time to go to the hospital. 

Midwifery clients who have an uncomplicated delivery and a healthy baby are often eligible for early discharge from the hospital. When this occurs, the midwife will complete a home visit within 1-2 days following discharge. 

Midwives provide care for the client as well as their newborn so both are seen by the same healthcare provider for the first 6 weeks.