Philosophy & Services
Around the world, midwives are care providers for families as they welcome new babies into their communities. Midwives view birth as a normal experience in life which is usually a time of wellness. In Ontario, midwifery care is based on three principles; Informed Choice, Choice of Birthplace, and Continuity of Care.
Informed Choice
Midwives encourage family members to actively participate in their care throughout pregnancy, birth, and postpartum period and make choices about the manner in which care is provided.
Midwifery care includes education and counselling, enabling a person to make informed choices based on research as it applies to their unique situation.
Midwives promote decision-making as a shared responsibility, between a person and their family (as defined by them) and caregivers.
Choice of Birthplace
Midwives are the experts in normal labour and birth! While we are trained to identify and respond to emergencies, the majority of healthy pregnant people will have uncomplicated birth experiences.
This allows for us to support you in your own choice of birth place wherever you feel most comfortable which may be at home or hospital sites. We also provide water birth services for those who are interested in hydrotherapy.
Continuity of Care
We know who you meet during your care matters! When you have a midwife, you will meet a small number of midwives during your prenatal care (usually 2-3), they will be the same midwives on call for your labour, and who will see you and your baby postpartum.
What to expect from your midwives.
Learn a little more about midwifery care, what we can do and how we work! At Countryside, we work hard to provide individualized care that best meets the needs of the families in our communities.
Prenatal Care
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Informed Choice: you are able to guide your own prenatal care and will be expected to be an active participant making choices that are right for you!
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Pregnancy tests if needed (urine or blood)
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Prenatal care every 4 weeks from intake - 28 weeks, biweekly from 28 - 36 weeks, and weekly from 36 weeks - birth.
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Nutritional and lifestyle, and prenatal education.
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Diagnostic lab work (blood tests), and ultrasound screening.
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Collaboration with other health care practitioners if and when indicated.
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On-call care for questions and concerns.
Labour & Birth
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Expert support in physiologic birth.
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Options for choice of birth place; home or hospital. Current research shows that home birth is as safe an option for healthy low-risk people as giving birth in the hospital. Our research is ever expanding and now shows that it may even have benefits over a hospital birth such as lower risk of infection, and lower rates of intervention.
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Leaders in use of hydrotherapy and water birth.
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Continuity of care (knowing your midwife)
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Many choices during your labour and birth including freedom of movement, eating /drinking, physical and emotional support, discussion of options, and informed choice.
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Comfort measures and continuous 1:1 support while in labour.
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Midwives take care of people with healthy pregnancies and uncomplicated labours, however if this changes, we work with a network of supportive high-risk providers and we are able to accompany you to provide supportive care.
Postpartum Care
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In home postpartum visits regardless of place of birth. (3 within the first week)
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In clinic visits until 6 weeks postpartum.
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Education about your health and your newborn
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Choice of lab work as offered routinely in Ontario, often done at home for you.
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Infant feeding and lactation support.
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On-call care for questions and concerns.
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Recommendations for community resources and transition of care back to primary provider at discharge.