In Ontario, a midwife is a registered health care professional who provides complete care to women having healthy, normal pregnancies throughout their pregnancy, labour and birth. Midwives also provide care to both mother and baby during the first six weeks following birth.

Most midwives work together in group practices. A woman is seen by two or three midwives. During regularly scheduled visits to the midwifery practice, midwives provide clinical examinations, counseling and education.

Women in midwifery care normally do not see a physician during their pregnancy, labour, birth or the first six weeks after the baby is born. In the event that medical problems arise, midwives consult with the woman's family physician, nurse practitioner, or the appropriate specialist to determine a plan of care.

Our practice includes registered midwives and midwifery students. To enhance continuity of care, clients will usually see their two or three midwives alternately in shared care during the prenatal and postnatal periods. This ensures you know at least two midwives well. Both midwives will be in attendance at the birth. If for some reason one of your midwives cannot be in attendance at your birth, one of your midwives will attend with another midwife from the practice who you may not have met. In the very unlikely event that both of your midwives were unavailable, emergency backups with other midwives from the practice would be arranged.

Your midwives are on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. However, each midwife regularly takes one 3-day weekend off call per month. Every effort will be made to ensure that both of your midwives are not off call simultaneously.

Midwives do not normally book clients during their scheduled holidays. In order to cover overlap around holiday periods, some alternate arrangements may be made. You should discuss those specifics with your midwives.