Q: What is a Midwife?
A: Midwives are skilled specialists who provide primary care to pregnant people during pregnancy, attend normal birth at your choice of birthplace, and care for the newborn and parent in the first six weeks following birth. They are trained to detect and respond to risk factors, respecting the pregnant person as the primary decision maker, and follow the principles of continuity of care, informed choice, and choice of birthplace.
Q: What kind of training do Midwives have?
A: Midwives are graduates of the Midwifery Education Program, a 4 year Bachelor of Science which includes both rigorous academic study and intensive practical training. They are required to renew skills such as neonatal resuscitation and CPR yearly, and participate regularly in community learning events at our hospitals, clinics, and through peer review. With the exception of aboriginal Midwives, all Midwives in Ontario must be registered with the College of Midwives of Ontario in order to practice.
Q: How Much does a Midwife cost?
A: Funded by the Ministry of Health, midwifery care is free for all residents of Ontario regardless of OHIP coverage. However, uninsured residents are required to pay for lab tests, ultrasounds, and hospital stays though private insurance or out of pocket.
Q: Can a Midwife order all the tests I may need during my pregnancy?
A: Yes, a Registered midwife can order any test within the scope of pregnancy and newborn health. Routine blood work, ultrasounds, and urine tests may be ordered by your Midwife throughout your care. Additional ultrasounds, amniocentesis and other specialized procedures can also be ordered when indicated for clinical reasons.
Q: If I choose midwifery care, is a home birth my only option?
A: No. In addition to providing the choice of having your baby at home, our Midwives have privileges at all three hospital in Grey and Bruce counties that house labour & delivery units or family birth centres: Grey Bruce Health Services, Owen Sound; South Bruce Grey Health Services, Walkerton; and Hanover District Hospital.
Q: How do I sign up for care? Do I need a referral from my family Doctor?
A: You do not require a referral from a doctor to be eligible for care. Once you know that you are pregnant and have decided you would like a Midwife, you can register by filling out an care inquiry form on our website. You can also register by calling into the clinic or visiting the clinic in person and completing an intake from, which takes about 5 minutes. Please note that we are only able to take on a fixed number of people due each month and that spots are generally filled on a first come, first served basis.
Q: How frequent will my appointments be & where will they take place?
A: Following your initial appointment, you will be seen approximately every 4 to 6 weeks until you reach 34 weeks gestation. At that point, your Midwife will want to see you more frequently. From 36 weeks gestation until your birth, you will be asked to be seen on a weekly basis. Postpartum, a midwife will see you multiple times in the 10 days following your birth. Finally, your discharge appointment will be booked 6 weeks postpartum.
All prenatal appointments take place at our clinic in downtown Owen Sound, or at our satellite clinic in Walkerton. Appointments are around 45 minutes long. Your Midwife will visit you in your home for postpartum care, with the exception of your discharge appointment (which is scheduled in clinic).
Have more Questions? Check out the video above and be sure to visit our resource page for information on a range of pregnancy-related topics.