Willow Midwives

12/20/2024

Join us January 30th at 6:30pm for another night of storytelling!

We’ll have several families sharing their birth stories with us, from hospital to home birth (and sometimes a little bit of both!). If you are pregnant and feeling some fear about the unknowns, listening to others’ stories can be the encouragement you need.

This is open to all families—you do not have to be a current Willow client to attend.

Let us know if you can make it: bellowbirth@gmail.com or .birth. Please include how many people will be attending with you.

See you there!

12/10/2024

Welcome to new Willow midwife Tenisha, joining our team in the new year!

A bit about Tenisha:
Although I grew up as a settler on Splats’in land on the border of Secwepemc Territory and syilx Territory, I moved to Australia, India, and Zambia in my mid-twenties where I received my birth attendant certification, and then to Ontario to complete my midwifery education. Working in rural and urban settings globally allowed me to acquire unique insight and skills in reproductive and newborn healthcare. I am beyond thankful for and treasure the rich and proficient knowledge midwives from around the world have generously shared with me. Despite the opportunity to train in many wonderful locations, my heart has led me back to the Okanagan. I am deeply grateful to be working and living on the ancestral and traditional territory of the syilx Nation.

In my free time, I enjoy being outdoors as much as possible. This includes hiking, swimming, and biking in the warm months, and snowshoeing, skating, and snowboarding in the winter. In addition to midwifery care, I am passionate about holistic health and wellness (which I studied before midwifery), social and reproductive justice, psychology, and mental health and wellness.

Developing connections with clients and their families is deeply important to me, and providing continuity of care with informed choice is my absolute favourite part about being a midwife. I am honored to join Willow Midwives and look forward to the opportunity to provide client-centered support and care as a part of this practice’s dedicated midwifery team.

11/08/2024

Welcome autumn babies! 🍂

09/06/2024

Congratulations to all the families who welcomed these sweet summer babies! ☀️🌊

09/02/2024

Join us October 2nd at 6:30pm for another night of storytelling!

We’ll have several families sharing their birth stories with us, from hospital to home birth (and sometimes a little bit of both!). If you are pregnant and feeling some fear about the unknowns, listening to others’ stories can be the encouragement you need.

Our last story night was so full that we’re moving it to a different space! We are grateful to host this event at Cedar & Soul Wellness at 29 Front Street. Please bring your own chair, mat, ball, or pillow to sit on! We’ll bring the tea + cookies.

This is open to all families—you do not have to be a current Willow client to attend.

Let us know if you can make it by sending Jess an email at admin@willow-midwives.ca. Please include how many people will be attending with you.

See you there!

08/31/2024

‼DATE CHANGE: NOW SEPTEMBER 21st‼️

Please join us at our annual community picnic and open house! ☀️

Are you a past or present Willow family? We would love to see you ☺️ (and no, it doesn’t matter how many years ago you had your kiddos)!

You’re also welcome to drop by and say hi 👋 if you’re a community healthcare or service provider, Willow friend, or just interested in knowing more about us.

We’ll have blankets to sit on and some light refreshments and treats. This will be hosted outside at our clinic space at 587 Penticton Avenue.

No RSVP needed. We can’t wait to see you!

07/10/2024

Welcome to these sweet spring babies! 🌼

05/24/2024

A huge thank you to everyone who came out for our birth story night last night—the families who vulnerably shared their powerful stories and the families who listened with open hearts and thoughtful questions.

We laughed. We cried. We ate cookies.

We are grateful to be in community with you.

We can’t wait to do this again!

03/28/2024

Birth story from a Willow family. Thanks for sharing your experience with our community! ✨

“Hello world. We have a big announcement to make.
Introducing William Robert Hobart.

William was born on March 11th at the Penticton Lakeside Resort in a home away from home birth assisted by Maxine and Ginny from Willow Midwives, doula Natasha Brisbin, and loving husband Hank Hobart. He weighs 7lbs 4 ounces and scored a perfect 10 on the Apgar. Lana had an amazingly fast and smooth natural birth with a labour spanning only 5 hours with no medications or interventions.

Lana and baby are doing fine and we are so, so in love with this precious little boy that has joined our lives. We are home taking it slow and can't thank our birth team enough for their unwavering support of our pregnancy and birth choices and their confidence in the amazing birthing body and its capabilities.”

03/23/2024

Join us May 23 at 6:30pm for a night of storytelling at Willow!

We’ll have several families sharing their birth stories with us, from hospital to home birth (and even birth at a hotel!). If you are pregnant and feeling some fear about the unknowns, listening to others’ journeys can remind you you’re not alone.

Let us know if you can make it by sending Jess an email at admin@willow-midwives.ca.

We can’t wait to see you there!

02/09/2024

Welcome Ari!

Ari is a 2nd year midwifery student at UBC and is joining us at Willow for February and March 2024.

Head to our website to learn more about Ari and what brought her to midwifery.

02/09/2024

Welcome to our world, little ones! 🌻🍂❄️

Willow babies over the past many months. Better late than never 😉

As always, thanks for trusting us with your care—it’s an honour to be part of your stories.

12/20/2023

Welcome to Willow midwife, Maxine Jones! A bit about Maxine ⬇️

My interest in midwifery began during my nursing training in the UK in the late 80s when I spent time with a rural midwife as part of my practicum which inspired me to go on to train as a midwife in 1992.

In the UK I worked as a Community Team midwife in a rural community with a team of four midwives sharing on call for emergencies and deliveries. My role included providing parent education and supporting women with complex pregnancy needs.

Since coming to Canada in 2008 I have worked as a Perinatal nurse in the East Kootenays. I also worked for Options for Sexual Health providing sexual health including contraception and STI management.

I continued to advocate for women by participating in a local group campaigning for public funded birth control for all women in BC and the local Perinatal Committee at Invermere District hospital.

After working alongside the midwives in the East Kootenays I decided to return to midwifery and completed the Bridging Program for Internationally Educated Midwives with UBC in 2016.

Since completing the Bridging Program I have had the pleasure of working with Semiahmoo Midwives in South Surrey and Malachite Midwives in Kelowna.

I look forward to working with Willow Midwives and meeting the families I will be providing care for.

When not working I enjoy hiking, Kayaking, cross country skiing and spending time with my family and two lovable labs.

10/24/2023

10/06/2023

This month is Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Month. One in four pregnancies result in loss, that's 25% which means it's certain you know someone who has experienced a miscarriage, stillbirth, infant loss and/or abortion.

This type of loss has long-lasting physical, emotional and mental health impacts for parents, families and, ultimately, communities, especially because most of the suffering is done in private and support resources are scarce. We hope to change that, though education and an open dialogue around loss and how we can support each other and our communities.

With this course, we hold you in grief, healing and understanding of early pregnancy loss. We explore the physiology behind different types of loss and how to medically and emotionally cope with them. This course also includes workbooks for the people in your community to support them in supporting you.

WHO?
Person experiencing loss and their partners, friends, and family

WHEN?
Before, during and after pregnancy loss up to 20 weeks.

What You’ll Learn
→ Types of Miscarriage
→ Navigating Your Options
→ Common Medical Interventions
→ Miscarriage Myths
→ Grief Support & Healing
→ The Spectrum of Feeling & Loss
→ Demystifying Miscarriage for Your Support Team
→ Your Relationships & Community
→ Medical Resources & Moving Forward

Link in bio!! Please share this far and wide as we want to get it into the hands of as many people as possible!

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09/30/2023

WALK FOR THE CHILDREN 🧡
repost from:

📣 Calling all allies, friends, community, drummers/singers, and members of the Syilx Okanagan Nation 📣

Join us for a 2 km Walk for Reconciliation on September 30th, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation! We will be departing from the Safeway parking lot and making our way to the SIRS Monument outside the Penticton Hatchery on En'owkin Trail.

Walk is open to everyone. Remember to wear your orange shirts! 🧡

09/29/2023

👶 Join me for a crucial 2-hour Infant/Child CPR workshop in Summerland on Oct. 14! I'm excited to share my expertise in baby and toddler safety. Since I'm not a local, your support in spreading the word is invaluable. Please help me share by tagging expecting friends or share the link!

Thank you in advance!

Let's prioritize our little ones' safety! 🚼

🔗 Register here: www.safebeginnings.ca/register

These are our currently offered in-person public courses and workshops, open for registration. New dates are added frequently, so check back regularly! Can't attend in-person? Check