Midwifery Care - North Don River Valley

06/17/2025

06/05/2025

Please be advised our administrative office will be closed tomorrow June 6th. Phones and emails will not be monitored. Office administration will resume Monday at 9am. Your midwife remains on call for all urgent medical matters. Please refer to your "When to Page the Midwife" document.

05/30/2025

It was a privilege to be at this beautiful home birth!! Congratulations to your growing family, and thank you for having us be a part of your special moment! Picture posted with permission.

Also pictured: Kelly and Christabel our amazing students ❤️ We love our students!!

05/23/2025

Isn't what our bodies can do amazing!?

Midwife Wendy is holding a 120cm long umbilical cord that is almost as tall as her from one of our recent babies! Now that’s exceptionally long! On average, umbilical cords can range anywhere from 50-70cm in a full term infant (>37 weeks).

The umbilical cord serves a role in transporting oxygen and nutrients to baby but also removing waste products. This rope like structure actually contains 3 blood vessels: 2 arteries and 1 vein. They are cushioned by a gelatinous white connective tissue known as Wharton’s jelly. The 2 arteries are responsible for carrying the deoxygenated blood away from the baby to the placenta and the 1 vein is responsible for carrying oxygenated blood from the placenta to the baby. Immediately after birth, we may reach around to palpate the cord as that also identifies the pulse of the newborn baby! 🪢🪢

This cord is extra special though! It has a knot in it!

About the knot: the term for this knot is called a “true knot” and it happens when the fetus moves around so much that they actually swim around and loop themselves through the umbilical cord and crest a knot as if you tied it with a string! This is more common with extra long cords. It sounds scary, but not to worry as blood flow is protected via the presence of Wharton’s Jelly, that allows the knot to be fluid and move, and not tighten which would restrict blood flow.

05/06/2025

We want to wish our midwives and student midwives a very happy International Day of the Midwife! The theme of International Day of the Midwife in 2025 is "Midwives: Critical in Every Crisis."

The world is facing an unprecedented number of compounding crises—natural disasters, conflicts, and the ongoing impacts of climate change. These crises disproportionately affect women, girls, and gender diverse people, exposing them to heightened risks such as pregnancy complications and gender-based violence, while also limiting their access to essential health services.

In these challenging times, midwives are critical. They are trusted first responders within their communities, who can prepare health systems to be ready for any crisis. They can provide up to 90% of sexual, reproductive, maternal, newborn, and adolescent health (SRMNAH) services, even during humanitarian crises.

Midwives are trusted and have the knowledge and skills to ensure women receive the health services they need, no matter the crisis. They need to be included and valued in every crisis response plan.

04/24/2025

Our administrative staff keep our ship sailing here at NDRV. They work every day to ensure that our clients receive exceptional care, and that our midwives are held together on even the busiest of days. They are at the front desk welcoming our clients into the clinic, and do so much more behind the scenes. We appreciate you immensely! To our four administrative staff, thank you for all you do (yes, there are four if you look closely). One of our staff is enjoying a well earned vacation on a beach!

04/22/2025

This past week was a pivotal moment in Black maternal health and bringing awareness to this extremely important initiative. This year’s theme wa "Amplifying our Voices” which includes acknowledging the health disparities that can often lead to devastating outcomes for Black families and mothers. It was amazing to have had this inaugural launch at our hospital It featured one of our very own OBs Dr. Tunde Byass who has been a champion of race-based data and Black health outcomes in Canada; our very own Association of Ontario midwives president Althea Jones who hosted an insightful and deep conversation on Black maternal health and wellness and so many other speakers. These events were not just a singular all-encompassing week. It featured expert-led seminars, interactive workshops, and community discussions. We can’t wait for the continuation of these discussions as well as next year’s Black Maternal Health Week.

04/16/2025

보건부의 공적 자금으로 운영되는 무료 한국어 출산 및 신생아 준비 교실에 여러분을 초대합니다.
우리 지역사회의 훌륭한 강사진과 함께 출산, 임신/산후 운동, 정신 건강, 아기 돌보기 등에 대해 배워보세요! 🤰🏻👶🏻

분만, 출산, 고통 완화법에 대한 새로운 지식 발견

예비 부모님들과 가족들을 위한 정신 건강 관리법

출산 후 건강 관리법 및 신생아 목욕, 기저귀 갈기, 모유수유 등 신생아 관리법

지역 내 다른 예비 부모님과의 만남

장소:

Toronto Presbyterian Church
67 Scarsdale Rd, North York, ON M3B 2R2

대상:

이 수업은 한국어를 사용하는 첫 예비부모님들에게 추천합니다. 파트너 및 배우자님들도 환영합니다. 언제나처럼, OB 및 Family doctor 환자분들도 환영합니다. 이 프로그램에 관심이 있거나 필요하다고 생각하시는 지인들이 있다면, 이 메시지를 전달해주세요.

강사진:

강의를 진행 해주실 아래 강사님들을 팔로우하셔도 좋습니다!

→ (한국인 산후관리 케어 서비스)

→ (임신 운동)

→ Heebong Chang, MDiv., MFA, RP, 공인 심리치료사

등록하는 법:

관심이 있으신 분들은, 출산예정일, 참가자분(들)의 성함 및 연락처를NDRV.koreanprenatalclass@gmail.com 로 보내주세요. 자리가 한정되어 있으니, 확인 답변이� 올 때까지 기다려주세요.



Calling all Korean Speaking Pregnant Families! We are hosting a FREE (publicly funded by the Ministry of Health) Korean childbirth and infant preparation class. Come learn about birth, pregnancy/postpartum exercises, mental health and how to take care of your baby from our amazing panel of instructors from the community! 🤰🏻👶🏻

Discover new things about labour, birth, pain relief options

Learn about mental health for expecting parents and families

Learn to take care of the postpartum body and newborn care including bath time, diaper changing, breastfeeding and much more!

Meet other expectant parents from the community

Where:

Toronto Presbyterian Church

67 Scarsdale Rd, North York, ON M3B 2R2

Who’s Invited?

This course is recommended for first-time parents who speak Korean. Partners/Couples are welcome. As always, OB and family doctor patients are welcome!

Special Instructors:

→ (Korean Pregnancy support care clinic)
→ (Pregnancy exercises)
→ Heebong Chang, MDiv., MFA, RP, Registered Psychotherapist

Register:

If you are interested, please send your due date, name(s) of participant(s), and contact information to NDRV.koreanprenatalclass@gmail.com. Please note: space is limited, please await a confirmation of the class.

04/01/2025

Some of our lovely midwives and midwifery students attended the Community Health and Information Fair last Wednesday in North York. We shared information on how midwifery care works, choice of birthplace and answered many questions about pregnancy.

02/13/2025

Due to the weather, our office will. E closed today.
If you had a visit scheduled with your Midwife you will be contacted for alternate arrangements.

Home visits that are essential or time sensitive will still occur. Your Midwife will be in touch if your visit needs to be rescheduled.

11/28/2024

Come one, come all! Siblings 🧍🏻‍♀️🧍🏻🧍🏻👶🏻are always welcomed and appreciated when you come for your appointments! It puts a smile on our faces to have these little helpers assist us. ❤️

11/19/2024

So much joy in one photo. Pictured is midwife Mary Ann with a recent baby graduate ❤️