A Respected Profession:
1) Philosophy of Midwifery Care in Ontario:
Pregnancy, labour and birth is a natural physiological process that women have the pleasure of experiencing. Midwifery care emphasizes the normalcy of this process. Midwives provide care to women throughout their pregnancy, labour and birth. Care of the mother and her newborn extends to six weeks after the birth and take place in the hospital, her home as well as the clinic setting. Midwives also assist women in adjusting to parenthood while respecting their choices and values. In Ontario, the Philosophy of Midwifery care is based on three principles:
Continuity of Care: Midwives providing 24-hour coverage for clients during pregnancy, labour, birth and up to six weeks after the birth. Informed Choice: An exchange of information given to women which enables her to make choices about her care and her unborn child. This information sharing is conducted in a relaxed and non-authoritarian atmosphere. Choice of Birthplace: Clients may choose to give birth at home, in hospital or at a birth centre. We believe that planned home birth is a safe option for healthy women with low-risk pregnancies. Early and ongoing prenatal care is important to help detect and avoid possible complications. Continuous assessments by the midwife, throughout the labor allows for possible concerns or complications to be dealt with in an appropriate and timely manner.
2)Midwives Scope of Practice:
Midwives are specialists in providing care to healthy, low risk childbearing women. When situations arise that require the provision of care that extend outside of the midwife's scope of practice, a consultation/referral is made to the appropriate health care professional. The standards that dictate when such a consultation or referral must take place, has been developed by the College of Midwives of Ontario. If care of the midwife's client is transferred to another health care professional for the remainder of her pregnancy and/or labour, the midwife continues to provide supportive care to her client.
3)Our Practice:
We at Diversity Midwives, are all registered midwives with the College of Midwives of Ontario and are members of the Association of Ontario Midwives. We have adopted the shared care model and work as a team, sharing all aspect of your care between us. You can be assured that any information pertaining to your care is kept confidential to anyone who is not involved in your care. The shared care model minimizes the chances of your prenatal appointments being cancelled and allows for appropriate midwife coverage when simultaneous births occur. During you care with our practice, you may have a second attendant involved in your care. A second attendant is a person who is qualified to assist the midwife at births and postpartum visits. The standards of practice they must follow are also developed by the College of Midwives of Ontario. You will have an opportunity to meet the second attendant if she will be involved in your care.
4)The Scarborough Hospital:
The Scarborough Hospital, Birchmount Campus (formerly Grace) is a level 2 hospital capable for caring for obstetrical emergencies. This hospital provides 24- hour obstetrical, anesthetic, and pediatric coverage. The Family Birth Place, has private birthing rooms where women labour, deliver and remain for approximately 3-6 hours following the birth (postpartum). For the reduction of pain prior to the birth, use one of several, Jacuzzi/whirlpool are available and frequently used by our clients. The Scarborough Hospital, General Division is used in cases where the Family Birth Place is full and does not have any vacant beds available for you to labour and birth. The unit at this site is under-going major reconstruction. In the future we may be able to offer this site as another unit to use on a regular basis in addition to the Family Birth Place.
5)The Toronto Birth Centre
We have privileges at the Toronto Birth Centre and are able to offer an alternative choice of birth place to our clients.
