WHAT TO EXPECT

What To Expect From Midwifery Care

If you choose to have a midwife for your pregnancy instead of an obstetrician, you can still expect the same high quality health care that every woman in Ontario is entitled to. Here are some of the things that will happen in your pregnancy.

Visits

You will have regular checkups in our office throughout your pregnancy. In Ontario, the schedule for these checkups is about every 4 weeks in early pregnancy, then about every 2 weeks in the third trimester. Finally, you will come every week in the last month. During appointments, your midwife will take your blood pressure, measure your belly to check the baby’s growth, and listen to the baby’s heartbeat. Early in pregnancy, your midwife will also take your health history and perform a physical exam. Later in pregnancy, your midwife will monitor the baby’s position in your uterus.

Tests and prescriptions

Your midwife will order all of the necessary tests for your pregnancy, including blood tests, ultrasounds and urine tests. She can also provide with prescriptions for common pregnancy concerns if they are necessary.

Dealing with complications

Midwives are pregnancy specialists, trained to identify complications and emergencies in all stages of pregnancy, birth and the six weeks after. Dealing with many common complications is fully within our scope of practice. In the rare case that you develop a complication that requires a different specialist, we will make a referral, just like your family doctor would. These specialists could include an obstetrician, a genetic counsellor, a paediatrician or many others.

Birth

Towards the end of your pregnancy, your midwives will tell you what to expect in early labour and when to page them. Once you and your midwife determine that you are in active labour, your midwife will either admit you to hospital or stay with you at home, depending on your planned place of birth. In most cases, it will not be necessary to have any nurses or doctors present at your birth, as your midwives are fully trained to manage labour.

After birth

Your midwives will see you often in the six weeks after your baby is born. In the first week, they will visit you at home. After that you and your baby will come to the office for checkups. It is not necessary for your baby to see a family doctor or paediatrician for checkups during this time. At your last visit, your midwife will provide you with the records you need to return to your regular doctor. If you still have questions about midwifery care, visit our FAQ page. If midwifery care sounds right for you, fill out an intake form.