Your Pregnancy, Your Choice: A Guide to Midwives

Your Pregnancy, Your Choice: A Guide to Midwives

Expecting a baby is one of life's most monumental journeys. The choices you make during this time—from your healthcare provider to your birth plan—shape not only your experience but also your transition into parenthood. For Canadian sports broadcaster and radio host Tara Slone, midwifery care was the path that resonated most deeply with her values and needs.

Midwives are highly trained primary healthcare professionals specializing in providing care during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum. They work independently or in collaboration with obstetricians (OBs) and family doctors, ensuring you receive the best possible care tailored to your needs. In Canada, midwifery is a regulated profession integrated into the healthcare system and covered by provincial health insurance. Depending on your preference, midwives can attend births in hospitals, birthing centres, or at home.

“My stepmother was involved in the midwifery movement in Nova Scotia when I was growing up, so I always had an awareness of midwives,” explained Slone. “When looking at midwife vs. doctor care, we decided that as long as we had a healthy pregnancy, we wanted the more hands-on approach that midwives offer; longer appointments, easier access to our caregiver.”

Throughout pregnancy, midwives provide essential services, like prenatal visits, routine blood work, diagnostic tests, and postnatal care in the first week after birth and in clinic up to six weeks, so you and your baby can thrive.

PREGNANCY YOUR WAY

“We never felt rushed, and always knew that there was time to ask any and every question we had as first-time parents,” said Slone. “Our midwife was available after hours, too, which was reassuring. Being a client of a midwifery practice also gave us a sense of community that I’m not sure we’d have had with a doctor. Also, we knew our birth plan would be adhered to, and if we needed any intervention, our midwife would advocate for us.”

Their care doesn’t end after the birth—midwives continue to see you for at least six weeks postpartum, ensuring that your physical, emotional, and psychological needs are met. Slone shared that this was one of the most impactful parts of choosing a midwife.

“For us, continuity of care made us feel comforted—before and after our child’s birth,” she said. “We were able to have an ongoing relationship with our midwife, with postnatal care at our home in the first week, not just a transactional one like we might have with a doctor.”

Midwives take the time to ensure you are actively involved in decisions about your health and the care of your baby. From your very first appointment, midwives allow space for meaningful discussions, answering your questions and addressing your concerns. This relationship is built on respect, trust, and your autonomy as the primary decision-maker.

“Midwifery worked for us because we felt totally comfortable with our decision,” Slone continued. “My advice to expectant parents considering midwifery would be to talk to anyone and everyone you can and make the best choice for you and your family. But I wouldn’t have done it any other way!”

This is the beginning of one of life's most incredible adventures, and choosing a midwife can make it all the more beautiful.

Find more information at havingababy.co