Registered midwives are formally trained and fully integrated health-care professionals who offer primary maternity care to healthy, low-risk pregnant people and their newborn babies from early pregnancy, through labour and birth, until about six weeks postpartum.
Midwives offer a holistic view of pregnancy. If you have a low-risk pregnancy, a midwife can offer longer appointments that cover more topics and support with your new baby, up to six weeks after you deliver. If anything changes to make your pregnancy higher risk, they work closely with obstetricians and will bring one in to support you.
If you choose an obstetrician for your pregnancy and delivery, you can also have a midwife support you postpartum with home visits and infant feeding support.
To have a midwife deliver your baby, contact the midwifery clinics in your area as soon as you know you’re pregnant. Many clinics use online intake forms; please wait three to five business days to hear back from clinics you’ve contacted. If all the clinics in your area are full and cannot provide you with care, you can join a centralized waiting list maintained by Vancouver Midwives.
Midwifery care is covered through the BC Medical Services Plan (MSP) for BC residents.
Midwives who practice at St. Paul’s