Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Midwife?
A midwife is a healthcare professional that provides primary care to pregnant people and their newborns. Midwives provide care through pregnancy, labour, birth & delivery, and the first six weeks postpartum.
What is the Cost?
Midwifery care is a part of the Ontario Healthcare System and is fully covered. Ontario residents, who are not currently covered by OHIP can still receive care at no charge. If you are an Ontario resident not currently covered by OHIP please see our resources page for more helpful information.
Eligibility
People eligible for care are those with a normal, low risk pregnancy.
Unfortunately, you cannot have both a OBGYN and a Midwife as a primary care provider during pregnancy. You will need to decide which primary care provider will best suit your needs. If complications or concerns arise during your pregnancy, your midwife will transfer care to a doctor.
Testing
Midwives can arrange all the same tests and screening as other primary care providers. They can arrange all routine prenatal testing, including ultrasound and genetic testing, as well as standard laboratory and diagnostic tests. Test results are sent to the midwives who discuss them with their clients.
How to Apply for Care
Please fill out our online intake form for submission. You may access the application by clicking on the “Request for Care” button below.
Once received, submissions are reviewed on a regular basis and are assigned based on midwife availability around your due date. On average, it may take up to two weeks to receive a call back to set up the initial appointment. Response times may vary based on the amount of submissions received. Due to the high number of submissions, our practice does not have the capacity to call if we cannot accommodate your request for care.
Catchment Area
Our catchment area falls within boundaries of the City of Toronto. We have some flexibility with our catchment area for Indigenous people looking for care.
Do I Need a Referral from a Doctor to Obtain a Midwife?
No referral is required to obtain a midwife. Every midwifery clinic should have its own individual application to fill out.
When Should I Start Looking for a Midwife?
As soon as you discover that you are pregnant, you should begin your search for a midwife if you would like to avoid being put on a waitlist. Midwifery care is in high demand and many practices can become full very quickly. That is not to say that you will be unable to obtain a midwife if you apply to care late, or transfer care from a doctor to a midwife late in your pregnancy, there may be spots that open for those who end up waitlisted.
How Often Will I see My Midwife?
You will see your midwife much more often than you would your doctor. During the earlier parts of your pregnancy, you will see one of your midwives every three to six weeks. Once you reach 36 weeks, you will see them every week until the big day. After the birth, your midwife will arrange home visits with you, while also seeing you in clinic every two weeks until discharge at six weeks postpartum.
How Many Midwives Will Be Involved in My Care?
Every client is assigned at least two midwives to their care who you see in clinic typically in alternating visits. You may be assigned a backup midwife in case one of your midwives goes on holiday or due to unexpected circumstances. Our goal is for you to meet and know all of your midwives before you go into labour.
What Pain Relief Options are Available to Me With a Midwife?
Midwives can provide various options when it comes to pain relief ranging from natural to pharmaceutical options, including access to epidurals. Your midwife will discuss these forms of pain relief during your prenatal visits so that you may make an informed choice regarding pain relief options.
How to Contact Your Midwife
For Non-urgent messages
Please call the office and leave a message for your midwife with our receptionists. Midwives are usually on site specific days to run their clinic and should only be contacted for urgent needs while on call. Please understand that for privacy reasons, we cannot give out the private emails or phone numbers of our midwives. Contact must go through our reception.
For Urgent/Emergency messages
Please call the midwife’s pager number and follow the instructions, remember to leave your name and call back number. If your midwife is unavailable, please contact another midwife on the team list.
For more detailed instructions, please see our prenatal resources.