about birth...

The topic of childbirth is, of course, a huge one. This page will not cover everything that needs to be known, but take a look and let me know what you think.


Choice of Birthplace

Ontario Midwives has fantastic information where they have reviewed the research on home, birth centre and hospital birth.

When we look at the principals of Evidence Based Care (EBC), there are three key elements:


1. the research

2. the HealthCare Provider's expertise and utilization of the research

3. your goals, preference and values.


These three key elements of EBC are important to keep in mind when deciding on place of birth.

In Ontario with midwifery care, you have a choice of home or hospital.

Ontario Midwives on Choice of Birth Place here 

Birth Centres

There are three free-standing birth centres in Ontario:

the Toronto Birth Centre

the Ottawa Birth and Wellness Centre

Tsi Non:we Ionnakeratstha Ona:grahsta' (in Hagersville).


OMama on choice of birthplace here


Homebirth

Ontario Midwives: Why Give Birth At Home? (4:27 min)


Generations Midwifery Care have a video on the equipment that midwives bring to a birth (26:13 min) here.


Midwife Eileen Hutton, PhD talks about homebirth research (3:10 min) here 



Home or Hospital? Holding the Space for Human Birth: Saraswathi Vedam at TEDx Amherst College (19:16 min)


Home Births Understood: Absolute Risks of Homebirth? (10:54 min)


Ontario Midwives: Home Birth Equipment (5:10 min)


Birthing Centres

The Toronto Birth Centre celebrates its 1,000th birth (0:53 min) here



Choice of HealthCare Provider

MIDWIFERY

Midwives in Ontario are Primary Care providers for healthy low-risk pregnancies. Midwives have hospital privileges and can order ultrasounds and prescribe some medications. There is no charge for midwifery care for Ontario residents. More on midwifery here

What is a midwife (10:53 min) here

Ontario Midwives: Pregnancy care (3:10 min) here

Ontario midwives: Giving birth with a midwife (3:21 min) here

Ontario Midwives: Postpartum care (3:08 min) here

Tracy Moore on midwifery care (1:02 min) here

To find a midwife here


FAMILY PRACTICE

Ontario College of Family Physicians here


OBSTETRICIAN

The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists website for patients here

The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists website for practitioners here

To find an MD (either FP or OB), go to the College of Physicians and Surgeons. You can search by specialty and location by clicking on Advanced here 






What helps for a faster birth?

Omega 3 oils have been shown in research to be helpful in pregnancy. Research also shows that most pregnant women do not consume enough of these oils.


My experience when I was a Registered Midwife (granted, only anecdotal) was that the oils encourage a faster labour. This is especially helpful for first births because these labours tend to be the longest (38 hours is not unusual).


For more information, go to:

Omega 3 Oils and Birth




Contact me if you have any questions or comments:


Shawn 416 255 8333


shawn (at) childbirthjoy (dot) com