In BC, midwives practice as autonomous health care practitioners (like a family doctor). This means that we can provide comprehensive maternity care to low-risk women and babies. Your midwife may be your first point of entry into maternity health care once you find out you are pregnant or you can self-transfer from your physician at any time during your pregnancy if you decide that you want midwifery care. However, the best time to start your care with a midwife is as early as possible.
Midwives are community-based. We feel privileged to support families in our neighbourhood. Midwives integrate the philosophy of midwifery care, such as continuity of care, informed choice, choice of birth setting (home or hospital), evidence-based practice and collaborative care. We work alongside other maternity health care providers, such as obstetricians, physicians, pediatricians, nurses, nutritionists, and many others.
Informed decision-making is an integral part of your care with midwives. We support a shared-care model where midwives and women work together to create decisions based on sharing information and understanding values in a respectful environment. We believe it is our job to provide you with all the current information about important health care decisions so that you can make a decision that is right for you and your family. We also use our expertise to support your decision-making process.
For more detailed information, please visit the College of Midwives of BC Website: http://cmbc.bc.ca/pdf.shtml?Registrants-Handbook-11-05-Midwifery-Model-of-Practice
