Midwifery and Maternity Care

WELCOME....  I'd like to introduce myself briefly. My name is Martina O' Sullivan Darcy and I am an Irish Nurse and Midwife. I have worked as a midwife for 12 years in many different countries(canada, Saudi Arabia, Holland..) and have delivered many thousands of babies in my career. I can safely say that "it is a miracle every time" and it keeps me humble.

MIDWIVES AND WOMEN

Women throughout the ages have depended on a skilled person, usually a woman, to help them during childbirth. That person is the midwife, literally "with woman". Her skill is based on a mixture of art and science -  art because it requires her to be able to understand the woman's needs and science due to the high demand of evidence-based practice, knowledge and the skill set required to practice as a midwife. Midwives see birth as a normal event of life and 'life giving'.

International definition of a midwife

"A midwife is a person who, having been regularly admitted to a midwifery educational programme, duly recognized in the country in which it is located, has successfully completed the prescribed course of studies in midwifery and has acquired the requisite qualifications to be registered/or legally licensed to practice midwifery.

She must be able to give the necessary supervision, care and advice to women during pregnancy, labor and the postpartum period, to conduct deliveries on her own responsibility and to care for the newborn and the infant. This care includes preventative measures, the detection of abnormal conditions in mother and child, the procurement of medical assistance and the execution of emergency measures in the absence of medical help. She has an important task in health counseling and education, not only for the women, but also within the family and community. The work should involve antenatal education and preparation for parenthood and extends to certain area's of gynecology, family planning and child care. She may practice in hospitals, clinics, health units, domiciliary conditions or in any other service".

(International Confederation of Midwives 1992) 

MIDWIFERY

Midwives around the world

Midwives, in cultures all over the world, have helped women give birth. Midwives deliver 95% of babies worldwide. 

Midwifery care is concerned with the promotion of women's health. It is centered upon an understanding of women as healthy individuals progressing through the life cycle. It is based on a respect for pregnancy as a state of health, that childbirth is a normal process, and a profound event in a woman's life. 

Midwives in Canada

Midwives in Canada are highly educated professionals; most graduate with a Bachelor of Health Sciences in Midwifery after a four-year university program. Some midwives are nurse/ midwives trained abroad where programs combine nursing education with midwifery. A midwife must be provincially licensed to legally practice in Canada. 

Midwives in British Columbia

The Ministry of Health and the College of Midwives of British Columbia regulate midwives. The title "midwife" is protected and its use by anyone other than a Registered Midwife is illegal. There are approximately 80 midwives around the province. There are 2 midwives here in Penticton at South Valley Midwifery.

What is the benefit of having a midwife?

Midwives provide personal, professional and one on one care in a relaxed atmosphere. Midwives offer continuous support and are available to you 24/7.

Midwives have a genuine interest in caring for women, promoting open relationships and full participation from the family. 

Do I have to pay for midwifery care?

In British Columbia midwifery services are completely covered by your BC care card.

Can I have a midwife and physician at the same time?

No, you must choose one primary caregiver. The choice of caregiver during pregnancy is up to you. Midwives are experts in healthy pregnancy, normal births and well babies.

What is the working relationship between midwives and physicians?

Midwives consult with obstetricians; pediatricians and other care providers if situations arise that fall outside the midwife's scope of practice. Midwives have clear recommendations of when to consult or transfer care during pregnancy, birth and postpartum as outlined by the College of Midwives of BC. This information is made available to every woman who chooses a midwife and in accordance with the principles of informed choice. 

What is informed choice?

You are invited to interact with your midwives, where information is shared and questioning is welcomed. Midwives keep up with medical standards, new information and research. Midwives share with you what is known and unknown about certain procedures, tests and medications. This values the woman's own knowledge and choices for her health care.

 Can I have a midwife and still give birth in the hospital?

The Ministry of Health and the College of Midwives support women's choice and offer home or hospital births. The midwives of Penticton have admitting privileges at the local hospital. 

Does having a midwife mean I can't have an epidural?

No. As with informed choice your midwife will provide you with all of the options for pain relief that are available. 

What is the difference between a midwife and a doula?

A doula does not provide medical care or deliver babies. Doulas work as part of a team and provide continuous support both emotional and physical, to the laboring woman and her birth companions.

By Martina O' Sullivan Darcy - Midwife