Midwifery Care Resources
Models of Care
Collaboration
Midwives consult and collaborate with other health care professionals to work safely within their scope of practice. In situations where transfer of care to a physician is required, the midwife may provide supportive care after transfer and may resume primary care if appropriate.
Community-Based Primary Care
Midwives serve as key primary healthcare providers, operating independently with hospital rights, within their localities. They offer comprehensive midwifery support throughout pregnancy, childbirth, and the postnatal phase, assuming individual responsibility for each client. Midwives' practices span various environments such as clinics, residences, and hospitals.
Continuity of Care
Continuity of care is both a philosophy and a process that is facilitated through a partnership; ideally each client will meet and develop a relationship of trust with the midwife or midwives in the group before labour. A group practice must share a common philosophy and a consistent and coordinated approach to practice.
Choice of Birth Setting
Midwives provide care in a variety of settings where available. The birth setting is chosen by the client in consultation with the midwife. Midwives must acquire admitting and discharge midwifery hospital privileges in their local maternity units and, where available, privileges for birth centers. Midwives function within their scope of practice in both the home and hospital setting.
Accountability & Evidence-Based Practice
Midwives’ fundamental accountability is to the clients in their care. They are also accountable to their peers, their regulatory body, the health agencies where they practice and the public to for the provision of safe, competent, ethical practice informed by the BCCNM Philosophy of Care and current evidence in perinatal care. Midwives develop and share midwifery knowledge, promoting and participating in research.
Informed Choice
Midwives respect the rights of clients to make informed choices and facilitate this process by providing complete, relevant, objective information and their professional recommendations in a non-authoritarian, supportive manner. Having adequate time for discussion in the prenatal period is necessary to the successful facilitation of informed choice.
If this align with your vision for prenatal care…
Resources
FAQs
How do I become a client?
If you are pregnant and interested in becoming a client of Canopy Midwives, please fill out our waitlist form. This applies to returning clients - welcome back! Please note our spots fills up quickly. With such high volumes, only those we can take into care will be contacted, all others will automatically be added to our waitlist. Rest assured, we will get in touch if a space opens up for you.
If I'm accepted as a client, when will be my first appointment?
We will book your first appointment ideally Ideally between 8 to 10 weeks, which will be a virtual meeting. We like to see you early in pregnancy so we can organize lab tests and ultrasounds..
What are your clinic hours and how often do I see you?
Our prenatal clinics are scheduled Monday to Thursday, 8:30am to 5:30pm. From early pregnancy to 32 weeks we see you about every 5-6 weeks. From 32 to 37 weeks we see you every 2 to 3 weeks and from 37 weeks to delivery we see you every week.
Can I be seen for postpartum care even if I haven’t been seen by Canopy for my pregnancy or birth?
Yes. We can take care of you and your baby from birth to 6-8 weeks postpartum, even if you were seen by another care provider for your pregnancy and birth. Please fill our Postpartum Intake Form.
What if I don't live on the North Shore?
While our primary catchment is North Vancouver and West Vancouver, we occasionally also see clients who live in Burnaby, Squamish, Whistler, Pemberton and on Bowen Island. If you are still wondering... give us a call and we can chat.
Is there a fee for midwifery care?
No! If you have a BC Care Card, your care is covered (this is also the case for postpartum-only care). However, if you are not currently covered by BC Medical, you can pay privately. Please inquire for cost.
Will there be students involved in my care?
Yes. Canopy Midwives support the education of new midwives and understand the value in mentoring. The team supervises UBC Midwifery Students, nursing students, and other health care professionals during the academic year (September to November and January to April) and an internationally trained midwife from May to August. If you are not comfortable with a student being involved in your care, please let us know.
Can I see a midwife and a doctor at the same time?
Under the BC Medical Plan, only ONE primary health provider is covered during your pregnancy. What that means is you have the option to choose a Midwife, GP or OB for care of your pregnancy, labour and postpartum. Midwives are experts in low-risk pregnancy and birth. However, if there is need to be seen by a specialist for complications that arise in pregnancy, we will refer you directly to one of our local OBs. In this case we share care.
Can I transfer care to Canopy Midwives if I'm already being seen by another provider?
Yes you can. If you are less than 20 weeks, submit our waitlist form.
If you are over 20 weeks, please call the front desk or contact us here so we can discuss next steps.
If you're interested in postpartum care, please fill this Postpartum Intake Form.
Can I have pain medication at my labour if I want it?
Absolutely! We get asked this question a lot. If you are planning a hospital birth and you want or need pain management, we will be able to facilitate this.