Canadian Birth Resources?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Holly C on May 19, 2009 at 1:26pm

Hello Candice!

It's nice to see a fellow BC-er here (I'm on the island!). I think your best bet would be to check out the Home Birth Association of BC's website here: http://www.homebirthbc.com/

They have some BC specific resources and general homebirthing information. You also may want to find a midwife in which case you might need the BC Midwives links http://www.bcmidwives.com/

Here's a store in BC that offers homebirth supply kits and I'm sure that some local pregnancy stores would probably offer some as well, or you could piecemeal a kit together from pharmacies and such: http://www.mamagoddessbirthshop.com/collections/british-columbia

Sadly there are no birth centers in BC so far as I know. I searched for myself when I was pregnant and I believe the closest one is in Alberta (or the States). Just as a heads up in case that came up as a 'compromise' for you two.

Good luck!

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Saara on May 19, 2009 at 10:21pm

Where do you live that an hour away is too far for the midwife to come to you?? I live in northern Manitoba - the closest midwives are 1.5 hrs away & they come here to help moms deliver all the time.

Have you thought about renting a place or staying in a hotel or... something along those lines? Staying with friends?

Used to be a magazine called "Compleat Mother" that was published in Canada, but it sort of disappeared about a year ago.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Candice Robertson on May 20, 2009 at 4:28pm

Yes I've checked ot th links you provided Holly months ago and Well the midwife i have is the only one in the area and she just doesn't do homebirths out here. I was old by one of the mothers out here that used her.. it was because she doesn't like being that far from a hospital.

've asked abot getting a hotel room near the hosiptal to deliver in.. but hubby shoots that down by saying "Why waste our money on a hotel when te hosita is right cross the street?"
We have no friends near the hospital who are willing to lets me birth there... and again huby's like "we;d have to gt the baby looked at by the hospital anyways.. so might as ell just do it all there" (I don't quite think hubby gets the idea of having a midwife and all he stuff they do)


I sould look up the Complete mother.. cause i had a few ssues before but i couldn't find where to get them on a regular basis

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Katharine Misener Maloley on June 2, 2009 at 12:40pm

Here is a link to a book about midwifery care in Canada. http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Midwifery-Option-Canadian-Guide...

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by My Best Birth on June 3, 2009 at 6:39am

I would suggest looking at the websites of the following Canadian organizations for stats and information specific to your area - CAPPA Canada, Canadian Association of Midwives, MANA - Midwife Alliance of North America. I am sure there are more but you might start with those. Best of luck.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by RMK on June 3, 2009 at 10:30pm

Oh my gosh, this is exactly what I am going through! I live in Ontario and after reluctantly {husband} watching The Business Of Being Born, he said, "That would not happen in Canada". I said" Where were you when our two girls were born six years apart and their two different obgyns told us that I needed to be induced?". One was going on vacation and used the threat that some other doctor would be delivering your baby, so we'll just do it before the weekend, Ok? Not ok. Hindsight was 20/20 following the induction from hell, so I was convinced that I would never be induced again. Fast forward six years and the doctors excuse this time was that the baby was getting too big, we need to really consider induction. I pleaded with the nurses at the hospital to go very slow with the drip{not crank it up every 20 minutes on the dot like last time} They said "Oh, it won't be bad" and it happened all over again. I dont think an 8lb 13 oz baby is anything to panic about. Although I was blinded at the time to any form of alternative birth to the hospital setting, my eyes have since been opened and unless I have a major emergency, I want to be in my own home and quite possibly without a midwife for my next birth. will try to conceive by the end of 2009.Maybe this is extreme but midwives are bound by some strict regulations as well in regards to their decision to transfer to the hospital. I don't know of any particular Canadian only publications, however I do visit local midwiffery websites and leave pamphlets on the fridge! I have asked my husband to consider that nature has a plan for conceiving without outside intervention{for the most part} and that it follows it up with a plan for birth the same way. If I come across soley Canadian content, I will let you know.</</b>b>

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Shanta Brownridge on June 4, 2009 at 10:58am

You are right, exactly the same thing happens in Canada and in some parts the stats for induction and c-section are exactly the same.
I would say in response to your post that yes, Ontario midwives are bound by regulations and can strongly make a suggestion but their clients make the final decision. They operate under "Informed Choice" - the important word being here, Choice.

Not directed at you but a thought - women need to start standing up and making it clear that they will make the choices for their bodies, birth and children. Regardless of who their caregivers are, this is how we are going to reclaim the natural birth process.

RMK said:

Oh my gosh, this is exactly what I am going through! I live in Ontario and after reluctantly {husband} watching The Business Of Being Born, he said, "That would not happen in Canada". I said" Where were you when our two girls were born six years apart and their two different obgyns told us that I needed to be induced?". One was going on vacation and used the threat that some other doctor would be delivering your baby, so we'll just do it before the weekend, Ok? Not ok. Hindsight was 20/20 following the induction from hell, so I was convinced that I would never be induced again. Fast forward six years and the doctors excuse this time was that the baby was getting too big, we need to really consider induction. I pleaded with the nurses at the hospital to go very slow with the drip{not crank it up every 20 minutes on the dot like last time} They said "Oh, it won't be bad" and it happened all over again. I dont think an 8lb 13 oz baby is anything to panic about. Although I was blinded at the time to any form of alternative birth to the hospital setting, my eyes have since been opened and unless I have a major emergency, I want to be in my own home and quite possibly without a midwife for my next birth. will try to conceive by the end of 2009.Maybe this is extreme but midwives are bound by some strict regulations as well in regards to their decision to transfer to the hospital. I don't know of any particular Canadian only publications, however I do visit local midwiffery websites and leave pamphlets on the fridge! I have asked my husband to consider that nature has a plan for conceiving without outside intervention{for the most part} and that it follows it up with a plan for birth the same way. If I come across soley Canadian content, I will let you know.</</b>b>

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by RMK on June 4, 2009 at 4:00pm

Thanks for the info, I actually didn't know that they couldn't make an ambulance come and take you away without your consent. I am very protective right now of the opportunity to have a better birth experience and other than an emergency, I don't want anything to stand in my way, very emotional about the topic. When you grow up in a society that expects you to go to the hospital to have your baby, you don't always question that. For me it took awhile to realize what was really going on out there.

Shanta Brownridge said:

You are right, exactly the same thing happens in Canada and in some parts the stats for induction and c-section are exactly the same.
I would say in response to your post that yes, Ontario midwives are bound by regulations and can strongly make a suggestion but their clients make the final decision. They operate under "Informed Choice" - the important word being here, Choice.

Not directed at you but a thought - women need to start standing up and making it clear that they will make the choices for their bodies, birth and children. Regardless of who their caregivers are, this is how we are going to reclaim the natural birth process.

RMK said:

Oh my gosh, this is exactly what I am going through! I live in Ontario and after reluctantly {husband} watching The Business Of Being Born, he said, "That would not happen in Canada". I said" Where were you when our two girls were born six years apart and their two different obgyns told us that I needed to be induced?". One was going on vacation and used the threat that some other doctor would be delivering your baby, so we'll just do it before the weekend, Ok? Not ok. Hindsight was 20/20 following the induction from hell, so I was convinced that I would never be induced again. Fast forward six years and the doctors excuse this time was that the baby was getting too big, we need to really consider induction. I pleaded with the nurses at the hospital to go very slow with the drip{not crank it up every 20 minutes on the dot like last time} They said "Oh, it won't be bad" and it happened all over again. I dont think an 8lb 13 oz baby is anything to panic about. Although I was blinded at the time to any form of alternative birth to the hospital setting, my eyes have since been opened and unless I have a major emergency, I want to be in my own home and quite possibly without a midwife for my next birth. will try to conceive by the end of 2009.Maybe this is extreme but midwives are bound by some strict regulations as well in regards to their decision to transfer to the hospital. I don't know of any particular Canadian only publications, however I do visit local midwiffery websites and leave pamphlets on the fridge! I have asked my husband to consider that nature has a plan for conceiving without outside intervention{for the most part} and that it follows it up with a plan for birth the same way. If I come across soley Canadian content, I will let you know.</</b>b>

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Mona Mathews on June 8, 2009 at 6:59pm

check out www.glorialemay.com

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by RMK on June 9, 2009 at 10:00pm

Thanks Mona, some very thought provoking material on that site, especially enjoyed reading the perspectives of nurses who refuse to work in the hospital setting on account of the birth interventions they were forced to be a part of.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Candice Robertson on June 10, 2009 at 8:25am

Well since posting this discussion.. My midwife and I have talked about a birthplan. (I still have to write one with hubby though) Basically if go to the hospital (which is looking like the case because I'm not very secure with the idea of UCing) She will be pretty much hands off, until baby starts to crown. Sh will not allow me to lay in the bed and suffer like i did with my girls. She will delay cord clampng until after it stops pulsating (She brought that up.. not me!) and She will only take baby from me to check it and measure it AFTER i have nursed baby.

I may not get my homebirth... but I feel better knowing that I will get a birth that i want, even if it's in the hospital.

I'm still looking up all the resources though...

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Saara on June 10, 2009 at 11:43am

Just from past experience... if you can't have a home birth, hire a doula. It's cool that your midwife can & will be your care provider for the birth, but I'd still suggest looking around & hiring a doula. I can't say enough positive stuff about them.

• ▶ Reply

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• Next ›
• Page