Serving families in Stratford and area since 1994.

Did you know.....?

  • Midwifery Care is fully funded through the Ministry of Health.  There is no direct cost to clients who access midwifery care.  Midwives are also funded to care for those who do not have OHIP.

  • Midwives attend birth both in hospital and at clients' homes.  We offer you the choice!  The midwives at Stratford Midwives all have hospital privileges at Stratford General Hospital and use this hospital for all clients choosing a hospital birth.
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  • Midwives provide care for low-risk women and their babies from conception through to 6 weeks postpartum.
 
  • You do not need a referral for midwifery care.
 
  • Midwifery care in Ontario is founded on three core principles
  1. Informed Choice - we provide you with information and advice but respect your role as the primary decision maker for your care and the care of your baby. 
  2. Continuity of care - you get to know your primary midwife/midwives throughout your prenatal care and you will therefore know the midwife who attends your birth.
  3. Choice of birth place.  We offer home and hospital birth
 
  • If you have a midwife, you can still choose to have an epidural without your midwife having to transfer care.
 
  • If complications or concerns arise, midwives can consult with the appropriate specialist (i.e. obstetrician, pediatrician, anaesthetist).
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  • Stratford Midwives is a teaching practice.  We are happy to participate in the education of midwifery students and often have students at different levels of training at our practice.  Please speak to your midwife if you have questions or concerns about student involvement in your care.
News and Events

Welcome to the Stratford Midwives!

Would you like to learn more about midwifery care and what to expect with the Stratford Midwives? Click this link to view our introductory video.

Sept 25,2023

BORN Ontario Cybersecurity Incident

BORN Ontario is a prescribed perinatal and child registry that is funded by the province’s Ministry of Health. BORN Ontario was the victim of a cybersecurity incident earlier this year and your information may have been impacted. The incident was caused by a vulnerability in the filetransfer software BORN Ontario utilized, called MOVEit.
We are among the many Ontario healthcare providers that share personal health information with BORN Ontario related to pregnancy, birth and newborn care – important healthcare encounters that can affect lifelong health. BORN collects data from healthcare providers pursuant to the authority afforded to it in the Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA). BORN Ontario uses this information to identify immediate care gaps affecting individuals, link information to appropriate care providers, perform health system quality assurance, and analyze data for emerging trends.
For specific details about the incident, and to find out if your or someone in your family’s information may have been impacted, please visit the BORN Ontario websitewww.bornincident.ca

Perinatal Wellbeing - Peer Support Group 

The Space Within is hosting a Postpartum Support Group in October 2023. Those expecting or who have had a baby in the last 18 months are eligible. Please contact Lindsay Rafuse for more info.

http://www.thespacewithin.ca/

Perinatal Wellbeing Ontario (PWO) helps people struggling with a Perinatal (in pregnancy and after birth) mood and anxiety disorder by connecting to supports that are either low-cost or free, as soon as possible.

Their Virtual Closed Peer Support Group is for parents seeking peer support in a group setting. The aim of the group is for peers to provide and receive support around Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMADs), challenges with parenting and other challenges that present in the perinatal period. PWO facilitates a group that is welcoming, non-judgmental, and compassionate in order to be able to share authentically about our struggles. All peer support groups are co-facilitated by 2 Peer Support Volunteers.

​Click on the link for information provided, in an infographic format, from University of British Columbia on Harmful Thoughts Postpartum:​

med-fom-motherinfantwellness.sites.olt.ubc.ca/files/2023/05/Infographic-April-2023.pdf

Birthplace Options Web Portal

Have you been thinking about a home birth?  Are you looking for more information as you consider your choice of birth place?  

The Association of Ontario Midwives' Birthplace Options Web Portal is an interactive resource where you can access research-based information on the risks and benefits of home and hospital birth.  Hear from midwives and past midwifery clients, see the equipment that midwives bring to a home birth and get answers to frequently asked questions.  

Thinking about a water birth?

The Association of Ontario Midwives has a great new resource on water birth, including answers to questions about safety and the benefits of birth in water. 

Cannabis is now legal in Canada, but what does this mean for pregnancy and breastfeeding?


Cannabis is a commonly used drug, but with the recent legalisation of Cannabis, there are a growing number of questions about the safety of its use in pregnancy and during breastfeeding.  

We encourage you to speak to your midwife and to let her know about any drugs (prescription or otherwise) that you use during your pregnancy.

​Click here for information from the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists on what we know (and don't know) about Cannabis in pregnancy and breastfeeding. 
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Stratford Midwives
386 Cambria Street, Unit 101
Stratford, ON N5A 1J4
519-271-3490
stratfordmidwives@gmail.com