Stratford Midwives

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.

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

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.
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.
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).

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

Health Canada Advisory Regarding Gentian Violet

Gentian violet has been widely recommended and used for the treatment of yeast in breastfeeding moms and their babies. However, Health Canada issued a safety alert on June 12, 2019 warning that exposure to products containing gentian violet may increase the risk of cancer. Health Canada recommends that Canadians stop using any and all human and veterinary drug products containing gentian violet.

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.

Annual Client Picnic

Join us for our 7th annual Client Picnic! All current and former clients of the Stratford Midwives, and their families, are invited to come and enjoy community, good food and, of course, to show us how much your babies have grown!

When: June 8, 2019 11am - 2 pm
Where: Upper Queen's Park Pavillion in Stratford

Potluck lunch to be shared by all. Bring your favourite dish. Beverages, cake and dishes will be provided.

We will be taking a group photo at approximately 12:30.

Home Birth Information Night

Would you like to learn more about home birth? Join us for our next home birth information night!

Upcoming Dates
May 9th, 2019
7-9 pm
At our clinic

We will talk about the research that supports the safety of home birth, hear from a client about their home birth experience, answer questions, show the equipment that we bring to home births and have a birth tub set up. Family and friends are welcome to attend. Please sign up with our administrator.
For more information on home birth, click here to be directed to information provided by the Association of Ontario midwives.

Prenatal Breastfeeding Classes

We are pleased to now be offering a new prenatal breastfeeding class! This class is open to all of our clients and is FREE!

The class will be facilitated by Gail Smith, a registered nurse and lactation consultant who runs the breastfeeding clinic at St. Mary's Hospital. The class will cover: basics of breastfeeding, how to know if your baby has a good latch, common issues and concerns, and lots of opportunity for questions.

We hope that you will be able to join one of Gail's sessions. Please sign up with Mareesa if you plan to attend. Feel free to bring along your partner and/or support people.

Upcoming Dates:
Wednesday May 1st, 2019 7-9 pm
Location: Our Clinic

Changes to Stratford Breastfeeding Clinic

There are exciting changes to the Breastfeeding Clinic at Stratford General Hospital! Breastfeeding clinic hours will now be Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 9am to 12pm. The clinic is free of charge and staffed by a lactation consultant.

The breastfeeding clinic at St. Mary's Hospital is no longer operating.

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.

Human Rights Tribunal Finds in Favour of Midwives' Claim of Gender Discrimination

Pay equity for midwives is #overdue!

"There is a common misconception that midwives are asking to be paid the same as physicians, which we are not. We want to be paid fairly relative to the intensity, responsibility, and the nature of the work we do and what it does for society. Midwives are providing a very valuable service and we should be paid fairly to do that service." Katrina Kilroy, President of the Canadian Association of Midwives.

Pay equity is a fundamental human right guaranteed by the Human Rights Code and the Pay Equity Act. As an almost exclusively female profession providing women-centered health care, midwives have experienced a gender penalty in their pay for more than two decades.

In 2013, the Association of Ontario Midwives filed an application with the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, claiming the province has continually and systematically set a discriminatory compensation structure for midwives. The tribunal has concluded its hearing and has found in favour of midwives!

You can visit the pay equity campaign page at www.midwivesoverdue.com for more information.

View a 2 minute video which explains our pay equity claim.

Mother's Circle Wellness Group for New and Expecting Mamas!

This popular peer-support group will be starting up again on September 7th at 10 am!

The Mother's Circle is a weekly drop-in group tailored to new and expecting moms who are interested in connecting with other parents in a supportive, welcoming and confidential space. Each week will focus on a new topic, provide essential resources and practical tools to help you gently transition into motherhood. This group will be facilitated by local doula and childbirth educator, Falon Martin.

Come connect with other moms and babies (0-1 year of age).

Every Friday at 10 am
At our Clinic (386 Cambria Street, Suite 101)

Free of charge but please email to register: info@nestedbirth.com
See the attached poster for more info

Stratford Midwives
386 Cambria Street, Unit 101
Stratford, ON N5A 1J4
519-271-3490
stratfordmidwives@gmail.com