HOME
ABOUT
CONTACT
QUESTIONS
LINKS
|
Questions about Midwifery in Saskatchewan Contact one of the Saskatchewan Midwives for more information. |
|
|
Currently we have a small number of midwives available to serve families in Saskatchewan. Clients wishing to choose a specific midwife may be more difficult and will depend on the area the midwife serves and her availability. Currently we do not have regulated or licensed midwives in our province. It is important that the midwife you are choosing to attend your birth has the qualifications, education and skills necessary. During your interview process you can request information about her training and experience, and obtain references from others in the community she has served. Once midwifery is regulated all midwives will need to go through various exams and clinical exams to be approved for licensing as a regulated midwife. Women across Canada have chosen to give birth at home for many generations. Available scientific evidence demonstrates that planned homebirth with midwives is a safe and viable option for healthy women with low-risk pregnancies. - taken from The Canadian Midwives Association One advantage of a home birth is that you may invite whomever you wish to attend the birth. Currently midwifery services are not funded by the provincial government in Saskatchewan, so the fees for midwifery care are paid for by the family. Most midwives are willing to work out a reasonable payment plan to make it affordable for families. The word, "doula," comes from the Greek word for the most important female slave or servant in an ancient Greek household, the woman who probably helped the lady of the house through her childbearing. The word has come to refer to "a woman experienced in childbirth who provides continuous physical, emotional, and informational support to the mother before, during and just after childbirth." (Klaus, Kennell and Klaus, Mothering the Mother) A doula assists the birthing family. |
During your care with a midwife you can expect that she will: - Monitor the mother's recovery during the first six weeks after birth. - Monitor the baby's growth and development until six weeks after birth. - Provide information and support for breastfeeding and infant care. - Refer for medical care if signs of complications develop during the postpartum or newborn period. - During the week following your baby's birth, your midwife will make frequent home visits and will help you with any concerns or questions. - During the 6 weeks postpartum, your midwife will also be available by telephone to answer any questions you may have. - As well as the scheduled home visits a midwife is available by phone at any time. 
|
|
A second attendant is a skilled person whose role is to provide assistance to the midwife during birth and the immediate postpartum period. The presence of a second attendant does not preclude the attendance of other support persons, such as a doula or labour companion. The Midwifery Model of Practice requires that a midwife and a second attendant trained and currently certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and renonatal resuscitation (NRP). The role of the second attendant is to assist the midwife. In Canada, there are currently five universities offering a bachelor’s degree in midwifery with another starting this fall offering a midwifery program to aboriginal women. Three are located in Ontario, one in Québec, one in northern Manitoba and one in British Columbia. It is also possible to take a distance learning program from a U.S. based Midwifery Program and then take the Canadian exams. | |