I don’t often use my blog for personal blogging, but when an issue arises that is close to my heart, I bring it to my reader’s attention to hopefully gain their support in the matter. You may remember that a few months ago I visited the offices of the Midwives of Headwater Hills in Orangeville, Ontario. One of their clients, who happened to hire me for maternity and newborn photography, recommended me to display my work in their offices. However, that’s not what this post is about.
If you are not familiar with what a Midwife is, she is a medically trained prenatal, birth and post-partum care professional with a university degree. Universities including, but not limited too, Ryerson and McMaster offer a four year program with intensive clinic work as part of earning the Bachelor of Health Sciences (BHSc). Midwives can perform almost all the same services an obstetrics doctor can, but cannot perform Cesarian sections, administer drugs or write prescriptions. The midwife is not only a medical professional, but an advocate for a healthy, normal birth process. If at any point during your pregnancy you become high risk, the midwife will consult with a physician and a decision to transfer care will be made.
There is a very unfortunate situation happening in the Orangeville Hospital where the midwifery clinic is concerned. Currently only two of the midwives have practicing privileges at the Headwaters Health Care Centre. As their practice has grown, they have requested that all midwives be granted privileges at the hospital so that their clientele can birth at the hospital of their choice. The midwifery clinic has now pulled their services from that hospital in protest of hospital board’s decision. Midwifery clients in their catchment area (which stretches from Fergus to Bolton) have to make a decision – either have a home birth or go to the hospital in Fergus.
The Midwives of Headwater Hills need our help.
There is a movement going on right now called Where’s My Midwife?. You can join their Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/WMM.ON and keep on top of their progress.
Thank you for your time, and I hope that you’ll help join the fight!
If you wish to write to the Hospital Board, their address is:
Headwaters Health Care Centre Orangeville Site 100 Rolling Hills Dr Orangeville, ON L9W 4X9 519-941-2410
Meredith - Thank you for helping to draw attention to this important issue!
Just one note about your info about midwives- there are certain medications midwives can prescribe now (antibiotics, medicated nipple ointment, to name a couple) and can administer certain drugs, such as antibiotics, anti-hemhorragic drugs, lidocaine and, in a hospital setting, pain killers such as nubain. Midwives are awesome!
Jennifer - Thanks Meredith!
ingrid - Yeah for midwives. My second son was born with one. Best decision ever. The care they give is unparalleled.