What to expect during the course of your care
Model of Care
Here we work in a shared care model where clients are assigned to a team of midwives. During the pregnancy, our goal is to provide clients with many opportunities to meet each midwife on their team. Your midwives work together to provide prenatal, labour and birth, and postpartum care.
Labour and Birth Care
Your midwife team is available by pager to answer questions and provide reassurance during early labour. When you think you may be in active labour, your midwife will either assess you at your home or meet you at the hospital, or have you meet a hospitalist Midwife for an assessment.
Prenatal Appointments
Regular visits with one of your team of midwives is an important aspect of pregnancy as each visit should be a time for you to ask questions and voice any concerns you may be having. It is also when the midwife will conduct an examination to ensure that you and your baby are well, to offer the appropriate tests, and discuss relevant topics for each stage of the pregnancy.
Postpartum Care
Midwives provide care to both client and baby for six weeks after the birth. This is called postpartum care. Whether your baby is born at home or in the hospital, your midwife will provide care in your home within 24 hours of the birth. Clients will have several appointments at home during the first week to monitor their health and provide breastfeeding support. They ensure the client is recovering well, both physically and emotionally.
WHERE WE DELIVER
The Alongside Midwifery Unit at Markham Stouffville hospital officially opened its doors on July 9th, 2018. The AMU is staffed by hospitalist midwives on the unit 24/7 who will facilitate and organize consultations and work as the liaison with obstetricians and community midwives. 23 midwives have privileges to deliver on the AMU, seven of whom are hospitalist midwives. The AMU has six specially equipped birthing rooms outfitted with upright birthing stools, and hanging slings allowing women to adopt upright positions.
The rooms also have tubs suitable for water births and have double-sized Murphy beds for rest after giving birth. 80 per cent of women will go home within six hours after giving birth and are visited at home by a midwife within 24 hours. Midwives provide complete care from early pregnancy to six weeks after labour for mother and baby.
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