Midwifery care perceives women as inherently healthy. Pregnancy is a state of health and childbirth is a normal, physiologic event that is a profound event in a woman’s life. Midwifery is holistic by nature, combining an understanding of the social, emotional, cultural, spiritual, psychological, and physical aspects experienced by women during the childbearing cycle. Derived from both the arts and sciences, midwifery integrates knowledge that is based on research and experience. Midwifery promotes wellness in women, babies, and families both autonomously and in collaboration with other health professions.

Midwifery care takes place in partnership with women and is provided in a manner that is flexible, empowering, and supportive. Great importance is placed on the relationship with the pregnant woman who is recognized as the primary decision-maker and shared decision making is promoted between the woman, her family (as defined by the woman), and her caregivers. In order to strengthen this process and to provide opportunities for informed choice, midwifery practice includes continuity of care.

In BC, midwives practice as autonomous health care practitioners (like family doctors). This means that we can provide comprehensive maternity care to low-risk women and babies. Your midwife may be your first point of entry into maternity health care once you find out you are pregnant or you can self-transfer from your physician at any time during your pregnancy if you decide that you want midwifery care. However, the best time to start your care with a midwife is as early as possible.

Midwives are community-based. We feel privileged to support families in our neighborhood. Midwives integrate the philosophy of midwifery care, such as continuity of care, informed choice, choice of birth setting (home or hospital), evidence-based practice, and collaborative care. We work alongside other maternity health care providers, such as obstetricians, physicians, pediatricians, nurses, nutritionists, and many others.

Informed decision-making is an integral part of your care with midwives. We support a shared-care model where midwives and women work together to create decisions based on sharing information and understanding values in a respectful environment. We believe it is our job to provide you with all the current information about important health care decisions so that you can make a decision that is right for you and your family. We also use our expertise to support your decision-making process.

For more detailed information, please visit the College of Midwives of BC Website: http://cmbc.bc.ca/pdf.shtml?Registrants-Handbook-11-05-Midwifery-Model-of-Practice

As midwives, we recognize that building a relationship with women in our care is an important part of supporting their health and well-being.

At Pomegranate, we have solo midwives and midwife call-groups of up to four midwives.

In group-based midwifery, we ensure that you have appointments with each midwife on your team throughout your pregnancy so that you can build a relationship with your whole team. One of your midwives will be present with you during your birth – and possibly more, if your labor extends past a designated call-change time. Your postpartum home visits and clinic visits will alternatives amongst the whole team.

In solo care, you have one midwife throughout your pregnancy and postpartum. She works with another solo midwife for supportive back-up (i.e. for the occasional weekend off-call); you will get a chance to meet her for one prenatal visit as well.

No matter the size of your team, one of your midwives is on-call for you 24/7 should you have any urgent concerns that cannot wait until your next clinic visit, and of course for when you are in labor.

Informed decision-making is an integral part of your care with midwives. We support a shared-care model where midwives and women work together to create decisions based on sharing information and understanding values in a respectful environment. We believe it is our job to provide you with current research information, as well as our individual and collective healthcare experience, about important health care decisions so that you can make a decision that is right for you and your family.

This is one of the main reasons why we have longer visits than the average health care provider. We book our visits to be 30-45 minutes  – so that we can learn about you and your family in addition to ensuring you and your baby’s health.

The decisions you will make throughout your maternity care include choices around screening tests, conventional procedures, and birth settings. We will inform you what the larger medical community standards of care are, what your chosen hospital policies are (if you plan a hospital birth), as well what our midwifery scope of care is (as defined by our College of Midwives of BC); at the same time, we recognize that people come from all walks of life, and the best care for their individual situation may vary. We offer you resources and dialogue, to help you make decisions about your care in pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. We believe, and the research shows us, that when you make decisions based on valid information in a supportive environment, ultimately you make better decisions and feel more satisfied.