What is a Midwife?
Midwives are trained healthcare professionals who offer government-funded care to low risk clients during pregnancy, labour, birth, and up to six weeks after birth. It’s also important to know that midwives and doulas are not the same. Doulas provide emotional and physical support during labour but aren’t medical professionals. Their services aren’t covered by the government, so you’d need to hire and pay for a doula yourself. If you’re thinking about having a doula, talk to your midwife about it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Prenatal Appointments
When you visit a midwifery clinic, your appointments usually last 30 to 45 minutes. During these visits, midwives do physical assessments including blood pressure checks, fetal heart rate auscultation, as well as review prenatal care recommendations. Early on in your pregnancy, you'll see your midwife about once a month. At 30 weeks, visits happen every two weeks, and then every week from 36 weeks until the baby is born. On average, you'll have around 12 prenatal visits in total.
After your baby is born, your midwife will continue caring for you and your baby for six more weeks. You’ll usually have about six appointments during this time, some in your home and others in the clinic. Midwives provide clinical care, as well as help clients navigate postpartum period, including support with breastfeeding and postpartum resources. After the six weeks post delivery, the care of yourself and baby is transferred to a family doctor.
How do I apply for midwifery care?
You can apply to have a midwife for your prenatal care by calling 705-253-4158. Our administrator Amie will complete an intake form with you and a profile to add you to our application list. The Midwives of Algoma are ministry funded and therefore can only accept so many clients per month based on due dates. Intakes are reviewed on a biweekly basis, and sometimes it can take up to three weeks to advise if we are able to accomodate your care. If we are unable to accomodate your care, we will help refer you to other care providers within the community.
Midwife & OB: Can Have Both?
You can’t have both a midwife and an OB as your primary pregnancy care provider in Ontario. In Ontario, your pregnancy care is led by one primary provider — either a regulated midwife or an obstetrician (OB)/family doctor. Midwives are skilled professionals who manage low‑risk pregnancies from prenatal visits through delivery (home, birth centre, or hospital) and postpartum care. If complications arise that exceed the midwifery scope, your care will be transferred to an OB—though your midwife may continue postpartum support . This model ensures clear, consistent care and follows Ontario’s regulatory standards .
Student Participation
As part of our commitment to supporting the growth and continuation of midwifery in Ontario, our clinic welcomes students — primarily from midwifery programs, but occasionally from other health fields as well. Students may take on different roles depending on their level of training and are always supervised by a registered midwife. Your comfort is our priority, and you can always choose whether or not to have a student involved in your care.
What if I have a c-section?
If you require a c-section for delivery, whether it is pre-scheduled or is required following labour, you can still have your midwife. Midwives continue to do your prenatal care and consult with an Obstetrician for a booked c-section or consult in labour for delivery. Obstetricians and midwives work together to provide you with the best care possible.