Registered Midwives attend a four year baccalaureate program and graduate with a degree in midwifery. A significant portion of the program involves student midwives practicing in clinical placements while also studying the most up to date evidence and recommendations in obstetric, postpartum, and newborn care. For more information on midwifery education programs in Canada, visit the Canadian Association of Midwives education page here.

No referral from a GP/NP is required. Anyone can self-refer once they become pregnant. See how to find a midwife for more information.

Yes! Midwives attend births both in hospitals and at homes.

Currently there is only one practice in New Brunswick, the Fredericton Midwifery Centre. The centre has a catchment area of one hour from the Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital. They prioritize clients from within their catchment area. At this time, we recommend everyone who is pregnant and wants a midwife to phone and fill out an intake form. This helps to track where there is demand for midwifery services in New Brunswick. Please see our Support Midwifery page for more information on how you can support the expansion of midwifery services in New Brunswick.

Registered midwives are covered under medicare in New Brunswick. There is no cost to you if you have a valid medicare card. If you do not have medicare in New Brunswick, contact the midwifery clinic directly to discuss your circumstances as part of your care may be covered.

Midwives work in smaller teams, ranging anywhere from a solo midwife who carries their own client-load, to a team of four midwives who share the care of clients equally. Discuss with your midwife at your initial visit what your midwifery team will look like for the duration of your pregnancy and postpartum period.

Midwives provide care throughout your entire pregnancy. As soon as you find out you are pregnant you can call the Fredericton Midwifery Centre to fill out an intake form. You can still call even later in pregnancy as space may become available or your due month may not be filled yet.

Midwives follow the same schedule as family physicians, nurse practitioners, and obstetricians. Typically people are seen every month in early pregnancy, and are seen more frequently closer to their due date, with weekly appointments during the last month of pregnancy. After birth, midwives will typically see clients frequently at home or in the hospital during the first week after birth, and then in clinic every one to three weeks until the discharge visit at approximately six weeks after birth.

Yes! Midwives will typically see you at home for the first seven to ten days postpartum. As your primary care provider, midwives will also see you at the hospital if you give birth there or are admitted postpartum, and then plan home visits once you are discharged from the hospital.

Registered midwives can preform the same tests and give the same medications at home as your baby and you would receive if you were in the hospital.

Your midwife can order all the same tests, labs, ultrasounds, medications, and vaccines as a doctor would in a low-risk, normal pregnancy, labour and birth, and postpartum.

Yes. Midwives support informed choice, and will support you in the decisions that you make for yourself and your family. During your visits, midwives will discuss a wide range of labour-coping and pain relief options, including epidurals.

Medicare covers one primary care provider for your pregnancy, labour and birth, and the first six weeks postpartum for you and baby. Therefore, birthing people must choose one primary care provider, either their family physician or nurse practitioner, an obstetrician, or a registered midwife. Should any concerns arise that are outside of the midwifery scope of care, midwives will consult with the appropriate specialist and work as a team to help provide the best care for your and your family. If you have a health concern that is unrelated to your pregnancy, you are still able to see your family physician or nurse practitioner for care unrelated to pregnancy.

Registered Midwives follow the Midwifery Council of New Brunswick's Indications for Consultation, Shared Care, and Transfer of Care to ensure safe care that is within the midwifery scope of practice. Please share your medical information on your intake form to help determine if you are eligible. At your intake visit, your midwife will take a full medical history to determine if you are appropriate for midwifery care. If a complication arises during your pregnancy, the midwife will consult with the appropriate care provider. Most often the specialist will make recommendations for your care while your midwife remains your primary care provider. In some cases, your care will become shared between the specialist and your midwife. In certain high-risk circumstances, your care will be transferred over to an obstetrician, although your midwives may still stay involved in your care in a supportive role.

The main difference between midwives and doulas are that midwives are responsible for the monitoring and management of you and your baby's clinical care and well-being. Doulas do not have any medical responsibilities, and it is outside of their scope of care to manage pregnancy, labour and births, or the postpartum period. This means that doulas are able to focus solely on providing you with continuous emotional and physical support throughout your labour. Midwives and doulas often work well together in helping to create a relaxed and supportive birthing environment.

The Midwifery Council of New Brunswick (MCNB) is the governing and regulatory body that oversees the registration and practice of midwifery in the province. They are responsible for protecting the public by setting standards of professional practice to deliver safe, ethical, and effective care. For more information, see their website here. MCNB was legislated in 2010 under the New Brunswick Midwifery Act and Midwifery Regulations.