New birthing centre
[projekktor id=’11068′]
Most women have babies at the hospital. Some deliver at home. But now there’s a third option. They can use a birth centre run by midwives, which creates a home-like atmosphere but with the supports of 80 experts trained to deliver babies.
30-year old Jennifer Martino and her husband Steven Van Loffeld are expecting their first baby. They were more than impressed with the Toronto Birth Centre as they took a tour of the six million dollar facility. Unlike a hospital setting, there are no limits to how many people you can have in the room while giving birth to your baby.
Jennifer said: “I’ve seen how beautiful birth can be when it’s supported by family and friends and it’s more of a celebration than a clinical procedure.”
Steven said: “They do have the rooms here that simulate home you know with the fire places, low ambient light, candlelight, it’s an important choice and empowering parents.”
The centre will specialize in caring for pregnant aboriginal women, who in some cases live in homes unsuitable for a home birth. Midwife Ellen Blais says many aboriginals feel descriminated against in a hospital setting: “The way somebody looks they get treated differently right? Indigenous women have told me they’re treated differently in a hospital setting than a non indigenous woman. This way they’ll be cared for by indigenous midwives that understand and are culturally sensitive.”
The facility expects to help deliver at least 450 babies a year but mothers do have to meet certain criteria before they give birth here.
Sara Wolfe is the Toronto Birth Centre Project Leader: “Mostly comes down to are you healthy? Expecting a healthy baby? And access through your midwife ultimately at the end of the day it’s first come first serve for those who have booked in with their midwives who have credentials here.”
The six million dollar facility was funded by the Ontario government and it’s services are covered by OHIP. The centre will open within the next month. Another centre like the one in Toronto is also opening in Ottawa. A birthing centre like this one has been running on Six Nations Reserve for 18 years. About 1,000 babies have been born there.
