High River Maternity has a unique model of midwifery care, unlike anywhere else in the province.
The Foothills Midwives are unique in that they are the only midwifery practice in Alberta completely integrated in a collaborative practice. This means they work with the doctors to provide prenatal care and delivery care to the patients of High River Maternity. This provides several advantages: you do not have to go on a waitlist for a chance at having midwives involved in your care team; it also means the High River Maternity Clinic team has a generalized mindset of birth as a normal healthy physiological event. For instance, specialized tubs have been installed into each birth room. Water labour and water birth are offered to women who have normal, low-risk, spontaneous labours and who are desiring an unmedicated birth.
As part of the team, the midwives work seamlessly with their obstetrician colleagues in case of an emergency. This eliminates the need for transfer of care if you should need specialized assistance during your stay in High River. This does not preclude a transfer to a city hospital should you or baby be deemed high-risk and no longer eligible for care in High River.
In addition, our midwives offer a free group prenatal class (usually in the third trimester) specific to the High River Maternity experience which may be offered in person or virtually. Our midwives also offer a unique TLC Clinic where they can spend additional time with patients who might need extra support, either during pregnancy or afterward. Common themes discussed in these TLC Clinics include: modified birth plans for those recovering from trauma, extra support for people with post-partum depression or difficulty coping with life as a new parent, and debriefs about birth experiences. These conversations are strictly confidential and aim to support all patients that would benefit from addition resources during their pregnancy, birth, or post-partum experience.
While at the present time they cannot offer home births, the midwives believe the High River Maternity Clinic’s small numbers and philosophy allow them to create a safe and personal birth atmosphere in a hospital setting.
The midwives welcome any returning Foothills Midwifery clients they have been privileged to care for in the past as well as any new clients interested in midwifery care, in a collaborative setting.
You can read more about Foothills Midwifery here.
