Midwives

A detailed overview of midwifery for those considering midwife care for their pregnancy, labour and delivery, and post-birth care.

Registered midwives are health-care professionals who provide care to healthy, low-to-moderate risk, pregnant people and their newborn babies. 

A midwife provides care throughout your early pregnancy, labour and birth, and up to six weeks after you deliver. Midwives provide a holistic view of pregnancy.   

No referrals required.

Midwifery care is covered through the BC Medical Services Plan (MSP) for BC residents. 

What to expect

Before having a baby  

To have a midwife, contact the midwifery clinics in your area as soon as you know you’re pregnant. Many clinics use online intake forms. Please wait three to five business days to hear back from clinics you’ve contacted.   

If all clinics in your area are full, please complete the centralized waitlist below. You will be contacted by one of the clinics you select as soon as they have a space for you. This can take from one day to a few months. 

Client Waitlist, maintained by Midwives Vancouver 

During your pregnancy  

The BC Medical Services Plan (MSP) only covers one provider for the duration of your pregnancy and birth, and for your postpartum care.

This means that you can choose to be cared for by an obstetrician for your pregnancy and delivery, and also have postpartum midwife support. Please see the "postpartum care" section below for more information.

Midwives follow the same appointment schedule as family doctors and obstetricians. Midwife appointments are lengthier, lasting approximately 30 to 45 minutes. This allows midwives to address the clinical and holistic aspects of life. This includes nutrition, stress, pregnancy and birth education, and information about upcoming tests and procedures.  

Your midwife will work closely with an obstetrician and other relevant specialists to ensure the best possible outcomes for you and your family if your pregnancy happens to become more complex.   

After you have had your baby  

Six weeks after delivery, you will transfer back to your family doctor. Your family doctor will resume responsibility for the health of you and your new baby. Families without a family doctor are responsible for finding one. Your midwife can provide you with more information on finding a doctor for your family. 

Postpartum care 

Postpartum care is full postpartum and newborn care, after the birth up to six to eight weeks. This care is tailored to you and your family’s needs to support your early days as a new parent. Starting the journey of parenthood is both a transformative and often overwhelming one. 

Midwives monitor the health and wellbeing of the birther and baby, ensuing that the birthing person is recovering physically and emotionally. Midwives can provide extensive breast/chest feeding support if this aligns with your feeding goals. Some are lactation consultants and can help with feeding challenges that may arise.  

Note: if you have chosen an obstetrician to care for you throughout for your pregnancy and delivery, you can request a postpartum-only midwifery service to support you and your infant. This is covered by MSP and comes highly recommended by obstetricians, family doctors and pediatricians.

High-quality postpartum care sets you up for success in your early parenting journey. 

Find this service near you

Below is a list of Vancouver-area practices, with midwives who practice at St. Paul’s Hospital:  

You can also use the locator on the BC Midwives website to find a midwife who practices in your area. Please contact the clinic to confirm which midwives are able to deliver at St. Paul’s Hospital.

Education & resources