“Educating Ellen” is a regular feature on our blog. Ellen is one of Genia’s oldest and dearest friends. Despite this, Ellen knows nothing about midwifery and is not afraid to ask questions. She has no clue and no filter! Ellen: “I want an epidural so I don’t think I can have a midwife. You don’t get […]
I am a Midwife. ~ Genia Stephen, RM, IBCLC
When I was a young child, I wanted to become an obstetrician and a CIA and FBI agent. I wanted to be an obstetrician because I felt very sure that I would love the work of catching babies. And I was right. I wanted to be a CIA and FBI agent because I thought that […]
Why you can finally fire Dr. Google
Most health care providers hate Dr. Google. People show up in our offices every week saying that they know they shouldn’t have consulted Dr. Google but they did and now they are worried about something. Dr. Google is notoriously poor at helping people access quality information. Quality information is out there. But Dr. Google can’t […]
Are Midwives as Safe as Doctors? YUP.
In Ontario, registered midwives are regulated by the College of Ontario Midwives. This means that midwifery care is quality controlled by the same mechanism as doctors and nurses. Midwives order all the same routine blood, urine and ultrasound tests as doctors. Midwifery care is paid for by the Ministry of Health just like the care […]
5 types of people who think midwifery care is not for them. Which are you?
1.You believe that midwives are not “real” health care providers and are not safe. Midwives in Ontario are regulated primary health care providers. We have extensive training which you can read more about here. Midwives are regulated by the College of Midwives of Ontario Midwives just as doctors are regulated by the College of Physicians […]
5 Things I love about the Ottawa Birth Centre
The facility was built for birth. It wasn’t built for heart attacks and surgeries and broken bones and x-rays and then adapted for family-centred births. The design is family and birth friendly. The birth rooms are built for the comfort of birthing. Large rooms feature fireplaces, music players, broad beds, rocking chairs, huge baths, space […]
Why midwives love nurses and why you should too.
I hope that you often hear that nurses are the backbone of our health care system. Midwives certainly say it often enough that you should have heard it! Nurses are the health care providers who are right there on the front lines. They are evaluating, monitoring, treating, reporting, documenting and caring. They tell you that […]
What’s with all the stork pictures?
“Educating Ellen” will be regular feature on our blog. Ellen is one of Genia’s oldest and dearest friends. Despite this, Ellen knows nothing about midwifery and is not afraid to ask questions. She has no clue and no filter! “Educating Ellen”: Why do all those midwifery pictures look like a stork has just dropped the […]
Midwives are hippies. Fact or Myth?
Well… Like many myths, there is a grain of truth in a largely fictional story. Once when I was telling a couple that some piece of false information was myth the dad pointed out that myths are not, technically, false. They are narratives intended to communicate a larger truth – sometimes universal, sometimes culturally specific. […]