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Gracie

I was a client of Access Midwives in 2016 while I was pregnant with my daughter (with team Pink, I think…). I was VERY lucky and had a very smooth pregnancy so didn’t require much special attention, that said, I always enjoyed my midwife appointments and having the time to chat about all the aspects of my pregnancy.

I was about a week overdue when my midwife sent me into MAC for an ultrasound to make sure all was right with the baby, when we discovered that she was undetected breech. One of our midwives met us in the hospital within an hour, and after a consult from the OB on call, we were scheduled in for a c-section the next day.

Our midwife team was tied up in another delivery during my c-section, however we had another member of the Access team with us to help bridge the gap between us and the amazing McMaster staff. Though we didn’t know that midwife, it was so nice to have someone there to explain each step of the process with us. The procedure was so quick and the amazing nurses, doctors and anesthesiologist at McMaster could not have been more kind to me and my boyfriend during the surgery. While I was in post-op, I felt so much comfort in knowing the baby and my boyfriend were being watched over by the midwife.

Over the next day and half in the hospital and the weeks at home following my delivery, it was SO amazing to have the visits from our midwife team. I can’t stress enough the amount of comfort there was in knowing our care providers were a phone call away in those first few weeks at home. They were so kind, and generous with their time and would talk to me about all of my questions/concerns as I learned how to be a mom to this new little stranger I had brought home.

Due to my delivering via c-section, my milk was a little delayed coming in and I (of course) panicked. Our midwife was so calm and we came up with 24 hour plan to ensure my baby was feed while I gave my body time to catch up. She assured me that this wasn’t unusual and that in 2 days I’ll be laughing about what a small bump in the road it was. All the while completely validating my concerns and never making me feel like I was being silly or dramatic.

They always addressed my worries with so much respect. (P.S. she was right, I look back now and it was just a blip on my journey as a mom).

Aside from the level of care I received, it’s SO convenient to have the home visits rather than having to pack baby up and take them into the Dr. office for follow-up visits (especially since I had a November baby and would not have liked taking her to the Dr. office waiting room during cold and flu season).

Anyway, I’ll end this rambling story by saying that though I didn’t get to experience labour/delivery the “traditional” way under the care of a midwife, the care I received before, during and after my c-section has still confirmed for me it was the right choice. We plan to grow our family over the next year or so and I will definitely be seeking a spot with Access Midwives when/if the time comes.