I dont mean to take away from this thread at all but im soooo glad i saw this!
Im at Avenida Low Risk Maternity Clinic...
i know this might sound like a dumb question but all these doctor terms like obgyns, midwives, doulas, etc. confuse me!
Whats the difference between a midwife and where i am currently at now?
Thanks for any input!!!
You are at a maternity clinic staffed usually by family doctors with special training in obstetrics (occasionally they are OB/GYN Dr's). To my knowledge these are VERY common in Calgary. Most pregnant women are referred to low risk maternity clinics. The OB/GYN clinics are usually for patients with preexisting conditions or pregnancy complications. Usually these low risk clinics have a hospital they specify you will deliver at becuse they have an agreement with the DR's on staff that do deliveries. (the DR you see may or may not deliver your baby at the hospital).
In Alberta, Midwives are trained and certified individuals in pregnancy care/birth (not doctors). If you are accepted into a MW practice you usually are assigned to a 2 or 3 midwife team. These women follow you during your pregnancy and deliver your baby. Unlike the low risk clinics where you will be seen by any available doctor on staff, the MW clinics usually have you meet with a staff member on your team.
The Dr you see at the maternity clinic is also unlikely to be the Dr delivering baby, where as with a MW clinic your midwife and her team WILL deliver baby.
MW's in Calgary are also authorized to attend a home birth or a birthing center birth. I do not believe any doctor in the city currently offers homebirth/ centre birth options.
There are only a handful of MW clinics in the city and they fill up really quickly. There is nothing wrong with the clinic you are at, it is just a different kind of care in your pregnancy.
Hope this helps.
