Congratulations! You’re expecting a baby, whether your first or fifth, the first step is always choosing a care provider for your pregnancy and midwives are an excellent option. The midwife model tends to be more personalized than other options, and many women prefer it for the level of choice given to you during your care. If you live in the North Vancouver area, these North Shore Midwives all provide amazing levels of care throughout pregnancy, birth and postpartum. Check them out and see if one of these options is the best for you!

Midwifery Care North Shore

Vera Berard is the founder and owner of Midwifery Care North Shore. She has been serving expectant mothers for over 30 years since completing her nursing and midwifery education in South Africa. Since moving to Vancouver, she has worked as a nurse, child birth educator and midwife at B.C. Children’s Hospital. She has built a team of two other midwives, as well as a student midwives completing their practicum. Midwifery Care North Shore provides care for women in North and West Vancouver, as well as Vancouver, Burnaby, Bowen Island and the Sea-to-Sky Corridor.

Canopy Midwives

Canopy Midwives has a team of four midwives who work together as primary care providers and have collectively been serving North Shore expectant mothers and their families for decades. All four work on a rotating schedule, so, like most practices, you spend time with each midwife prior to labour so you are comfortable with whomever attends your birth. Their clinic is part of Canopy Integrated Health, which also offers physiotherapy, massage, chiropractics, osteopathy, acupuncture and more. Their primary catchment for clients is North Vancouver and West Vancouver However, they also see clients who live in Burnaby, Squamish, Whistler, Pemberton and on Bowen Island.

See a newborn session here.

Coast Midwifery

Coast Midwifery calls itself a “modern twist on maternity care.” According to their website, It is their mission to provide care tailored for each individual mother “that enhances and enriches the childbirth experience.” They provide pregnancy care, attend deliveries at Lion’s Gate Hospital and home births in the North Vancouver area, and provide regular check-up postpartum until baby reaches 6 weeks of age. Coast Midwifery is run by Aleka, the only midwife on staff. She will see you through your entire pregnancy and delivery. She is an extremely experienced midwife and leader int he community. Aleka has been a board member of both the Midwives Association of BC and the College of Midwives of BC and was involved in forming the National Aboriginal Council of Midwives (NACM) under the umbrella of the Canadian Association of Midwives (CAM).

North Shore Midwives Babease Midwifery

Babease Midwifery is another one-woman show. Andreia Situm is the midwife and owner behind Babease, though she does work with other midwives who have privileges at Lion’s Gate Hospital should she be ill, on vacation or assisting another mother when you go into labour. Andreia has been practicing midwifery for over 20 years. Her website provides links and resources for common questions related to pregnancy, labour, birth and breastfeeding.

Learn about me – a North Vancouver newborn photographer.

I personally loved the midwifery model of care for all three of my pregnancies. It feels personal and intentional and gave me the most choice in my pregnancies. I highly recommend choosing a midwife to care for you throughout your pregnancy, birth and postpartum experience.

Now that you have that checked off your pregnancy to-do list; next step: find a great photographer! If you love holding onto real, natural and unposed moments, we may be a great fit!

Enjoy this post? Check out some related ones:

• Vancouver Newborn Photography
• Vancouver Doulas
• 5 Surprising Items you Need for a Happier Baby