If you’re looking for a diverse midwife collective in the west Toronto area, Community Midwives of Toronto is a great option!
Community Midwives of Toronto was founded in 1994 and is a teaching practice, meaning that they often have students assist with care. Their students are affiliated with the Ryerson Midwifery Education program. As a teaching practice, they are also always growing and staying educated on the latest information in the industry and the sciences behind the process of giving birth. All of the midwives at the practice are preceptors to midwifery students in the Bachelor of Health Science in Midwifery program at Ryerson University.
Like other midwife practices, Community Midwives of Toronto is passionate about informed care and advocating for their client’s needs and wishes from the time that they become pregnant until the baby is born and well after.
Once you reach out and are paired with a midwife, you can expect to see them in the office. Prenatal appointments are all done in the clinic, while postnatal visits take place in your home before transitioning back to the clinic once you are able.
Midwives assist with healthy and normal pregnancies but continue to monitor during home births so that they may intervene or get you to a hospital if any complications should arise.
Midwives at this practice can assist with births at the Toronto Birth Centre, St. Michael’s hospital, and at your home.
Midwives at the practice come from a plethora of different backgrounds, but the one thing that they all have in common is strong credentials and a commitment to improving the lives of pregnant people. All of their midwives are heavily involved in the community.
One thing that makes Community Midwives of Toronto unique is their commitment to diversity. They state on their website that they are committed to “providing an equitable, inclusive, safe environment for all, regardless of a person’s race, citizenship, place of origin, ethnic origin, colour, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, age, religion, family status, relationship status, immigration status, size or level of ability.”
The practice has midwives that fluently speak English, French, and Farsi. They also recognize that many clients may prefer to have a midwife with a background similar to theirs and thus they promise to do their best to match clients accordingly, while also stating “the midwives at CMT demonstrate their commitment to anti-racism and culturally competent care by actively engaging in ongoing personal reflection and professional training to address racism and privilege.
Prenatal classes are a great offering at this location, whether you decide to work with a midwife here or not. Currently, their classes are offered online.
The Annex Prenatal Class is offered both on Tuesdays from 6:15 PM-8:15 PM and on Saturdays. These are separate courses, and both courses have new sessions beginning monthly. Classes are taught by one of the clinic’s midwives and answer some of the most pressing questions regarding preparation for labour, options for birth location, and how to prepare in advance for when the baby arrives.
One of the midwives at the clinic, Bridget Lynch, RM, also has a course called First 40 Days. Within this course, parents learn how to be prepared for the first six weeks of their new child’s life. These workshops take place on Sundays from 10:00 AM-3:00 PM EST and are delivered via Zoom.
Information for both courses can be found on Community Midwives of Toronto’s website.
Community Midwives of Toronto is located at 344 Bloor Street West, Suite 201 Toronto, ON M5S 3A7. Though there are stairs, the clinic is completely accessible via elevator.
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