Midwives Nottawasaga
9811A Beachwood Road L9Y 3Z1 Collingwood, ON, Canada

Happy Medical Radiation and Imaging Technology Week to all of our colleagues at Collingwood General and Marine Hospital and Georgian Radiology (and of course all of our neighbouring facilities)! You all play such an important role in pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. So many times, you are our eyes. Thank you from Midwives Nottawasaga

To go along with Meghan’s #MidwifeMonday! Enjoy!

Next up on our #MidwifeMonday is another long-standing jewel of this practice: Sandra! Sandra joined Midwives Nottawasaga in 2009 after graduating from Laurentian University. She was recently acknowledged by Collingwood General and Marine Hospital for completing 10 years in this community. Since that time she has enjoyed working in a tremendously rewarding profession with amazing colleagues and interprofessional relationships. ... Sandra is also a member of the Healthy Babies, Happy Families team and takes pride working with new and growing families. She has extra education in psychology and specifically in perinatal mood disorders. Sandra’s experience pairs well with her humbleness, ability to listen, while at the same time bringing laughter and humour to the room. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with family and friends, and actively enjoying warm weather (she is chronically cold: cold hands, warm heart )

Up next on our #MidwifeMonday series is one of our newer midwives, our clog-star, Meghan! Meghan may be new to this community as a midwife, but this community is definitely not new to her; she grew up right here in Simcoe County in Stayner and Wasaga Beach. Meghan graduated from McMaster in 2016 and started her career in Eastern Ontario in Winchester and Cornwall. This past June she came back home and started working for Midwives Nottawasaga. Meghan is one of our high-energy... midwives! She can often be found bouncing around and humming between visits, and spends some of her free time clogging with her family (swipe left to see an exclusive video of her talents ) She's always handy for a good Harry Potter quote or to finish the Disney lyric. Don't let her energy fool you (it's 90% caffeinne); some of her favourite birth stories happen in dimly-lit, quiet rooms. Meghan is a lover of purple hair and has been somewhat upset that she hasn’t been able to keep this up in COVID - can you blame her? Look at those eyes pop with purple! (Picture 2) Another thing Meghan misses in COVID is sibling involvement at appointments and births. Teaching kids how to use a doppler to listen to their little sibling is an immense joy. Speaking of teaching, Meghan has recently become a preceptor to some junior midwifery students. You may see another new eager learner with her in the New Year. Meghan has no kids of her own, but has two nieces and nephews she loves to dote on. She spends most of her free time with her family playing cards, watching Jeopardy! (RIP Alex), playing piano, doing jigsaw puzzles, and as mentioned, clogging! #MidwifeMonday #midwivesnottawasaga #collingwoodmidwives

Happy Friday, everyone! What sweeter way to enjoy this beautiful weather than eating cupcakes from a client? Seen here are Julie and Kate, clearly having no problem smiling with their eyes (and their tummies). Babies Bellies Baked goods We wish you a wonderful weekend before the Canadian weather comes back

Two November virtual workshops coming up! [scroll to see both] 1. Pelvic Floor Workshop November 2nd. 7:00pm Midwife Allison and Jessica Doig, Registered Physiotherapist -Pelvic Health from Collingwood Pelvic Health ... 2. Choice of Birthplace Info Session November 3rd. 6:30pm Midwife Kate and a guest speaker from the community DM us to reserve your spot! #midwivesnottawasaga #collingwoodmidwives #choiceofbirthplace #hospitalbirth #homebirth #pelvicfloor #prenatalworkshop

Happy birthday to our October babes! Included in these numbers was one Halloween baby on a full moon!

Vitamin D is produced in our skin when we are exposed to the sun, but as we all know our winter months make that a bit challenging here in Canada. This vitamin is important for your health but also your baby’s health in utero and after they arrive! Some of the important functions of this vitamin include: Aiding in calcium absorption, bone density, and dental health... Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to: Chronic health conditions (including asthma, diabetes, osteoporosis, inflammatory bowel disease, muscular sclerosis and more) D I D Y O U K N O W Infants under the age of one have a decreased ability to produce vitamin D via their skin. (It is also not recommended that they be exposed to direct sunlight in order to protect their skin) Babies are solely dependent on the vitamin D stores of the pregnant person. They also are very good at stealing your stores in the third trimester as they are getting big and plump. So what’s the solution? Vitamin D supplementation! Recommended Supplementation Amounts: Breastmilk-fed Infants 0-12 months: 400 IU per day Pregnant & Lactating People: 600 IU - 4000 IU per day Formula is fortified with vitamin D appropriately - no vitamin D supplement required in this case! Food Source: Fatty fish, egg yolks, foods fortified with vitamin D *Vitamin D does have an upper limit so be sure to watch the upper recommended amounts. These vitamins can be found easily at your local pharmacy or health food store. Talk to your health care provider if you have further questions about dosing! References: https://www.canada.ca//vitamin-calcium-updated-dietary-ref https://www.cps.ca/documents/position/vitamin-d #midwivesnottawasaga #collingwoodmidwives #ontariomidwives #collingwoodontario #vitamind #babyddrops #liquidsunshine

We are rolling out #MidwifeMonday starting today! As the COVID-19 pandemic persists, we continue to strive to meet our clients’ needs while simultaneously following recommendations from the Ministry of Health. In the event that your midwife develops any symptoms and may need coverage from a fellow midwife, we want to give you the opportunity to meet the midwives-behind-the-mask. Getting us started for our first #MidwifeMonday is our lovely & well-accomplished, Natalie: Happy... 10-year anniversary Natalie! It is 10 years ago this month that Natalie moved to Collingwood from Ottawa and took a job at Midwives Nottawasaga. The past 10 years have brought many exciting changes for Natalie including becoming an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant and getting her Masters in Health Science Education. Natalie is also the Clinic Lead for the hospital-based HBHF Well-Baby Outpatient Clinic ( Healthy Babies, Happy Families ) and works full-time for the Collingwood hospital while continuing to work in the traditional model of midwifery on evenings & weekends. When Natalie isn't working, she spends most of her time with her husband Ben and their two children, Kirby & Henry (and fur-baby Baloo)! #midwivesnottawasaga #collingwoodmidwives #collingwoodbirth #collingwoodontario #ontariomidwives #lactationconsultant #birth #prenatal #postpartum

NEW PROGRAM ALERT! We are so excited to be launching this new weekly program. Every Wednesday at 11am, we’ll be hosting a 1hr virtual breastfeeding drop-in. Thi...s is an opportunity to ‘meet’ with a midwife/lactation consultant and ask all your breastfeeding questions. Registration is required for this one you can contact us at [email protected] or 705-445-4243 to register. See more

This week’s #MidwifeMonday is happening on a Tuesday because, well, babies . For our third shoutout we bring you the bright, the shiny, the fun, Lilly Martin! Lilly graduated from Ryerson in 2006 and spent a year practicing in Toronto before heading north to Creemore where she now calls home. Since 2009, Lilly has been a valuable part of Midwives Nottawasaga and recently celebrated her 11-year anniversary in this community. ... Lilly has spent seven years as an elected professional member on the Council of The College of Midwives of Ontario. During these years, she has been Chair of the Quality Assurance Committee and a member of many committees, including: Inquiries, Complaints and Reports; Discipline; and Fitness to Practice. More recently, Lilly became an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant in 2019. You can often find her working her LC magic as one of the team members at the Healthy Babies, Happy Families clinic in town. On top of her clinical duties and College involvement, Lilly has taken on continuing education. She is in the midst of completing a Graduate Certificate in Sexual Health from the University of Alberta. She is passionate about comprehensive sexual health education and information for people from childhood to old age. If you didn’t already think she was super, she’s also a mom to two awesome humans (her words ): True and Evening. This midwife is no bore: when taking a break from catching babies, raising kiddos, educating herself and sitting on committees, she dives deep into nature excursions. She will gladly jump onto or out of airplanes, and loves hiking and camping in wild and beautiful places. She is counting down the days until this pandemic is over so these activities will be back in her life on the regular. It’s no surprise that Lilly chose this exciting and wonderful career; she loves being a midwife and being entrusted by families to help them in their journey. #MidwifeMonday #midwivesnottawasaga #collingwoodmidwives

A special message from our President & CEO below. On behalf of the entire CGMHF team, Happy Thanksgiving to you and your loved ones! "During this unprecedente...d time in our community and the world, some may find it difficult to be thankful this weekend. In my 30 + years as leader of CGMH Foundation, I can remember only a few times when I was more grateful than I am today the safe and healthy births of my children and grandchildren and the lifesaving treatment my son received 15 years ago. Today, I’m grateful for those in our community who continue to perform their essential tasks in the midst of a worldwide pandemic. Not just the physicians, nurses and medical professionals that treat every day but for the housekeepers, dietary aids, Maintenance, Supplies and IT teams who keep our Hospital operating to care for the sick and injured. I think of the cashiers and retail staff in essential stores who worked throughout the onset of the pandemic when we had very little understanding of what we all faced and so many other brave souls who continued to go to work every day so the rest of us could be safe at home. I’m grateful for the leadership of our Hospital, both the management and volunteers who have to make difficult decisions every single day. And finally, I’m grateful to live in a community where we care for one another and generously share our resources. This Thanksgiving, I have a lot to be thankful for. I hope you can be thankful too." ~Jory

October 15 is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day. PAIL Network has a mission to support families who have experienced a loss and to educate providers in the field. Join PAIL Network on October 15 for a virtual Wave of Light Memorial Ceremony. Participate via Zoom or watch the live-stream on PAIL Network’s private Facebook group. ... All are welcome to light a candle from 7:00-8:00 pm to honour the babies who will always be missed. For more information head to: https://pailnetwork.sunnybrook.ca//pregnancy-and-infant-l/ #pregnancyandinfantlossawareness #pailnetwork #pregnancyandinfantloss #waveoflight

With all of the changes this year, it is hard to keep track of how to access local supports and services. Here is a note to let you know that Simcoe County CA...PC MotherCare has continued to provide services through the pandemic. Many of our programs are now online, but participants will find the same friendly, supportive staff when they connect! Please share this post with anyone you know who may qualify!

New Workshop Announcement! We have teamed up with Collingwood Pelvic Health to offer an amazing new [virtual] prenatal workshop! Topics Covered: Learn about your pelvic floor Pushing techniques... Delivery positions Perineum mobility and stretching Optimizing your postpartum recovery Who? You! When? November 2, 2020 @ 7:00pm How? Registration mandatory FREE to current Midwives Nottawasaga clients $29.00 for general public [proceeds go to support local parent & baby initiatives] Send us a DM to register, or head to the link below! See you in November! www.collingwoodpelvichealth.com/nottawasaga #midwivesnottawasaga #pelvichealth #pelvicphysio #prenatalclass #prenatalworkshop #pushingtechnique #birth #collingwoodmidwives #collingwood #postpartumrecovery

August numbers are in! Happy labour day, everyone!

Another month in the books!

Check out this great workshop!

Hi folks! Here's the link to tonight's Choice of Birthplace Information Night :) Midwives Nottawasaga is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Topic: Virtual Choice of Birthplace Information Night... Time: Aug 18, 2020 06:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81848092531

A special shout out to Midwife Kate as she enjoys some time off in the month of October! Kate was our busiest hospital midwife as we shuffled and adjusted at the beginning of the pandemic. She will be enjoying a little R&R and be back come November. For those of you on Team 3, a midwife is still available for you! Please call the clinic if you need to get ahold of a midwife or page with urgent concerns. Happy October, Kate! You are a rockstar!

Curious about home vs. hospital birth? Wondering what your options are? Mark your calendars for August 18! Join one of our Registered Midwives and a guest speaker to learn more. To sign up, contact our office via email or phone, or message us on social media! E: [email protected]... P: 705-446-2511 See more

We are ready for you!! EarlyON Centres in Alliston and Collingwood are so excited to welcome families back for Stay Play and Learn starting on Monday! Some of... our spaces have a fresh new look and we can’t wait for our friends to see them . Head to our online calendar to register! https://e3.ca/childrens-se/earlyon-child-and-family-centre/ #welcomeback #wemissedyou #readytoplay #stayplayandlearn #howdoeslearninghappen #learningthroughplay #outdoorplay #earlyoncollingwoodalliston #wearee3

Meet our students! [conveniently marketing our choice of birthplace information night] Some of you have already had the pleasure to meet our learners at clinic or at births. Erin (left) and Kat (right) will be with us this fall and into the beginning of the blustery months. These are the midwifery students behind-the-masks! We will always ask your permission before having a student involved in your care. If you are happy to be an active participant in their learning, we will watch your belly and their clinical skills grow over these next few months.

July numbers are in! Be sure to tag us or send us your photos of you and your wee ones if youd like to be featured on our social media

Check out this great resource!

August numbers are in! Happy labour day, everyone!

Happy Friday, everyone! A big thank you to those who have previously donated items. We are currently pressing pause on accepting donations. We will update when space and COVID allows us to begin accepting items again.

Midwives Nottawasaga is now on Instagram! Follow us for all things pregnancy, birth, and postpartum

Join us for a supportive live panel discussion on how to maintain a healthy pregnancy during COVID-19, featuring experts from the Society of Obstetricians and G...ynaecologists of Canada. When: Tuesday, June 9th, 2020 Time: 8 PM (EST) Who: Dr. Jennifer Blake, CEO of the SOGC, Dr. Vanessa Poliquin, MD MSc FRCSC, Reproductive Infectious Diseases expert from the University of Manitoba, and Dr. William Ehman MD, Family Physician Tune in on Facebook Live on our Facebook Page Follow our Facebook page to get notifications

Hi folks! Here's the link to tonight's Choice of Birthplace Information Night :) Midwives Nottawasaga is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Topic: Virtual Choice of Birthplace Information Night... Time: Aug 18, 2020 06:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81848092531

Tuesday Womb Zoom is on hiatus while we work on getting another exciting group programme up and running! Stay tuned :)Tuesday Womb Zoom is on hiatus while we work on getting another exciting group programme up and running! Stay tuned :)

Today's womb zoom is on @ 1pm! Open format, let's connect. Bring your questions... DM for the link if you don't already have itToday's womb zoom is on @ 1pm! Open format, let's connect. Bring your questions... DM for the link if you don't already have it

Don't miss a chance to meet our newest midwife, Allison as she chats with physiotherapist Jessica tomorrow at 1 pm on the Womb Zoom! DM us for the link :)

Thank you to Alisha and family for sharing this lovely pic! Welcome, Aspen <3 *** please note, this photo was taken before requirement that all people wear masks on the OB unit at all times*** Here's the latest update on birthing at CGMH as of May 23rd, 2020:... - If you are able, please bring a gentle baby wash soap for giving babe a bath soon after birth. We will also ask that birthing people shower or wash their abdomen before delivery. There is soap available on the OB unit if you do not bring your own. - everyone on the OB floor is required to wear a mask at all times. This includes birthing people and their support person - support people should bring at least one change of clothes, as they will need to change their clothes if needing to leave the labour and birth room - One support person is now permitted in the OR for C-sections, if clinically appropriate - support people will no longer have in and out privileges; once in, they cannot be readmitted if they leave. Drop-offs of food or other items can be arranged at the hospital main entrance if needed. Plan to bring extra food with you if possible. Simple bagged meals will be available from the kitchen for support people if needed. - if support person screens positive for suspected CV-19 they will not be permitted inside the hospital For more information, please go to our website, www.midwivesnottawasaga.org and click on the Current Clients tab/button. Thanks for your ongoing patience and grace as we move through the pandemic together :)

Join new Team 1 midwife Allison Rigney and physiotherapist Jessica Doig at next week's Womb Zoom!

Join Kate and Lilly today at 1pm for a virtual tour and a Q&A about birthing during CV-19... DM us for the link :)

Good morning everyone! Sharing important updates re: birthing at CGMH during CV-19 - everyone on the OB floor is required to wear a mask at all times. This includes birthing people and their support person-... - support people should bring at least one change of clothes, as they will need to change their clothes if needing to leave the labour and birth room - One support person is now permitted in the OR for C-sections, if clinically appropriate - support people will no longer have in and out privileges; once in, they cannot be readmitted if they leave. Drop-offs of food or other items can be arranged at the hospital main entrance if needed. Plan to bring extra food with you if possible. - if support person screens positive for suspected CV-19 they will not be permitted inside the hospital For more information, please go to our website, www.midwivesnottawasaga.org and click on the Current Clients tab/button Thanks for your understanding as we navigate birth during CV-19 together :)

We've rescheduled our virtual CGMH birthing room tour for next Tuesday, May 19th from 1-2pm! DM us for the link if you don't have it already... looking forward to seeing you there

Happy Nurses Week to our amazing colleagues at CGMH! Your skill, dedication and collaboration is deeply appreciated Happy Nurses Week to our amazing colleagues at CGMH! Your skill, dedication and collaboration is deeply appreciated

Hi everyone! Here's a couple of updates to CGMH birthing unit CV19 policies. - One support person is now permitted in the OR for C-sections, if clinically appropriate - support people will no longer have in and out privileges; once in, they cannot be readmitted if they leave. Drop-offs of food or other items can be arranged at the hospital main entrance if needed. ... We appreciate our families' flexibility and understanding as well all navigate birth during the pandemic as safely as possible. Let us know what more we can do to support you, and we'll do our best :)

Hello everybody! It's a busy birthing day. We need postpone our prenatal group Zoom & hospital tour. Please stay tuned for details about rescheduling! Thank you!

We are grateful to our clients for attending in-person clinic visits solo to keep us as safe as possible. Our weekly virtual Womb Zoom is a chance to bring the important people in your life to a prenatal visit! Partners, siblings, parents, friends... all are welcome to join the call. Just DM us or register for the event, and we'll send along the link. Looking forward to seeing folks next Tuesday!

Join us next Tuesday May 12 for our weekly "Womb Zoom", a virtual prenatal group hosted by a midwife. We know prenatal visits are different under CV19 and we want to connect with our clients and your families. Hope to see you there!

Today's prenatal zoom session will feature a surprise guest joining us at 1:30!Today's prenatal zoom session will feature a surprise guest joining us at 1:30!

New for clinic visits: if you are coming for an in-person visit, please wear a mask or face covering (scarf, or other). If you don't have your own masks we have a limited supply available at the clinic. Thank you!

The Association of Ontario Midwives has collected a wealth of information about CV19 during pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum. Check it out here: https://www.ontariomidwives.ca/covid-19-clinical-faq

McMaster University is offering free online treatment workshops for women who have been feeling depressed, down, or anxious after the birth of a baby. These wor...kshops are based on Cognitive Behavioural therapy (CBT) and are being offered as part of a research study. Women will be eligible to participate if they are living in Canada, over the age of 18, and have a baby under 12 months.

Thank you to Knix for their donation to our practice. We are all in this together, and we appreciate your support!

Join Natalie and Lilly this afternoon at 1pm for a group postpartum hangout hosted by Healthy Babies, Happy Families. Hope to see you there :)

The bath tubs are available for use again at CGMH! Hydrotherapy FTW!The bath tubs are available for use again at CGMH! Hydrotherapy FTW!

Thanks Kelly Heath Metheral and Collingwood Today for the boost... We are all in this together

This workbook is a welcome resource for people experiencing anxiety during the current pandemic. https://thewellnesssociety.org/free-coronavirus-anxiety-wo/

Here is The Government of Canada's latest information for pregnant and birthing people at this time. https://www.canada.ca//disea/pregnancy-advise-mothers.html