Support Midwifery By Sharing Your Gratitude
If you have had a positive experience with our Midwifery care at Thames Valley Midwives, we want to help you express your gratitude. To do this, we encourage you to connect with our philanthropic partner, Children’s Health Foundation.
They would love the opportunity to hear your story and guide you in giving back in a way that is meaningful for you.
To help support the work we do, there are a few different ways you can say, ‘Thanks!’:
Ways to Express Gratitude to your Midwives at Thames Valley Midwives:
1. Share your birth story
Write out your birth story and share it with us at @thamesvmidwives @ldnontmidwifery and @chfhope on Instagram and raise awareness of the care that midwives provide to their clients. We can’t wait to share your story with our networks and help spread the word of amazing Midwifery care!
2. Make an In Honour Donation
Making a donation in honour of your clinic or an extra special caregiver or team will assist midwives in improving care for future clients and families. Click Here to Donate .
3. Write a letter/email to your MPP to Advocate for Midwifery Care
- Find out what MPP serves your riding by clicking here.
- Key messages you might include in your letter –>
Midwifery care is an integrated solution and approach that provides primary care to people during pregnancy, labour and delivery and first 6 weeks following the birth for both mother and baby.
Midwives are regulated primary care providers who specialize in providing high quality and cost-effective primary care.
Midwives provide choice of birthplace to their clients. This includes birth at home, hospital or at a birth centre.
Midwifery care has excellent outcomes, and is a cost-effective use of taxpayer dollars. Regardless of the place of birth, midwifery clients have a lower rate of costly interventions, shorter hospital stays, and high rates of client satisfaction. (1)
(1) Public Health Agency of Canada. What Mothers Say:The Canadian Maternity Experiences Survey http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/rhs-ssg/pdf/survey-eng.pdf, 2009. p. 162.
Giving birth remains the most common reason for hospitalization in Canada, and C-sections the most common inpatient procedure.(2)
(2) Canadian Institute for Health Information. “C-section rates continue to increase while birth rates decline.” https://www.cihi.ca/en/c-section-rates-continue-to-increase-while-birth-rates-decline. April 2018.
The Association for Safe Alternatives in Childbirth (ASAC, Alberta) has reported that decreasing the caesarean rate in hospitals to 20% could save 14.5 million in hospital costs. ASAC also reports that a potential $45.9 million could be saved if midwifery care were increased to provide care to clients who had a previous c-section (VBAC). (3)
Association for Safe Alternatives in Childbirth (ASAC), https://www.asac.ab.ca/maternity_care_report/, 2016.
However, midwives still face barriers to providing care to clients due to hospital integration / privileging issues (e.g. hospital ‘caps’ on midwifery privileges). Furthermore, there are not currently enough midwives to satisfy demand (4). Increasing investments in midwifery care, particularly in underserviced areas, would help alleviate the burden placed on hospitals and other care providers.
(4) Mullin, M. June 17, 2017. “Need for Ontario midwives ‘past the tipping point,’ say pros” Retrieved from: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/tipping-point-midwives-1.4166003
Midwives do and can play a unique part in the strategy to improve health care and end hallway medicine, by continuing to offer birth at home or at a birth centre as an option for Ontarians and thereby reducing hospital stays and freeing up beds and hospital resources for those who need it the most.
Looking for more ways to express your gratitude?
We welcome the opportunity to talk to you and learn more about your experience. Share your gratitude with your Midwife and be connected to the Grateful Family Program Champions at Children’s health Foundation.
About Children’s Health Foundation
Just as we’re dedicated to guiding birthing people and their families through these defining times of pregnancy, birth and postpartum care, Children’s Health Foundation is dedicated to supporting our success.
Children’s Health Foundation (CHF) raises funds to support key goals for advancing and raising awareness for Midwifery practice in our region.
CHF helps strengthen and transform the health care experience by raising awareness and funding for Children’s Hospital at London Health Sciences Centre and including your Department of Midwifery. In addition, CHF raises community support for TVCC and Children’s Health Research Institute.
With your gift, you can help advance midwifery care in our region and also positively impact obstetric care across our health system – ensuring the best start for kids and their families.
