I am so freaking happy!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The Alberta government has finally decided to start covering midwifery services. Its been a long, long battle for midwifes, mothers and fathers, and their wee babies.
Both my children were born at home under the care of the incredible Barbara Scriver. I could not have asked for a better birthing experience than I had with them.
This will not affect me in the slightest - I am sure that I am done having children, but I am so happy for those families who might not have been able to afford midwifery care and now can.
Go make a baby!
After public pressure, the Alberta government announced it will cover the
costs for expectant mothers who choose to deliver their babies using a midwife.
Starting April 1, 2009, midwifery will be added to the maternity services
covered by the public health system in Alberta, the province said on Thursday.
The average cost of using a midwife is about $3,500.
Midwives provide care
to women throughout pregnancy and during the birth, and for six weeks after.
They visit mothers at home or in the hospital to provide support and care for
the newborn.
Many women in low-risk pregnancies choose midwives for a deeper
personal relationship, and hope that there will be fewer medical interventions
than in conventional deliveries.
The province is allocating $4 million to
the Alberta Health Services Board to implement midwifery services in the
2009-2010 fiscal year with the help of the Alberta Association of Midwives.
"This decision will provide better access and more choice for expectant
women and will relieve pressure on doctors, nurses and hospitals," said Alberta
Health and Wellness Minister Ron Liepert in a news release.
"Expanding the
use of midwifery services will also help address the pressures on family
physicians and obstetricians."
In May, midwives and their supporters held
rallies across the province calling on Alberta to cover their services.
British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and the Northwest
Territories already have midwifery legislation. Nova Scotia and New Brunswick
are both moving toward regulation.
Expectant mothers can use midwives in
hospitals, community birthing centres or their own homes.
But midwives in
Alberta are scarce because they must complete a two-year licensing period and
run a private practice. According to the Alberta Association of Midwives, there
were 29 registered midwives in the province in 2006.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/calgary/story/2008/10/16/alberta-midwives-costs.html
