Pregnancy and birth are beautiful and natural events in life. And for many families, working with a midwife to plan childbirth and the prevention of health problems is a natural choice.
The Midwives Collective of Toronto has been providing support for moms and babes since 1983 — first from their location in the Annex and more recently, in their bright and fresh new clinic in Bloordale.
Registered midwife Elizabeth Brandeis is one of the partners of The Midwives Collective. She began her journey towards midwifery after the birth of her daughter in 1994 (the same year that midwifery became an integrated part of the Ontario healthcare system). Even though midwifery has been regulated in the province since then, says Elizabeth, “There is still a lack of popular awareness.”
This is one of the reasons Elizabeth and her partners moved the clinic to its storefront location in October of 2014. “Having a street-level presence was appealing because it is more accessible,” she says. “It’s cultivating a connection with the neighbourhood.”
With a big, colourful quilt serving as a backdrop, the front desk space is warm and welcoming and the receptionists are always happy to answer questions about the practice. The Collective also holds information sessions and workshops at local coffee shops and the nearby Bloor/Gladstone library to further reach out to the community.
These efforts, says Elizabeth, “help start the conversation about midwifery.”
