On The Drive Midwives

01/17/2019

Many Canadians who have undergone fertility treatments or turned to assisted reproductive technologies over the past 10 years are now eligible for a tax credit as a result of Finance Minister Bill Morneau’s new budget.

11/22/2018

What weaning strategies worked well for your family?
Gentle weaning allows you to gradually substitute other kinds of nutrition, affection and attention to compensate for the loss of nursing. Weaning is also not an all-or-nothing process. Many parents keep one (or more) feedings per day or at night and eliminate the rest.

[Image: Photo of a toddler playing with toys. Text: Gentle Toddler Weaning. Don't Offer, Don't Refuse. Often the first step to weaning. Change routines. Get up promptly for breakfast, change bedtime routine, or avoid sitting in nursing spots. Offer Alternatives. A snack, drink, book, or fun activity can distract a child from nursing. Postpone. "Wait until we go home." "We can in a few minutes." "Let's nurse after lunch." Shorten Sessions. Limit the length of nursing sessions by counting, singing, or using a timer. Out of Sight. If breasts are covered and harder to access, they may seem less tempting.Talk it out. Depending on age, a conversation may be the best route.]

10/27/2018

Join Bethan Stewart in Mothers Unfolding staring this Monday!

Bethan writes: I’m a local mom with 3 boys and I lead postpartum groups for Dancing Star Birth. There is still space in our 5 week Mothers Unfolding series that starts Monday October 29 from 11-12:30 am at Yoga on 7th (Main and 7th). If you know anyone who might be interested, we'd love to have them join us!
Mothers Unfolding: This five week group for new mothers and babies explores the heart of motherhood. Topics such as identity, intuition, relationship changes, and self-care acknowledge the gifts and challenges of motherhood. The bonds formed in Mothers Unfolding groups are so strong that many mothers continue to meet for months or even years beyond our time together.
The cost is $140, and sliding scale is available upon request. Most participants are between 1-7 months postpartum, and babies must be pre-crawling.

Dancing Star Birth website for details or PM Bethan

10/16/2018

October 15th is Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Day. Sending love to all the families who have lost little ones in pregnancy, stillbirth, or too early in life.

Here is a quote written by a dear friend, “Mothering a dead baby is invisible mothering. We are always thinking of our babies, alive or otherwise, but it’s taboo to mention the dead ones. My aim, is to continue speaking of Audrey as freely as I can, when it seems appropriate. I won’t hold back my love for her because death and sadness makes people uncomfortable.

I write this with mama bear instinct and fierce protection over my daughter and my memories of her. I also write with an understanding and forgiveness for people who become uncomfortable in these situations, knowing that before Audrey, I was also quiet about death and found it a difficult path to navigate. But I hope that by speaking of it, over and over, we will all be able to see that by being able to love our babies freely and speak of them without inhibitions, grief lessens just a bit and love blooms. This is motherhood, too.” - Dawn Henderson

Full post:

http://michaelaevanow.com/2018/07/13/this-is-motherhood-too-dawn/

09/25/2018

Birth plan Dr Seuss style.

09/20/2018

Them's the rules!

**ask us for a copy today!**

09/17/2018

Good advice

・・・
I offer these 3 tips to all my breast/chestfeeding clients when I see them at home for the first time. We can get so frazzled with early nursing that it's hard to remember our own bodies beyond our ni***es. If we want breastfeeding to be sustainable though, we also have to look after ourselves.

1. Giving the message to our bodies to relax (especially after any tension from working at the perfect latch) supports milk letdown.

2. Getting physical support from throw pillows, rolled-up towels or receiving blankets, or a step stool under our feet helps avoid build up of new body tensions.

3. Staying hydrated with filtered water, coconut water and nourishing herb teas (like nettle, ginger, fennel, and fenugreek) make it possible to keep making milk. I suggest drinking a full glass everytime you feed (cluster feeding would be a fair exception to this!). I'm rooting for you, you amazing milk-maker, you!..
PS. For those of you coming into your third trimester, I’m giving a breastfeeding prep workshop as part of the conference on October 27! Follow the link in the bio ☝🏽 for deets. ...

09/16/2018

Dear past and present clients and fans of On the Drive Midwives (formerly Commercial Drive Midwives)

​
Sandra, Corina and Grace, the owners of “On the Drive Midwives Ltd”, have decided to close the practice. We are aware that it is due to our clients and the excellent work of current and past midwives, that we have been such a successful clinic and we owe our thanks to all of you. We want to truly thank you for trusting us and for your well wishes, cards and photos over the years. It has been a joy to go on this journey with you all.

The owners have managed this practice with joy and now for personal reasons, we need to close our doors. This is notice that we will officially close on Sept 30, 2018.

All current clients of On the Drive Midwives will continue to be seen by your midwives until their final appt. at 6 weeks postpartum. For those clients with due dates in 2018, you should feel minimal impact. For the time being, we will continue to see clients out of this same office space.

For clients that have Due dates in 2019, we have two options for you:

New West, Burnaby Coquitlam, clients: Most of you are aware that you are welcome to follow Grace to her new office in Port Moody, “Inlet Community Birth Program” located: At 306-2502 Saint Johns Street Port Moody.
Vancouver Clients are welcome to follow Grace if you are willing to deliver at Royal Columbian Hospital in New West, or Charlotte Dahle RM if you prefer to delivery at BCWH or SPH.

We would like to thank you for choosing On the Drive Midwives to care for you during this important part of your life. We are honored to be your midwives.

We do apologies if this notice causes you any stress.

Yours Truly

Co owners of “On The Drive Midwives Ltd.”

09/16/2018

It's baby snuggling, brow wiping, back rubbing, confidence building, information giving, laughter sharing. It's travelling together through this special time in people's lives and hoping that by our presence we make a difference. It's being happy, excited, frustrated, sad, satisfied, jubilant, sometimes tired...but always grateful. Thank you to OUR CLIENTS, because without you we wouldn't be your midwives.

09/15/2018

Awesome!

Going into the labor can be a really stressful and nerve-wracking time for both mother-to-be and the husband but the Exantus couple has an amusing way to melt the stress away. Alicia Exantus was admitted to Manatee Memorial Hospital in Florida and she was just hours away from giving birth on August....

09/12/2018

Read this.