Realistic expectations of labor

* A big thank you to Pam England and her book Ancient Maps for Modern Book for the activities and ideas suggested here. Most people have a picture in mind of how they think labor will go, and how they themselves will cope with labor. Picturing yourself coping in labor while you are pregnant is […]


Where to get breastfeeding support in Abbotsford!

Breastfeeding is recommended by the World Health Organization as a first choice of food for newborns. They recommend that a baby is breastfed exclusively for the first 6 months, and then when complementary foods are introduced breastfeeding should extend for at least two years. There are a few reasons to consider breastfeeding: -breastmilk contains all […]


How do I deal with the intensity of birth?

Probably at the top of the list, along with tearing and giving birth by cesarean, is the fear around pain in childbirth. This is perfectly natural — at the most basic level, pain whether emotional or physical, is generally a message to our brain to respond to something that is impacting our well-being. It makes […]


What to expect at a home birth

While a hospital birth is an option when you go into midwifery care, home births are usually not an option when you’re in the care of a physician. There are many reasons why you should consider midwifery care when you’re expecting, and the ability to have a home birth (if you have a low risk […]


What to expect at a hospital birth

When you go with midwifery care you most often have the option of having a hospital birth or a home birth. If you are considered a high-risk pregnancy, have had previous complications during delivery, or choose not to have a home birth you will have a hospital birth. Thrive Midwifery is available to help families […]


What does self-care mean?

I had an interesting experience the other day. The last week of November and first week of December were incredibly busy for me with lots of births, full days of clinic, and lots of postpartum visits all over the Fraser Valley — which meant a lot of driving. Last Sunday after having been up for […]


What you need to know about midwifery care!

It’s really easy, when being a midwife, to forget that not everyone knows what midwifery care is. My husband is always telling me that when he meets people that aren’t in the birth world people often don’t know what midwifery care is, or if they do know, don’t really know what it’s all about. So […]


Hearing the call

In our lives, we hear many calls. Some are so small they go unnoticed, like feeling called to a certain colour, or to wear certain pieces of clothing. Then there are the bigger calls: being called to a career, to leave a job, to travel, to move to a new city, to buy a house, […]