MODEL OF MIDWIFERY PRACTICE
for Midwives Practicing in Newfoundland and Labrador

Midwives provide care from early pregnancy through to at least six-weeks 
postpartum to women and their babies.

Health and Well-being

Midwifery care is based on a respect for pregnancy and childbirth as 
normal physiological processes. Midwifery care seeks to optimize the 
normal biological, psychological, social and cultural processes of 
childbearing. Midwives promote the health and well-being of women, 
babies, and families.


Informed Choice
Midwives respect the right of women to make informed choices about all 
aspects of their care. Midwives actively encourage informed 
decision-making by providing women with comprehensive, relevant, and 
non-biased information in a non-authoritarian manner.


Autonomous Care Providers

Midwives are fully responsible for the provision of primary health 
services within their scope of practice, making autonomous decisions in 
collaboration with their clients. When midwives identify conditions 
requiring care that is outside their scope ofr practice, they make 
referrals to other care providers and continue to provide supportive 
care. Midwives collaborate with other health professionals in order to 
ensure that their clients receive the best possible care.


Continuity of Care

Midwives are committed to working in partnership with the women in their 
care. Midwives spend time with their clients in order to build trusting 
relationships and provide individualized care. Individual or small groups 
of midwives provide continuity of care to women throughout pregnancy, 
labour, birth, and up to at least six weeks postpartum. A midwife known 
to the woman is available on-call throughout her care.


Choice of Birth Setting

Midwives respect the right of woman to make an informed choice about the 
setting for her birth. Midwives must be competent and willing to provide 
care in a variety of settings, including homes, birth centres, and 
hospitals. Regardless of place of birth mothers and their babies are the 
centre of care.


Evidence Informed Practice

Midwives are expected to stay current with regard to research on 
maternity care issues, to critically appraise research, and to 
incorporate relevant findings into their care. Midwives are also expected 
to provide care that takes into account the client's wishes, values, and 
culture and on midwifery assessment and experience.
 

References

Canadian Midwifery Regulators Consortium. (2010). Canadian Model of 
Midwifery Practice.

Pages, L., & McCandlish, R. (2006). The new midwifery: Science and 
sensitivity in practice (2nd ed.). Philadelphia: Elsevier.


Note

Continuity of care is provided by a team of not more than four midwives 
who are known to the woman. One member of the team is the leader 
responsible for ensuring that all care is provided. The team ideally 
provides one-to-one care from the beginning of pregnancy to six weeks 
postpartum and to the neonate. A team member will be available 24 hours a 
day and at least one of the team will be the primary midwife for the 
birth. (Adapted from CMBC. (2010). Continuity of Care Policy.)



					September 28, 2010/April 27, 2015
CMNL




Midwifery Competencies  for midwives practicing in Newfoundland and 
Labrador are similar to the ones shown on the Canadian 
Midwifery Regulators Consortium (CMRC) web site.
CMRC 
Competencies


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