Client Area

When you should page AFTER the baby is born

 

Labour is an obvious time to page your midwife but following the birth women struggle with what constitutes a “good” or appropriate reason to page. This list should help with that. Ultimately, any time you are concerned and feel you need medical attention you should page: 1-800-805-9363
Mother:
• If you have a fever over 38C
• You have severe uterine pain with fever and foul smelling bleeding
• Your breasts have a red area that is hot/hard and you have a fever
• If you have painful urination and suspect a bladder infection
• If your nipples are severely damaged and you can no longer latch your baby
• If you have severe depression and have thoughts of harming yourself or your baby
Newborn:
• If your baby has a temperature over 38C and they are appropriately dressed (one layer of clothing more than you are comfortable in)
• If you are unable to latch you baby and it has been more than 6 hours from the previous feed. (newborns normally nurse at least 8x in 24hrs but will often have one long stretch of 3 to 6 hrs in 24)
• If the baby is more than 4 days of age and has less than 3 wet diapers in 24hrs or they have rusty crystals in their diaper.
• If the umbilical area (skin around cord) is red and swollen. It is normal for the cord to smell and ooze and sometimes bleed, this is not an infection.
• If the sclera (white part of the eye) is red and irritated looking. Newborns often have a yellowish discharge from their eyes which can get crusty, this is not an infection and should just be wiped with warm water regularly.

Pregnancy beyond age 40

Courtesy of the Association of Ontario Midwives, please scroll down it is the first link on the left, available in multiple languages

In Due Time: Pregnancy Beyond the age of 40

 

How to reach us: URGENT and NON-URGENT Situations

HOW TO CONTACT YOUR MIDWIVES

All non-urgent questions, concerns, and requests for prescription refills should be directed to the clinic at 705-523-8000. Calls are normally returned within one business day.

Paging should be reserved for emergencies or urgent situations. For example: labour, significant bleeding, ill newborns, etc.

When you have an urgent situation, page your midwives as follows:

1) Phone the paging service at 1-800-805-9363
2) Ask the operator to page BOTH your midwives (See teams below).
3) Give the operator your first and last name*, your telephone number, and tell the operator the reason for your page, for example “I think I’m in labour”.
4) One of your two midwives will return your call in 15-20 minutes. Please keep the phone line clear.
5) If you do not hear back within 15-20 minutes phone the paging service again, tell them you did not hear from a midwife, and ask them to re-page. Ensure you again leave your full name, number, and the reason for your call.
6) If you are more than 20 weeks pregnant and think you need to go to the hospital, please page your midwives first. Hospital Policy dictates that an attending midwife will see you; many concerns can be dealt with on an out-patient basis.

*Please use the last name that is on your Health Card even if this is not the name you normally use.*

During your pregnancy and 6 weeks postpartum your midwives are the main caregivers for you and your baby. If you have urgent concerns for you or your baby you should contact them either at the clinic, or for emergencies by pager. One of them will assess the situation and decide what care is needed, including if specialist care is required.

PLEASE REMEMBER TO ASK FOR YOUR MIDWIFE’S FULL NAME ALWAYS LEAVE YOUR FULL NAME AND PHONE NUMBER IF YOU PAGE MIDWIVES DO NOT CARRY CLIENTS’ FILES WITH THEM.

Please keep your line free after you call 🙂

TEAMS:

Debbie Younger and Lynne Sullivan
Shelley Ann Clarke-Dolby, Trina Desjardins and Jillian Ashick-Stinson
Meredith Crowder and Sara Vildis
Elizabeth (Buffy) Fulton-Breathat, Keatha Walsh and Dana Cuddy

Who will support you in labour?

Health Sciences North limits you to two support people to help you through your labour.  Click on the link below to learn about what you should consider regarding:

Support in Labour

Alcohol in Pregnancy

How much is too much? Click on the link below to read about the effects of:

Alcohol in Pregnancy

Information for Mother’s Support Person

A support person can be the woman’s partner, a family member or a good friend.

The benefits of Rooming-in for the support person are

  • You take an active role helping the new mother care for herself and her new baby.
  • Even if you aren’t experienced at caring for a new baby, you and the new mother will learn from the “mother/baby nurse”. She is there to help the mother and you learn how to care for the baby. The best way to do that is to teach both of you. As mother’s support person you are not considered a visitor.
  • Not every mother needs or wants a support person. Some mother’s find it difficult to rest with visitors/support people in her room at all times. Others may want someone to stay for a few hours or the first night or not at all.
  • We should always let mother decide if she would like someone to stay. Many women who experience a Caesarean birth however, find it very helpful to have someone stay the first night or two, but remember if no one can stay because of family or job commitments there is a nurse there to look after the mother and her baby.

More Benefits …

  • A cot or lounge chair or possibly a bed will be provided for you. We ask that you please bring the following items to make up your bed and care for yourself: towel, bed linen/sleeping bag, pillow
  • We ask that the support person please sleep with pajamas or jogging pants
  • Washrooms are shared between patient rooms and are strictly for mother’s use only. There is a public washroom on the unit for the support person. It is located across from the orange elevators.
  • We also ask that the support person please respect other patients’ and families’ privacy and remain on the 3rd floor except if you are going for meals or leaving the building.
  • Unfortunately we cannot provide showers for the support person.
  • There are kitchen facilities for you to use. A refrigerator and a microwave are available or you may choose to use the services of the hospital cafeteria on ground floor. Hours of operation are limited. Sandwiches, muffins, “goodies” and beverages are available in the hospital gift shop located on the main floor. It is open daily until 10 p.m. except Sundays until 9 p.m.

Once again we remind you that mother and baby remain together in the same room and a nurse is available to care for them. It is not necessary for every mother to have a support person with her at all times.

Healthy Meal and Snacks for Pregnant Women and Breastfeeding Mothers

From Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating

Pregnant Women

How many more calories do I need when I’m pregnant?
In the first trimester, no extra calories are needed. In the second and third trimesters, 200 more calories per day are needed.

Examples of 200 Calorie Snacks:

  • Bran muffin with a pat of butter
  • Medium banana with one serving of 1 % milk
  • Slice of buttered toast with 30g (1 oz) of cheese
  • Medium apple with 30g (1 oz) of cheese
  • One or two per cent fruit bottom yogurt 175g (6 oz)

In the second and third trimester, a pregnant woman also needs 25 grams more protein in her daily diet.

Examples of 25 grams of protein:

  • Three servings from the milk group
  • One serving from meat and alternatives

Breastfeeding Mothers

During the first six months of breastfeeding, a new mother needs 500 extra calories per day. During the second six months of breastfeeding, mom needs 400 extra calories per day.

Examples of 400 to 500 Calorie Meals and Snacks:

  • Bagel with 30 g (l oz) of cheese and an orange
  • Two slices of pizza, carrot sticks and one serving of orange juice
  • Sandwich: two slices of buttered bread with two slices of turkey
  • English Muffin, 1 Tbsp (15 ml) peanut butter and one serving of I% milk

Include water in your diet, it is a nutrient.