MCNS UPDATE FOR WOMEN DUE FROM NOVEMBER 2021 ONWARDS – We are offering primary care postpartum services only, until further notice…

MIDWIFERY CARE NORTH SHORE 24hour-7day services are temporarily on-hold to potential clients that are looking for labor and birth services the end of 2021 onwards.

We are waiting for VCH LGH to post midwifery hospital privileges and for midwives interested in working in an individual and group care model to be able to join Vera Berard RM’s team. Vera Berard RM is away in September and October, 2021. On her return in November 2021, she is welcoming women and their babies, who are due to be born in November, 2021 onward and is offering midwifery postpartum services to folk that live on the North Shore and who, are interested in receiving midwifery care after the birth of their baby. Vera gives priority to folk residing within the City of North Vancouver. MCNS full postpartum services are offered to women, who have a doctor that only provides prenatal, labor and birth services, or who have a midwife/doctor that practices out of the area where a client lives.

The services include:

  • One visit with midwife in their 3rd trimester to meet and communicate their intentions for nurturing and parenting their baby, and  to discover how MCNS may best support their needs
  • Communication with their antenatal and birth provider before and after birth, or referral to specialist care as needed
  • Review of their antenatal, labor and birth records as needed, to enable continuity of care
  • At least 3 visits the first week postpartum.  If a woman delivers at LGH, one visit will likely be in hospital the first week and the rest at home. From week 2 postpartum, there are at least 2-3 office visits, before discharge from midwifery services that occurs around 6-8weeks postpartum
  • During visits both parent and infant have a primary-care physical assessment. Support and education are also provided
  • Postpartum families will also have access to MCNS email contact system for questions outside of visits
  • They will also have an opportunity if they desire, to meet with other new parents in a facilitated group that will likely meet twice a month on zoom and/or at Bean-on-5th café.

Vera is excited to continue to offer individual postpartum visits and to bring back postpartum group. As parents have identified a need to get the social and community benefit of this service.

She is pleased to accept self-referrals and referrals from doctor’s offices.

MCNS is looking forward to soon welcoming a lactation consultant to the practice. Stay tuned for updates about this, our current team, pandemic news and when MCNS can open again for antenatal and 24hour/7day labor and birth services. Vera Berard is excited that when this occurs, MCNS could possibly with the assistance of midwife colleagues and others, be able to implement another Connecting Pregnancy group care. As she knows that this model enables parents and babies born around the same time, an opportunity to go through their milestones together and to become life-long friends that share their ups and downs.