2020: The Year of the Midwife
We’d like to take a moment to address, celebrate and update you on; the state of midwifery, where 2020 has brought us, and how Barrie Midwives is looking forward to the year ahead!
Looking forward, not behind
It would be remiss if we didn’t address how this last year has affected the midwifery community as a whole.
As millions of people across the globe were dealing with the impacts of coronavirus, life was on hold. We were all forced to reexamine the small freedoms and daily rights that suddenly became a non-option.
And yet, life went on. From March through December, the Barrie Midwives had 295 births including 50 home births.
The urgency and importance of a cohesive healthcare community became starkly clear.
The entire midwifery community rose to meet challenges, amidst social isolation, new processes and protocols. Midwives across Ontario, along with healthcare workers and the staff who support them, deserve our highest praise.
On a personal note, the Barrie Midwives were faced with difficult and unexpected loss in 2020. The disappointment from which we may still be reeling, but which has only furthered our conviction to our practice, our partners and the Gold Standard of care that we strive to exemplify every single day.
Celebrating our Profession
Midwives have been at the heart of this pandemic.
Women continued to become pregnant, and they continued to choose midwifery as their primary source of care and support – whether in hospital under greater restrictions, or in the comfort of their homes – where they lovingly invited us in.
Even while these new regulations and restrictions left many of us feeling anxious about our profession and fearful of the future of healthcare – we showed up.
Even at the risk of infection, attending busy hospitals and isolating from our own families while we cared for others, so they could have the birthing experience they desired – we showed up.
Even while fighting for proper funding, and PPE support and recognition by the MOH as an essential service – we showed up.
There have been other, more personal struggles we know a lot of you have been through as well. And yet…
We show up.
We show up.
We show up.
For this – we celebrate you.
We stand with you.
We put on our masks.
and we show up again, tomorrow.
Barrie Midwives 2021 Outlook
Despite the difficult and uncertain time for our community and profession, we have to look to the future.
2020 will be considered a year of learning and resilience for us at the Barrie Midwives, albeit for different reasons than planned.
We have channeled that learning and resilience into: Hope, Mentoring and Leadership.
And it is our intention that YOU should be the benefactors of this! We are excited about new programs, resources and tools launching in 2021, for our clients and the community.
We have decided, as a collective practice, that we will step INTO our role as leaders in Client-Centered care and continue to be a resource, partner and steward for our professional community and the public.
We can’t wait to see the progress that lies ahead for our profession, and are hopeful that we can all be a positive and productive part of that shift – by continuing to work together.