Celebrate Labour Day by Recognizing the Unsung Heroes of Labor: Midwives in Ontario

Press Release

TORONTO, Sept. 1, 2023 – As Ontario prepares to commemorate Labour Day, we invite media outlets across the province to shine a spotlight on the unsung heroes of labour – midwives. In honor of this important day dedicated to workers, we encourage you to consider interviewing a midwife to shed light on their crucial role in frontline health care.

“Labour Day is a time to acknowledge and celebrate the contributions of workers from all walks of life. This year, we encourage Ontarians to recognize the invaluable services provided by midwives in our communities. Midwives play a vital role in supporting families during one of the most transformative and significant moments in their lives,” Elizabeth Brandies, midwife, and labour specialist at the Association of Ontario Midwives.

Midwives are skilled healthcare professionals who provide comprehensive primary care to expectant parents throughout pregnancy, labour, birth, and the postpartum period. Working across both hospital and community settings, midwives support families and newborns in getting the best possible start in life.

Why Interview a Midwife on Labour Day?

Unique Perspective: Midwives offer a distinctive perspective on labor, highlighting the importance of client centered care and informed choice.

Community Impact: Midwives play a pivotal role in the health system, contributing to positive health outcomes while reducing the burden on hospitals and medical resources, including through out of hospital birth.

Inclusivity and Accessibility: Midwifery services are accessible to a diverse range of families, ensuring that reproductive care is inclusive and culturally sensitive.

Midwives champion pay equity and labour rights: Midwives are advocates for closing gender wage gaps and labour rights, and won a historic pay equity case in Ontario (https://www.ontariomidwives.ca/midwives-keep-winning-fight-close-gender-pay-gap).

Join us in honoring Ontario’s midwives this Labour Day and share their stories with your audience. Together, we can raise awareness of their invaluable contributions to our communities.

About the Association of Ontario Midwives:

The AOM advances the clinical and professional practice of Indigenous and Registered midwives in Ontario with a vision of midwives leading reproductive, pregnancy, birth, and newborn care across Ontario. There are over 1,000 midwives in Ontario, serving more than 250 communities across the province. Since midwifery became a regulated health profession in 1994, more than 250,000 babies have been born under midwifery care. For more information, visit: https://www.ontariomidwives.ca/midwifery-numbers.

For further information: To arrange an interview with midwife Elizabeth Brandeis, please contact Juana Berinstein at juana.berinstein@aom.on.ca or (416) 371-1468. Elizabeth Brandeis is an experienced midwife in Ontario who is eager to share her insights on Labour Day.

IHT5

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