Honouring midwives and upholding human rights this IDM
Date: May 1, 2024
May 5 marks the International Day of the Midwife. In recognition of this day, the AOM would like to honour and acknowledge all midwives who uphold the rights and dignity of birthing people and newborns, especially those midwives living and working in crisis situations in areas such as Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Palestine, Yemen and Haiti.
Honouring Dr. Sylvia Maracle at the Ontario Midwifery Conference, May 28, 2024
Date: April 30, 2024
The AOM is honoured to celebrate the extraordinary contributions of Dr. Sylvia Maracle (Skonaganleh:ra), Wolf Clan, from Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory, whose pivotal role in the advancement of Indigenous midwifery in Ontario will be recognized at the Ontario Midwifery Conference (OMC) on May 28, 2024…
AOM Indigenous Midwifery team attends inaugural First Nations Community Wellness Conference 2024
Date: April 3, 2024
The AOM Indigenous Midwifery (IM) delegation had the honour of attending the inaugural First Nations Community Wellness Conference (FNCWC) in Toronto from March 19-21, 2024. The event, organized by the Chiefs of Ontario, served as a forum for over 750 participants with the united goal of improving community wellness among Ontario First Nations. The conference was a collaboration across sectors, including Ontario First Nations Leadership, First Nations community workers and government representatives from across Ontario.
AOM advocates for prescribing to scope of practice
Date: March 19, 2024
The AOM has joined a coalition of Ontario health professions, including nurse practitioners, pharmacists, naturopaths, chiropodists and optometrists, advocating for providers to prescribe to their scope of practice. The coalition aims to identify principles and a framework for prescribing authority…
ESW 2023 year in review
Date: February 20, 2024
Midwives are required to have specialized skills and training to deal with emergencies that occur outside the hospital and in the hospital setting. The AOM’s Emergency Skills Workshop (ESW) is a comprehensive, high-quality, College of Midwives of Ontario-certified course, designed and taught by mid…
Black History Month: Uniting in solidarity to confront injustice and inequity
Date: February 7, 2024
As we honour Black History Month, it is imperative to reflect on the current state of society and midwifery's role in advancing racial justice and human rights. Recent events have highlighted a dangerous regression in our collective efforts to combat anti-Black racism and promote diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, particularly in workplaces and educational institutions. We are witnessing challenges to DEI initiatives, with some labeling them as discriminatory. Black people rising to success continue to face extraordinary tests and attempts to shame them.
A successful morning at Queen's Park: MPPs and midwives connect over breakfast
Date: November 1, 2023
Pictured above: Midwives Elizabeth Brandeis and Manavi Handa use a doll to demonstrate to MPP Chris Glover how midwives weigh babies at routine postpartum visits at the Queen's Park event on October 26. On Oct. 26, 2023 the AOM hosted a breakfast event at Queen’s Park, bringing together Member…
Valuing midwives: Providing care to the most vulnerable
Date: October 25, 2023
This month, as part of the Valuing Midwives Campaign, midwife Simone Rosenberg met with her local Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP), Peter Tabuns. She and her midwife colleague Christie Lockhart also hosted Stephanie Bowman MPP at the Midwives Clinic of East York - Don Mills, introducing her to clients who spoke highly of their experiences with midwives at the practice group. These meetings gave Simone an opportunity to discuss the role midwives play in providing care, including to pregnant people without health insurance. Midwives Clinic of East York provides care to over 700 pregnant people and their families each year. Of those, about 10% are people without health insurance. The May 2023 Health Network for Uninsured Clients (HNUC) conservatively estimates there are currently upwards of 500 000 people living in Ontario without health insurance.
Ontarians recognize the value of midwives to clients, families and the health-care system
Date: October 10, 2023
In Ontario, midwives bring value to the health system. Last year, 26 000 families received midwifery care, accounting for 20% of all births in the province. Midwives bring value to the health system in many ways, including by providing care in the community, so hospital resources are available for those who need them most. But it’s not only the greater health system that benefits from midwifery. Clients and their families across Ontario deeply value midwifery care. The AOM spoke to clients from across the province to hear from them directly about what they value about midwifery.
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation 2023
Date: September 27, 2023
September 30 marks the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a national public holiday to honour the Indigenous survivors of residential schools, their families and communities, as well as the many children whose lives were lost at these notorious institutions. Declared in 2021, this national day of commemoration coincides with Orange Shirt Day and responds to Call 80 of the 94 Calls to Action intended to ensure the history of residential schools remains a vital component of the reconciliation process.