Choosing Where to Give Birth…

Home

Here at Seventh Generation, our midwives can help you organize a home birth should that be your choice. Most homes in Toronto are suitable for home births including condos and apartments. Studies have shown that home birth with a midwife is a very safe option for women with no health problems or pregnancy related concerns. Talk to your midwife to see if a home birth is a good choice for you!

Our midwives will provide you with the supplied necessary for a home birth, free of charge.

If you choose to have a baby at home, your midwife may encourage you still to register at the hospital and get a hospital card, so that if you need to go to the hospital you will be able to get admitted very quickly.

Toronto Birth Centre

We are very lucky to be located right above the Toronto Birth Centre. A birthing centre is a regulated, community-based health care facility that offers pregnant people a safe, comfortable, family-centred place to give birth. Families using the Toronto Birth Centre are encouraged to incorporate their own culture, background, traditions and preferences in their experience. Supporting Indigenous families through pregnancy and birth is a particular focus of the Toronto Birth Centre.

You may stay at the birth centre for 2-4 hours after your baby’s birth, and then your midwives will help you prepare to be discharged home. The birth centre is not meant as a place to stay for an extended period of time following birth. In exceptional circumstances, the length of stay can be extended to a maximum of 6 hours. If you or your baby need closer observation after this time, you will need to transfer to hospital.

Please speak to your midwife about booking a spot to use the TBC facilities and birthing rooms.

Hospital

Our midwives have privileges at Sunnybrook Hospital located at 2075 Bayview Ave. We are the only midwifery clinic with privileges at Sunnybrook. This means that we can admit and discharge clients at the hospital and access hospital resources and other care providers as needed by clients, but can only do so at Sunnybrook. If you are interested in birthing at a different hospital, please consider a midwifery clinic with privileges there as we cannot attend a hospital birth with you unless it is at Sunnybrook.

Women with low-risk pregnancies and deliveries will be admitted to a family-friendly birthing suite. Sunnybrook's obstetricians use a model of 24-hour coverage so there is always a dedicated obstetrician covering the birthing unit. Patients will have their own physician for scheduled Caesarean sections during the day. For ultrasounds and high-risk pregnancy appointments at the hospital, we have two hospitalist midwives who can meet and attend them with you.