Frequently Asked Questions

We are a team of family physicians, registered midwives, nurses and doulas working together to offer you complete care during your pregnancy, labour and the birth of your baby, and postpartum care up to six weeks.

Your first appointment is a one-on-one session with a family physician, midwife, or nurse practitioner to see if SCBP is right for you. Following 2-3 more private visits, you will be invited to join our Connecting Pregnancy (CP) group care sessions with 10-12 other women due to have their babies around the same time as you. You can also choose to continue with one-on-one prenatal care.

You will see the doctor/midwife/nurse practitioner once a month for the first 4-5 months, and then twice a month and often weekly at the end of your pregnancy. These visits take place during your participation in the CP groups or are booked privately for individual care. The CP group meets on the same day and time for 2 hours throughout your pregnancy. Since you know well ahead of time when your group will meet, you can plan your schedule around these times well in advance. Your support people (husbands, partners, family members, etc) are welcome to join you at the CP groups or at your prenatal visits.

We offer IUD insertions and have a fairly high volume of these at our clinic. You need to discuss this with a doctor or NP prior to your insertion, and need to have a prescription so you can bring your IUD to your appointment with you.Once you enter the SCBP, all your maternity care will be provided by our doctors/midwives/nurse practitioners. You will continue to see your family physician for care unrelated to your pregnancy, such as a sprained wrist or for a pre-existing condition (i.e. allergies).

We provide postpartum care up to six weeks after you have your baby. You will return to your own family doctor after your postpartum care is completed.

We offer a range of appointment times to meet your needs, including morning, late afternoon and occasionally evening appointments. We are not open on weekends.

You will be cared for and supported by a team of doctors, midwives, nurses and doulas. Our program is a shared care model so you will receive care from both doctors and midwives throughout your pregnancy, labour and birth and postpartum period. Our goal is to give you a safe and positive birth experience. When appropriate, we will support you to stay at home as long as possible in early labour and return to your home to check up on you and your baby if you leave the hospital in under 24 hours following the birth. Home and clinic visits with a doctor or midwife and our nurses/lactation consultants will provide you with excellent support in the first weeks after your baby arrives.

When your labour begins, the Doula will join you at the hospital when you are admitted. During labour, you will be supported by your doula and she keeps in regular contact with the doctor or midwife on call. Your doctor/midwife may check on you at home during labour and when you are ready, will admit you to BC Women’s hospital.

Our nurses run a postpartum and breastfeeding support drop-in clinic every Wednesday from 12:00pm to 2:00pm. Check our website under Programs and Events for news on the topics planned for discussion at drop-in.

Midwives, like family physicians, are primary care providers trained and skilled in providing care during pregnancy, labour and birth, and the postpartum period. Our program is a shared-care model so you will receive care from both physicians and midwives throughout your pregnancy, labour and birth and postpartum. You will have either a midwife or physician with you when you give birth to your baby.

Doulas are trained childbirth attendants who provide women with continuous physical and emotional comfort and support throughout childbirth. Whether it is a hand to hold, someone to lean on, or words of comfort during the pains of labour, women have been helping other women through childbirth for centuries. The SCBP has incorporated this age old tradition into its services by offering pregnant women the assistance of a doula.

The doula does not provide clinical care, nor does she take the place of your family during your labour. She works with your family members during your labour and delivery to ensure your physical and emotional needs are met. We make every effort to match you with a doula who speaks your language.

The program is open to women who live in Vancouver.

We can accept a small number of women living outside Vancouver (eg; Burnaby, Richmond or North Vancouver), but we are happy to refer you to another doctor or midwife in those areas.

SCBP midwifery and physician services are covered by the British Columbia Medical Services Plan, so there is no cost for women with provincial health insurance. We ask that clients pay a small fee of $350 for their Connecting Pregnancy group prenatal care, and our doula program fee is determined based on a sliding scale of your income. Most people pay between $650-$950+ as doula rates in the Vancouver region generally start at $1,500-$2,500+ . SCBP makes every effort to provide all clients with doula support, and involvement in Connecting Pregnancy group care. If you are not able to pay these fees, please talk to our program coordinator.

For more information about BC health insurance, visit: hibc.gov.bc.ca

For labour, birth and emergencies related to the pregnancy, a doctor or midwife is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by paging: 604-875-2161 (please ask for the care provider on call for the South Community Birth Program)