Covid-19 Update October 3rd, 2023

Hello Strathcona Midwifery Families,

As we head into respiratory illness season, our policies are once again updated. Please review this information carefully before contacting your midwives, and keep in mind that these policies may need to shift again in the future.

 Appointment Information:

Surgical masks are highly recommended in our clinic. In order to protect our clients and our team, and as per the October 3rd provincial mandate, our staff and midwives will be wearing masks during all appointments.

One partner or support person and child may join in-person for each appointment as long as they are feeling well. Please do not bring children with a runny nose, a cough, or a fever.

Do not enter if you or anyone in your household has symptoms of Covid-19 or any contagious illness in the last 14 days – even with a recent negative rapid test. We must prevent the spread of all infections through the clinic.

Use hand sanitizer provided when you arrive, or wash your hands with soap and water.

Commonly Asked Questions:

Should I get my Covid booster?

Yes. We are recommending that all pregnant people follow the public health and SOGC recommendations and get their Covid vaccines and boosters. We recommend getting your booster as soon as you are eligible. You will be offered either the Moderna or Pfizer and either are an appropriate option. We do not recommend “shopping around” for an alternate booster vaccine option to what you are being offered.

Should I test for Covid?

If you have symptoms outlined by public health, or have had a close contact (not wearing a mask and within 6 ft) please get tested and isolate as recommended here.

When to get a Covid-19 Test - BC CDC

Where should I get a Covid test?

Book an appointment at a testing site near you. You can find information regarding testing sites here

Should I inform my midwife if I am Covid positive?

Yes. However, this is NOT an emergency call, and you do not need to phone the pager number unless you have severe symptoms that require emergent care or have concerns that need immediate attention. If you have mild symptoms or are asymptomatic, please send our office an email to inform us that you are covid positive. We will discuss it at your next scheduled appointment. 

If your next midwifery appointment falls within your isolation window, please call the clinic and have your appointment changed to a virtual appointment. We will rebook you in clinic when appropriate.

What is safe to take in pregnancy to manage Covid symptoms?

Generally managing symptoms with natural remedies is best. Make sure you stay well hydrated and nourished and rest as much as possible. 

To manage fever and body aches it is safe to take up to 1000mg of acetaminophen (Tylenol) every 6 hours. Please do not take Tylenol cold and flu as this has added ingredients that are not safe for pregnancy.

To manage nasal congestion use a saline nose spray (such as Salinex), and drink lots of water. 

To manage cough: drink lots of fluids and sip on warm tea or broth. You can use regular cough drops. Sometimes antihistamines can help with a cough, and Diphenhydramine (found in Benadryl) is safe to take in pregnancy. If you need to use a cough syrup, one with dextromethorphan (found in Benylin) will help if you have a persistent dry cough. If your cough is wet, do not use an expectorant cough syrup without talking to a pharmacist or midwife.

We continue to wish you all the best through these changing times!

The Strathcona Midwifery team

Covid-19 Update June 2023

Hello Strathcona Midwifery Families,

We have once again shifted our Covid-19 policies to reflect our current public health recommendations. Please review this information carefully before contacting your midwives, and keep in mind that these policies may need to shift again in the future.

 Appointment Information:

Surgical masks are recommended in our clinic, but not required. In order to protect our clients and our team, our staff and midwives will still be wearing masks during appointments.

One partner or support person and child may join in-person for each appointment as long as they are feeling well. Please do not bring children with a runny nose, a cough, or a fever.

Do not enter if you or anyone in your household has symptoms of Covid-19 or any contagious illness in the last 14 days – even with a recent negative rapid test. We must prevent the spread of all infections through the clinic.

Use hand sanitizer provided when you arrive, or wash your hands with soap and water.

Commonly Asked Questions:

Should I get my Covid booster?

Yes. We are recommending that all pregnant people follow the public health and SOGC recommendations and get their Covid vaccines and boosters. We recommend getting your booster as soon as you are eligible. You will be offered either the Moderna or Pfizer and either are an appropriate option. We do not recommend “shopping around” for an alternate booster vaccine option to what you are being offered.

Should I test for Covid?

If you have symptoms outlined by public health, or have had a close contact (not wearing a mask and within 6 ft) please get tested and isolate as recommended here.

When to get a Covid-19 Test - BC CDC

Where should I get a Covid test?

Book an appointment at a testing site near you. You can find information regarding testing sites here

Should I inform my midwife if I am Covid positive?

Yes. However, this is NOT an emergency call, and you do not need to phone the pager number unless you have severe symptoms that require emergent care or have concerns that need immediate attention. If you have mild symptoms or are asymptomatic, please send our office an email to inform us that you are covid positive. We will discuss it at your next scheduled appointment. 

If your next midwifery appointment falls within your isolation window, please call the clinic and have your appointment changed to a virtual appointment. We will rebook you in clinic when appropriate.

What is safe to take in pregnancy to manage Covid symptoms?

Generally managing symptoms with natural remedies is best. Make sure you stay well hydrated and nourished and rest as much as possible. 

To manage fever and body aches it is safe to take up to 1000mg of acetaminophen (Tylenol) every 6 hours. Please do not take Tylenol cold and flu as this has added ingredients that are not safe for pregnancy.

To manage nasal congestion use a saline nose spray (such as Salinex), and drink lots of water. 

To manage cough: drink lots of fluids and sip on warm tea or broth. You can use regular cough drops. Sometimes antihistamines can help with a cough, and Diphenhydramine (found in Benadryl) is safe to take in pregnancy. If you need to use a cough syrup, one with dextromethorphan (found in Benylin) will help if you have a persistent dry cough. If your cough is wet, do not use an expectorant cough syrup without talking to a pharmacist or midwife.

We continue to wish you all the best through these changing times!

The Strathcona Midwifery team

Covid-19 Update May 2022

Hello Strathcona Midwifery families,

Happy Spring! As we move through another stage of the COVID-19 pandemic we are once again shifting our COVID policies to reflect current public health recommendations and ensure we provide you the best possible care while keeping families, midwives and staff safe. We will also answer a few commonly asked questions below. Please read through this information carefully before contacting your midwives and keep in mind that these policies may need to shift again in the future should COVID infections rise once again.

Appointment Information:

Although the mask mandate has been lifted, masks are still required in health care settings and that includes within our office and the common spaces in our office building. There are many elderly and vulnerable folks who see the doctors in our building and we wish to keep common spaces such as the elevators and washrooms as safe as we can. Your midwife will be wearing a mask for all visits in the clinic and at home and during your labour and birth. We ask that you (and your family members) continue to wear a mask when we visit your home unless you are labouring. 

We also remind people that mask wearing in public remains recommended and is an effective way to protect yourself from the virus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports significantly greater risks of developing severe illness from COVID-19 for pregnant people compared to people who are not pregnant. Getting COVID-19 during pregnancy also increases the risk of preterm delivery and other pregnancy complications. Getting vaccinated, staying home when sick, visiting others outdoors or in small groups, wearing masks in indoor public spaces, increasing ventilation, and washing your hands are all important measures that will reduce the spread of COVID-19.

We are now welcoming ONE adult support person to your prenatal and postpartum visits. We still ask that you consider coming on your own or having partners/support people attend virtually when appropriate. We continue to ask that children remain at home.

This will increase the traffic in the clinic and in order to keep the number of people in the waiting area down, we ask you to please arrive on time for your visit. When people arrive early or late our waiting area starts to become quite full.  If you arrive to your visit and see that there are already 5 or more people in the waiting room please inform our administrators that you are here and wait outside the office for us to call you in. 

Apart from the initial phone visit, all our visits will now be conducted in person if that is your preference. We will continue to offer some virtual visits for those who request it or if you or members of your household are ill at the time of your scheduled appointment. Please DO NOT come to the clinic if you or a household member have ANY cold/flu or contagious illness symptoms, even with a recent negative covid test. We must prevent the spread of all infections through the clinic. If you have any cold or flu symptoms, please isolate and get tested for covid. Please do not come to the clinic if any household members have tested positive for covid, even if you have tested negative.

COVID-19 infection continues to circulate widely and there is evidence of a new wave and new variants emerging. We will continue to monitor the impacts on healthcare settings and on pregnant people and adjust our policies as needed. Stay safe everyone. 

Commonly Asked Questions:

Should I get my Covid booster?

Yes. We are recommending that all pregnant people follow the public health and SOGC recommendations and get their Covid vaccines and boosters. We recommend getting your booster as soon as you are eligible. You will be offered either the Moderna or Pfizer and either are an appropriate option. We do not recommend “shopping around” for an alternate booster vaccine option to what you are being offered.

Should I test for Covid?

If you have symptoms outlined by public health, or have had a close contact (not wearing a mask and within 6 ft) please get tested and isolate as recommended here.

When to get a Covid-19 Test - BC CDC

Where should I get a Covid test?

Book an appointment at a testing site near you. You can find information regarding testing sites here

Many testing sites are sending people home with tests to do themselves - if you test positive don’t forget to report it here

Should I inform my midwife if I am Covid positive?

Yes. However, this is NOT an emergency call, and you do not need to phone the pager number unless you have severe symptoms that require emergent care or have concerns that need immediate attention. If you have mild symptoms or are asymptomatic, please send our office an email to inform us that you are covid positive. We will discuss it at your next scheduled appointment. 

If your next midwifery appointment falls within your isolation window, please call the clinic and have your appointment changed to a virtual appointment. We will rebook you in clinic when appropriate.

What is safe to take in pregnancy to manage Covid symptoms?

Generally managing symptoms with natural remedies is best. Make sure you stay well hydrated and nourished and rest as much as possible. 

To manage fever and body aches it is safe to take up to 1000mg of acetaminophen (Tylenol) every 6 hours. Please do not take Tylenol cold and flu as this has added ingredients that are not safe for pregnancy.

To manage nasal congestion use a saline nose spray (such as Salinex), and drink lots of water. 

To manage cough: drink lots of fluids and sip on warm tea or broth. You can use regular cough drops. Sometimes antihistamines can help with a cough, and Diphenhydramine (found in Benadryl) is safe to take in pregnancy. If you need to use a cough syrup, one with dextromethorphan (found in Benylin) will help if you have a persistent dry cough. If your cough is wet, do not use an expectorant cough syrup without talking to a pharmacist or midwife.

We wish you all the best during the challenging time.

The Strathcona Midwifery team.

COVID-19 Update

Hello Strathcona Midwifery families,

We hope you all had a relaxing summer. As we head into the fall we need to remain vigilant and careful so that we protect ourselves and each other from getting sick, especially with Covid-19.

We want to remind you of our Covid-19 policies at the clinic:

• If you or someone in your household is sick with cold or flu symptoms or is in quarantine please do not come to your scheduled appointment. Contact your midwife to make a plan.

• Please wear a mask to your clinic appointment. We have masks on site if you didn’t bring yours.

• Please come alone to your appointment if possible. We ask at this time that no partners or kids join you in the clinic. We know this is hard but at this time we need to minimize the potential for exposure to Covid-19 through our clinic.

• Our clinic visit schedule is reduced to only medically necessary appointments. Some appointments will be on the phone. Please speak to your midwife to discuss how frequently you will be coming into the clinic in pregnancy and postpartum.

• We support our clients to birth at home or in the hospital.

• In the hospital for your birth, you will be allowed 1 support person and a certified doula.

• At home, for visits or a home birth we request only household members be present plus an additional support person for the birth.

• Please speak to your midwife if you have any questions about these policies. We always want to do our best to meet your needs and keep everyone safe and well cared for!

We thank you for all that you are doing to keep yourself and others safe. We understand how hard it is to be pregnant at this time and appreciate your flexibility and support as we continue to provide the best care to our clients in a global pandemic.

Your Strathcona Midwifery team.

Strathcona Midwifery COVID-19 Update

Hello Strathcona Midwifery families,

We hope you are doing well and are continuing to stay home except when essential. Here are some important updates from the clinic as well as for your general safety and knowledge. Please know that you can always page your midwife with any urgent concerns.

The counsellor who works at our clinic, Lara Ellison is now offering all phone and web based appointments. If you are needing extra support you can contact Lara via her website at https://www.laraellisontherapy.com/

Clinic plan:

We need to keep visits short in clinic in order to reduce the possibility of transmission. We know that transmission increases after 15-30min in close contact with another person.

We are continuing to see people in clinic but in a limited way that allows the midwives to stagger the visits, to reduce traffic in the space and keep the clinic disinfected. When you come for your visit, we ask that if possible, you come alone. Please wash and dry your hands as soon as you enter the clinic. We also continue to ask that you stay home and let us know if you or someone in your household has any cold or flu symptoms and/or have travelled outside of Canada in the last 14 days.

The visit schedule we are following is in line with the World Health Organization and Center for Diesease Control prenatal schedule. It will be slightly different for each person but overall looks like this:
    - Intake- phone call
    - Short clinic visit at weeks, 12, 20, 24, 28, 32, 36, 38, 40, 41w and more as needed.

You will be receiving a call from one of your midwives before any booked appointment to review your needs over the phone, answer your questions, plan for testing and confirm when you need to come into the clinic. You will then be seen in clinic for a quick visit do any physical checks.

Please check your voicemail, we are leaving you messages when we call and can’t get through. We ask that you please do not call your midwives or the clinic to ask about your next appointment. We are working round the clock to call everyone, rearrange clinic all while still catching so many babies!

Home visits:

We are still seeing people at home after the baby is born, but again are adapting that visit schedule and plan. For home visits we are conducting the visit by phone from our cars and then having a short visit in your home.

To keep you, your family and your midwives safe when we visit you at home, either in early labour, for a home birth or for postpartum home visits, we have a few new requests.

- We need you to tell us if you or anyone in your household is sick or has travelled in the last 14 days.
- We need you to have in your home, liquid soap, paper towels or clean dish clothes for us to dry our hands.
- We may request that you wear a mask that your midwives will provide. We cannot visit you at home if anyone in your household is in quarantine.

If you are planning a home birth:
- We need you to have a thermometer.
- We ask that you limit the number of people at your home birth to essential supports only, this can include your immediate family and one support person of your choice, who may or may not be an official doula.
- Before we come in your home, we will be screening you and your household members for any COVID-19 risks.
- We will also have a lower threshold to transfer into the hospital in order to ensure we can access the care we need in a timely manner.

UPDATE ON PREGNANCY AND AFTER THE BABY COMES
The increased risk for older people and those with chronic health issues has received a lot of coverage, but there has been less information for people who are pregnant or just had a baby. 

On Thursday Mar 19, BC Women’s Hospital experts updated care providers at web-based rounds and The BC Centre for Disease Control also released guidelines. Below are some highlights:


Pregnancy
* Pregnant patients are NOT more susceptible to contracting Covid-19
* It is expected the large majority of pregnant people will experience only mild or moderate cold/flu like symptoms.
* Less than 20% will develop severe symptoms
* Pregnant patients with mild COVID 19+ symptoms should be kept at home in self-isolation when possible. Most pregnant people will only experience mild or moderate cold/flu like symptoms. Visitors should be kept to a minimum
* Care should be done by Telephone or other Virtual health options where possible
* Pregnant people should be advised NOT to come to hospital unless they are in need of urgent obstetric or medical care
* While pregnant people with symptoms should self-isolate at home, if these symptoms are in the 3rd trimester, swab for Covid-19 and influenza. Page your midwife if you are in the 3rd trimester and experiencing the above symptoms.

Hospital Labour
* Only one support person may accompany you in labour at the hospital (Doulas with hospital ID/appropriate certification are allowed)
* At St Paul’s currently for a C-section, the midwife and partner will be allowed in for planned c-sections, in the event of an emergency c-section, only the midwife will be allowed in the OR.
* Currently entonox (laughing gas) is not available in hospital due to lack of an adequate filter to screen airborne particles

Postpartum
* There are no visitors allowed in the hospital during your stay
* If the birthing parent is Covid-19 positive, keeping them and baby together is recommended
* Birthing parent to wear mask and utilize strict hand washing protocol for nursing and skin to skin 
* Nursing is encouraged because the protective effect of nursing is particularly strong against infectious diseases through directly transferring antibodies and other important immune factors to the baby
* Test infant for COVID-19 No isolation of infant from birthing parent unless clinically indicated by disease severity
* Where appropriate, early discharge of the baby with a parent or caregiver, should be facilitated

Covid-19 - Symptoms
* Incubation of Covid-19 is 1-14 days but mostly 3-7 days (average 5 days)
* Most will get a mild respiratory illness: 89% fever; 68% cough; 38% fatigue; 34% sputum production (thick mucous when coughing); 19% shortness of breath; 14% sore throat; 14% headache
* Uncommonly, there will be diarrhea and vomiting
* Sore throat, runny nose, and muscle aches are uncommon, so it is not typical of the flu or a cold

New Provincial Covid-19 Symptoms Self-Assessment Website Launched
This site is updated as recommendations from the BC Centre for Disease Control evolve.
https://www.thrive.health/covid19

WORK ABSENCE & EMPLOYMENT INSURANCE
Thanks to Dr Jennifer‌ ‌Robson, at ‌Carleton‌ ‌University for putting together this comprehensive document regarding Employment Insurance.
As per instructions from the Minister of Health and the Provincial Medical Officer of Health, you will not need a note to miss work if you have symptoms:
https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2020HLTH0077-000484

People in quarantine (including those who are not sick and those whose workplace is closed to enforce social distancing) can apply for Employment Insurance Medical Leave. You do not need a medical certificate from your doctor, NP or midwife:
https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/corporate/notices/coronavirus.html

OTHER RESOURCES:
The Midwives association of BC has an info page that is always being updated at, https://www.bcmidwives.com/covid-19-updates-for-midwifery-clients-pregnant-people.html?fbclid=IwAR2sH3mwUDoLKKEH_fG6gPPVvb9PC7NiAY6YYKM41n_HjnBN8R-rEFBL4h0

The BCCDC is also always being updated, http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19?fbclid=IwAR2dIYxEpNe6g9R0OGjyVi-mCYhnMl5YqoJxvB1nZapDcguA-wGjzFIetCE


We hope this information is helpful to you,

Take care,
The Strathcona Midwifery Team

Strathcona Midwives Past & Present Honoured as "Midwife of the Month"

Every month the Midwives Association of BC (MABC)  honours practicing midwives for their extraordinary contributions to current issues facing the profession and serves to introduce the public to a broad spectrum of midwives working in our province.

BC Midwife of the Month, October: Cora Beitel

posted on October 6, 2017

MABC is pleased to present Cora Beitel as our October Midwife of the Month for their dedication to advancing inclusive midwifery care for LGBTQIA2S families in BC. Beitel is a founding member of the Strathcona Midwifery Collective in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. They co-facilitate and organize the Queer and Trans Pregnancy and Parenting Group – a monthly group that provides support, resources and community dialogue for queer and trans folks on the parenting journey – and have been advocating for safer pregnancy and birth care for the trans and queer community through presentations, committees, and policy development. Beitel is also a parent of two, a partner, a knitter, a weightlifter, and an avid community gardener. Please read our complete interview here.

BC Midwives of the Month, March & April: Marijke de Zwager, Lauren Redman, Kayley Redgers & Tia Felix

posted on March 22, 2017

Tia Felix, Baby Ronan, Kayley Redgers, Lauren Redman, Marijke de Zwager & Baby Shay

MABC is pleased to present Marijke de Zwager, Lauren Redman, Kayley Redgers & Tia Felix as our March & April Midwives of the Month for providing exceptional care to Indigenous youth and underserved communities facing barriers to care. Marijke, Lauren, Kayley and student midwife Tia all work together at Strathcona Midwifery Collective and the Urban Native Youth Association. Marijke, Tia and Lauren are active members of MABC's Committee for Indigenous Birthing lead by Evelyn George. Learn more about these social justice-minded midwives and the communities they serve through our conversation—it's a long and fascinating one so you might want to make a pot of tea and get comfortable! Read the complete article here.

Our own Cora Beitel the recipient of 2015 Midwifery Access Award!

Every year the Midwives Association of BC (MABC) honours a BC midwife with the Midwifery Access Award. This year our own Cora Beitel, a founding member of the Strathcona Midwifery Collective, was given the award for distinguished service to BC families. She wrote the following about our work at the Collective for the MABC newsletter. 

The Strathcona Midwifery Collective was founded in 2011 as a Downtown Eastside (DTES) Vancouver midwifery practice. Our vision was to create a community space that was accessible and nourishing to both our clients and families and to the midwives. It is an honour for us to receive the UBC Access award and have our clinic and work publicly acknowledged.

At the Strathcona Midwifery Collective we strive to build community in an environment that nurtures and supports families and babies through community participation. Many people face barriers to appropriate health care, including prenatal and midwifery care. By centering our care in the community, creating a welcoming and accessible clinical space, and providing clinical care in a non-hierarchical way we collaborate with the people in our care to overcome some of those barriers.

The clinic has changed a lot over the past few years, today we are group of seven midwives who work together making decisions as a collective and all have different specialties and ways of caring for our community. One team focuses their care on Spanish speaking and Aboriginal families offering prenatal clinics through UNYA, the Urban Native Youth Association. One team has expertise in care for transgender clients. And the third team offers home visits for all prenatal and postpartum care for families who prefer home care or who face barriers in coming to the clinic space. All teams do outreach in the DTES to care for clients who face barriers to accessing midwifery care. We are always looking for ways to connect and make partnerships with other individuals or organizations doing complementary work!

The Strathcona Midwifery Collective was established as the clinical arm of the Maternal Health and Empowerment Society. At the clinic, all of our midwives donate 3% of our monthly earnings to the MHES fund. This fund is then used to support community projects geared towards growing families in the Downtown Eastside.

We are dedicated to affordable and accessible care; therefore our community gatherings and groups are free or by donation to ensure equal participation from all in the communities we serve. Some examples of our groups are a “prenatal in a day” class, a breastfeeding social, a parenting drop-in and a queer and trans pregnancy and parenting group (QTPP).

I co-facilitate the QTPP group that offers support and community building to folks on the parenting journey who identify as queer or transgender. It has been a very successful group that has met a need in the LGBTQ community for a gathering space to share social time, engage in dialogue, and share resources.

The midwives at the Strathcona Midwifery Collective are growing along with the needs of the communities we serve and aim to engage in meaningful ways with our families, honouring the parenting journey as central in growing a healthy world.

Cora Beitel RM, co-founder of the Strathcona Midwifery Collective. 

Canadian Association of Midwives:Statement on Gender Inclusivity & Human Rights

The Canadian Association issued a statement on Gender Inclusivity & Human Rights in September of 2015. The midwives at the Strathcona Midwifery Collective are committed to welcoming all clients and providing them with compassionate, culturally safe care regardless of gender identity or gender expression.

The full statement can be read here.