Most pregnant people in Canada deliver their babies in the hospital. The Hamilton Midwives deliver babies at St Joseph’s Hospital. If you develop complications during your pregnancy that require Maternal Fetal Medicine (MFM) or the level 3 neonatal intensive care unit which is only available at McMaster, we can provide you with supportive care while there.

St Joseph's is the hospital of choice for expectant parents in Hamilton who are experiencing a healthy pregnancy. Our clients have access to the care and expertise of the wider medical team if complications arise. Read more.

Clients who deliver at St Joe's benefit from a "zero separation policy", which means that gestational parents and healthy babies are never apart (except for a brief time if a C-section is required in which case the other parent or another support person is welcome to go with the baby and even do skin-to-skin). St Joseph's is also very proud of their Baby Friendly Hospital designation. St Joe's is one of only 4 hospitals in the province (there are only 7 in Canada) which hold this designation, thanks to their commitment and hard work to promote and support breast/cheast feeding. St Joe's is a great place to be born. Click to hide.

We recommend that all our clients check out St. Joe’s website for the virtual tour of the Birthing Unit and Mother and Baby Unit, as well as attending a volunteer-led tour of the Labour and Delivery ward. We will provide you with a pre-registration package for the hospital. Filling out and sending in the registration package will make your admission to the hospital quicker and easier if you decide to or need to deliver there.
 
If you have your baby in the hospital, you will be offered an early discharge at 3 hours after the birth if all is well. If we recommend a longer stay we will discuss it with you. If you choose to stay on the postpartum ward to be cared for by the nurses, you are welcome to stay for 12–24hrs or longer if needed. Your midwife will visit you daily during your hospital stay.
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Our postpartum clients have access to 24hr on-call paging in case issues arise once you are home.

​Frequently asked questions about hospital birth

Can I have an epidural?

​Yes, if you need or want an epidural, all of our midwives have the training and experience required for you to have an epidural for pain relief in labour. Many of our clients choose this option. You can have an epidural once you are in good, strong, active labour. 

Is a natural birth in the hospital possible?

Yes! Midwives are the experts in helping clients deliver naturally, let us know if this is your goal, we will be delighted to help. Read more.

Preparation and realistic expectations are invaluable when planning a natural birth. Most people find labour to be both physically and emotionally challenging. It is one of the most powerful and intense times in a person's life. Taking prenatal classes to know what is happening in your body, what to expect, ways to cope and ways to help your body get on with its work is very useful. Click to hide.

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