Birthing & Mothering Support

Birth Centre

Birth Centre

603 St. Mary’s Road
Winnipeg, Manitoba
R2M 3L8

Number of births since December 2011: 170 (as of April 29th, 2013) 

For more information about programs & services at the Birth Centre, please see the Frequently Asked Questions section below or contact us:

Phone: 204-947-2422 ext 300
Toll-free: 1-866-947-1517

Please click on the link for a photo tour of the Birth Centre on Flickr.

Community Events at the Birth Centre

Calendar of Events at the Birth Centre - April 2013

Rhyme & Story Time - May 1 - June 19, 2013

Professional Development at the Birth Centre

Watch this space for upcoming professional development opportunities at the Birth Centre.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Birth Centre

What services does the Birth Centre offer?

The Birth Centre offers women and their families a range of primary maternity services. These include:

  • prenatal, pregnancy and postpartum care
  • counselling services
  • health education programs on parenting and newborn care

What are the features of the Birth Centre?                                                                                                                                                  

The Birth Centre offers women a comfortable, home-like setting to give birth. There are four large birthing rooms. Each has a large shower and tub, a double bed, and comfortable chairs for those who support the woman through the birth.

The Birth Centre also has a lounge with a kitchen where a woman’s family and support people can wait and rest.

Clinical facilities and meeting spaces are also available at the Birth Centre.                                                                                        

Who provides services at the Birth Centre?

The primary care providers are midwives registered with the College of Midwives of Manitoba and employed by the Winnipeg Health Region. There are four permanent midwive positions at the Birth Centre. However, any midwife employed by the Winnipeg Health Region can provide clinical and birthing services to her clients at the Birth Centre.

There are no doctors at the birth centre.

Birth Centre support staff includes medical assistants, health educators, counsellors and administrative staff.

How can I give birth at the Birth Centre?

Women who want to birth at the Birth Centre must be in the primary care of a WRHA midwife. They also must be healthy and having a normal and uncomplicated pregnancy. They will be assessed to be sure that they meet the standards set by the College of Midwives of Manitoba for a safe out-of-hospital birth.

Please click on the link for more information on how to get a WRHA midwife.

Please click on the link to see the College of Midwives Standard for Planned Out of Hospital Birth. 

What is the Birth Centre's plan for emergencies?

Each birth room has the supplies and equipment needed to manage a normal birth, including non-urgent complications. In an emergency, the mother and baby will be transferred to the most appropriate hospital. The Birth Centre has a special entrance with easy access if emergency vehicles are needed.

For more information on the Birth Centre

For more information on the Birth Centre, please see:

Birth Centre fact sheet - English [PDF 167 KB]

Birth Centre fact sheet - French [PDF 169 KB]

Principles of Service for the Birth Centre [PDF 164 KB].

For more information on the development of the Birth Centre, please see:

Birth Centre original proposal [PDF 1.18 MB]

Please click the link to see construction photos of the  Birth Centre  on Flickr.

Midwifery Services

Midwifery

For more information about midwifery services in Winnipeg, please call Central Intake for Midwifery Services at 204-947-2422, ext 307.

Please click the following link for a listing of practice locations for Manitoba midwives or call the College of Midwives of Manitoba at 204-783-4520.

What are midwives?

Midwives are health care professionals trained to provide prenatal, labour and birth, and postpartum care. All practicing midwives must be registered with the College of Midwives of Manitoba. Midwives respect and support each woman’s right to make choices about her care, caregiver and place of birth.

Midwives offer the following care:

During pregnancy:

  • Comprehensive prenatal care at home or in clinic
  • All necessary prenatal testing (examples: blood work, ultrasound)

During birth:

  • Choice of hospital or home birth
  • Care and support during labour and delivery

After the baby is born:

  • Breastfeeding support
  • Care for mother and baby through home or clinic visits for 6 weeks after the birth
  • Early parenting education

Other services midwives can provide:

  • Prescribe and administer certain drugs
  • Order certain tests
  • Admit to hospital
  • Consults with doctors and other health care professionals when needed
  • Discuss and may provide complementary therapies related to pregnancy, birth and postpartum care

For more information on midwifery practices, please see the College of Midwives of Manitoba standards of practice online.

Mothering Support

Having a baby, whether by birth or adoption, changes your life. Our Mothers Program offers a range of community-based services in Winnipeg to support mothers through these changes.

For more information on any of the following mothering support services, please call the Mothers Program assistant at 204-947-2422, ext. 113.

Families Connecting Support Groups

Families Connecting is a Healthy Baby Community Support Program designed to assist soon-to-be and new parents to connect with health service providers and other parents with children in their communities.

The drop-in setting is informal and relaxing and allows parents to share experiences and learn together.  All speakers, topics and activities are planned from suggestions by the parents who attend the group. 

Each site offers:

  • Outreach support
  • Public health nurse
  • Dietitian
  • Healthy snacks
  • Bus tickets
  • Milk coupons (for women who are pregnant & up to 6 months postpartum)
  • Free child-care while you attend the group

Activities include:

  • Speakers
  • Cooking
  • Child development
  • Parenting programs and more

Families Connecting meets:

  • Mondays                    10:00 am  - 12:00 noon           395 Jefferson Ave. (Seven Oaks)
  • Tuesdays                    1:00 pm  -    3:00 pm               209 Yale Avenue W. (Transcona)
  • Tuesdays                    9:45 am  -  11:45 am              725 Kylemore Ave. (South Osborne)   
  • Wednesdays              9:30 am  -  11:30 am              109 Pulford St. (Osborne Village)
  • Wednesdays              5:00 pm  -    7:00 pm               975 Henderson  (River East)            
  • Fridays                        9:30 am  -  11:30 am               257 Riverton Ave. (Elmwood)

Please note: Groups do not meet on public holidays.

For more information on Healthy Baby Prenatal Benefit and Community Support Programming, please see: Manitoba Healthy Baby Programs

Coping with Change Workshops

Women’s Health Clinic developed Coping with Change workshops for parents in the community and the service providers who work with them to build knowledge and support about how parenting changes our lives.

Coping with Change for parents

You’ve attended prenatal classes or pre-adoption workshops and now baby is home. What’s next?

Coping with Change workshops can help you understand the everyday changes that happen when a baby enters your life.

Coping with Change  postnatal workshops for parents: Access River East (975 Henderson Hwy) - May 2013

Registration required.  To register, please call the Mothers Progam assistant at 204-947-2422, ext. 113.

Coping with Change for service providers

Professional development seminars designed to provide health and social service providers with knowledge and skills to help normalize a woman’s experience after giving birth or adopting a baby.

For more information on any of the above mothering support services, please call the Mothers Program assistant at 204-947-2422, ext. 113.