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 appointments at FBC will be run by either a family physician or midwife. We have different members of the team in office every day so you will have a chance to meet all of our team members throughout your pregnancy. At the same time, we have a member of our team “on call” at the hospital 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, delivering babies and being available for your emergent concerns and assessments.

The initial appointment is generally 40 mins, depending on your medical history, how many weeks you are, if you have had any care elsewhere, if this is your first, what tests you’ve already had done (if any). The subsequent visits are generally much 20-30 mins unless any concerns arise.

The first visit we go over yours and your partner’s medical history, review if you have had any surgeries, medications, prior pregnancies, lifestyle concerns (exercise, nutrition, smoking, drinking, supports) etc. We talk about common pregnancy questions, arrange routine blood work, ultrasounds, options for genetic screening, and discuss our model of care. We do a brief physical exam, check your weight and blood pressure and if it’s too early to hear a heartbeat, we will do a bedside ultrasound. Partners are more than welcome at all visits if they have no covid symptoms and wear a medical mask.

You will see the doctor/midwife for an intake appointment at approximately 10 weeks. For low risk pregnancies, your next appointments will be at weeks 15, 20, 25, 30, 33, 36, 38, 39 and 40. If concerns arise during your pregnancy, this frequency may change.  Your support people (husbands, partners, family members, etc) are welcome to join you at your prenatal visits.

Once you enter the FBC, all your maternity care will be provided by our doctors/midwives. 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 and afternoon.

You will be cared for and supported by a team of doctors, midwives, nurses and allied healthcare professionals. 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.

For those opting for doula care, when your labour begins, you are usually in touch with the doula and they will come to your home and help you decide best timing for coming to the hospital. During labour, the doula provides 100% one on one support for you and your partner. While nurses and care practitioners provide support in labour as well, they also have other roles and responsibilities. A doula helps fill that gap and provides continuous, positive support.

For postpartum care, our RNs, who are Internationally Board Certified Lactation Consultants, will call you the day following your discharge from the hospital to check in. They are happy to answer any questions and provide education on what to expect for the next evening and night until they come to your house the following day. Follow up visits are booked depending on your needs, but typically include care on day 3, day 5-7, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 6 weeks postpartum. Extra phone calls, weight checks, mental health check-ins, and breastfeeding assistance are provided as you need!

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 FBC 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 the Fraser Valley, primarily in Abbotsford and surrounding areas. We are happy to accept care from people living in various other areas of the lower mainland, however, birth is always at Abbotsford Hospital, and prenatal care is at our office in Abbotsford. Home visit catchment includes Langley, Abbotsford, Chilliwack, and Mission. Care is offered in office for clients outside of these areas.

FBC midwifery, physician, and RN/IBCLCs are covered by the British Columbia Medical Services Plan and our clinic so there is no cost for women with provincial health insurance (MSP).

We offer optional prenatal classes on pregnancy, labour and birth, and breastfeeding/postpartum for a combined fee of $250, or $100 each if you are interested in only one or two of these. Click this link to register for these classes.

Doula care is also available at a charge and their rates and availability are available here.

Helping people to bond with their babies after delivery and to establish a successful breastfeeding relationship is a high priority for us. We believe in the many benefits of breastfeeding.

The breastfeeding journey begins as early as pregnancy when we encourage you to educate yourself on breastfeeding and what to expect. We offer a prenatal breastfeeding class here which will provide you with the knowledge and tools to get you and your baby off to the best start possible.

Your care provider will help you to begin breastfeeding soon after the birth of your baby. We will follow up with visits in the hospital and your home in the first few days. You can also schedule appointments to see our care providers or our lactation consultants at FBC for help with breastfeeding. We are happy to address any concerns you may have and to provide help and information about breastfeeding.

At FBC, both midwives and physicians will provide the same kind of care. We believe that continuous care in active labour is the safest and best option for pregnant people. Your care provider – physician or midwife – will be with you through most of your active labour. If you are in the hospital, maternity nurses play an important role as well. Our job is to ensure that you and the baby are safe and that labour is progressing in a healthy, normal way. We are also there to support, guide, and reassure you and your support people.

The midwives and physicians at FBC are a team. We draw on each other’s experience, knowledge, and strengths and have a consistent approach in the way we care for pregnant people and babies. You may find that you forget who is a midwife and who is a physician – and that’s fine!

At FBC, we work on a call system, rotating who is available for births. This means that you will have the advantage of a care provider who is available to provide one-on-one care in labour without competing responsibilities. This system also ensures that our care providers are fresh and have lots of energy to give. An exhausted physician or midwife is not able to provide the safest care or the most compassionate support. We understand that sometimes a pregnant person will feel a special connection with one person on the team, but we also find that a special bonding happens very quickly between the person who is in labour and the team member who is actually present and caring for them. 

Due to our model of practice and logistical constraints, we will not be able to offer this service. We encourage those desiring homebirth to seek out our other local midwifery practices!

For labour, birth and emergencies related to the pregnancy, a doctor or midwife is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Please call the ARH Maternity triage nurse at 604-851-4817 to begin your assessment (Please inform them you are a Fraser Birth Collaborative patient).

For other non-pregnancy related emergencies, please call 911 or go to the closest Emergency Department.