The purpose of our project was to create a pitch to petition for the construction of a birth centre in London, Ontario and to summarize the benefits it would have on pregnant persons, doulas, and midwives. The benefits of a birth centre were supported with detailed research and statistics in a PowerPoint pitch intended for city council. Definitions were outlined to ensure the audience would understand the roles of doulas and midwives without any misinformation. Additional supporting details were included in a brochure for each audience member. As the buy-in from midwives was essential for our project, we also created a survey to assess the opinions of local midwives on a birth centre. Our findings indicate that 93% of midwives are interested in a birth centre in London, and 87.5% would bring their clients there. Our research efforts revealed that birth centres significantly improve maternal and infant health outcomes in low-risk births. Our team recommends that this proposal for a birth centre be presented to the Ontario government to obtain funding - roughly $4 million in construction costs and $1.5 million in operation costs. Based on midwife feedback, the birth centre should be located at 874 Commissioners Rd E due to its accessibility and proximity to Victoria Hospital. Including additional programs in the birth centre, such as breastfeeding classes and infant massages, is also recommended to benefit patients and generate income to support the birth centre’s operation. Overall, we found a dire need for a birth centre in London to improve birthing autonomy and offer a centralized location for local midwives and doulas.
Notes
The purpose of our project was to create a pitch to petition for the construction of a birth centre in London, Ontario and to summarize the benefits it would have on pregnant persons, doulas, and midwives. The benefits of a birth centre were supported with detailed research and statistics in a PowerPoint pitch intended for city council. Definitions were outlined to ensure the audience would understand the roles of doulas and midwives without any misinformation. Additional supporting details were included in a brochure for each audience member. As the buy-in from midwives was essential for our project, we also created a survey to assess the opinions of local midwives on a birth centre. Our findings indicate that 93% of midwives are interested in a birth centre in London, and 87.5% would bring their clients there. Our research efforts revealed that birth centres significantly improve maternal and infant health outcomes in low-risk births. Our team recommends that this proposal for a birth centre be presented to the Ontario government to obtain funding - roughly $4 million in construction costs and $1.5 million in operation costs. Based on midwife feedback, the birth centre should be located at 874 Commissioners Rd E due to its accessibility and proximity to Victoria Hospital. Including additional programs in the birth centre, such as breastfeeding classes and infant massages, is also recommended to benefit patients and generate income to support the birth centre’s operation. Overall, we found a dire need for a birth centre in London to improve birthing autonomy and offer a centralized location for local midwives and doulas.