Stevenson Memorial Hospital (SMH) is celebrating a significant milestone in local maternal care, marking 30 years of its midwifery program and long-standing partnership with the Alliston Midwives – Caring Hands Midwifery Services.
The anniversary was recognized this week on International Day of the Midwife, bringing together members of the original midwifery team, hospital leadership, current staff, families, community partners and local dignitaries to reflect on three decades of collaborative care.
Midwifery services became legislated in Ontario in 1994, prompting a small but committed group of midwives to establish Caring Hands Midwifery Services in Alliston. Two years later, those services were formally integrated into SMH, with the first midwife-attended birth at the hospital taking place on September 26, 1996.
Since then, midwifery has become a cornerstone of obstetrical care in New Tecumseth. Approximately half of all births at Stevenson Memorial Hospital are now attended by midwives, and the hospital’s midwifery team has grown to eight practitioners. Over the past 30 years, close to 5,000 babies have been delivered through the program.
“Our integrated midwifery-hospital partnership is unique and such a valued service for our community,” said Marnie Lightfoot, Vice President of Clinical Services and Chief Nursing Executive at SMH. “This partnership brings together midwives, nurses and obstetricians and offers a collaborative model, working together to provide the best care experience for birthing parents and their families.”
That spirit of collaboration continues to evolve. In 2024, SMH and the midwifery team expanded their partnership with the launch of the MINT program — Midwifery Integration in New Tecumseth. The hospital-based, post-partum program offers families additional support following the birth of their baby, including breastfeeding assistance, newborn care guidance and access to mental health services. The program operates out of the hospital’s Obstetrics Clinic and is available through self-referral.
For those delivering close to home, the model has helped ensure continuity of care while maintaining access to hospital-based services when needed.
“We are proud to partner with Stevenson Memorial Hospital, working alongside such a professional and supportive team,” said Holly Ryans, Lead Midwife at SMH. “Providing this service is important to our growing community, and it’s a privilege to do so with a team that shares our philosophy of safe, high-quality labour and delivery services close to home.”
As New Tecumseth continues to grow, hospital officials say the midwifery program remains an essential part of meeting the community’s evolving health-care needs—supporting families from pregnancy through the early weeks of parenthood.
More information about Stevenson Memorial Hospital’s Midwifery Program can be found at stevensonhospital.ca/midwife-clinic. Details about the free, post-partum MINT program are available at themintprogram.ca.
