Having Doulas was one of the best decisions I made for my pregnancy. Kirsten, of Swell Mama and…read moreMeagan, of Om Baby are Doula partners; this way they are able to alternate being on call, which is great because you don't want someone who is burnt out from being on call all the time. Already have a birth partner? Great, but I would still recommend getting a Doula. My husband was with me the whole time, but it was so helpful to have someone else be able to help us navigate it all. I had done tons of research beforehand, but remembering it in the moment is not nearly as easy as you would hope. They also brought to light several decisions I could make about the experience that I didn't even know about (vitamin K shots, delayed cord clamping options etc). My pregnancy was very smooth in the beginning, but got a bit rough at the end with gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, and pre-eclampsia; I was so grateful that I had Meagan and Kirsten to help me through this - they checked in on me regularly to see how I was doing and were happy to answer and questions or assuage any fears that I had. Overall a fantastic experience and I would hire them again without hesitation.

Having Doulas was one of the best decisions I made for my pregnancy. Meagan, of Om Baby, and…read moreKirsten, of Swell Mama, are Doula partners; this way they are able to alternate being on call, which is great because you don't want someone who is burnt out from being on call all the time. Already have a birth partner? Great, but I would still recommend getting a Doula. My husband was with me the whole time, but it was so helpful to have someone else be able to help us navigate it all. I had done tons of research beforehand, but remembering it in the moment is not nearly as easy as you would hope. They also brought to light several decisions I could make about the experience that I didn't even know about (vitamin K shots, delayed cord clamping options etc). My pregnancy was very smooth in the beginning, but got a bit rough at the end with gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, and pre-eclampsia; I was so grateful that I had Meagan and Kirsten to help me through this - they checked in on me regularly to see how I was doing and were happy to answer and questions or assuage any fears that I had. Overall a fantastic experience and I would hire them again without hesitation.

This place seems to take on too many clients, which does not leave them with enough time to provide…read morean adequate service to everyone. At least that was my experience with the New Roots Elm Team. This is my first pregnancy and I had a lot of questions. At my first appointment I was told to not google things, but ask them instead if I had questions. So I did. At the next appointment, I was told I asked too many questions compared to the average client, and I should get a doula to answer them as they don't have time for my questions. Three days before that appointment I had messaged them to say my urine was unusually yellow, which was concerning as I drink a ton of water. They never responded. At the appointment, when I brought this up again, I was told that they didn't understand my question because urine was supposed to be yellow. The tone of voice and the way they spoke to me, made me feel stupid, inadequate, belittled, and ashamed. Two days later my symptoms worsened and since they had told me not to contact them unless it is an emergency, and mocked me for my urine colour concerns, I was too scared to contact them, so I had to call 311 and seek alternative care. It turned out I had a UTI, which, if left untreated, could cause preterm labour. So they ignored an important symptom, which could have been detrimental to my pregnancy. I should add that some of the questions I had asked them were related to the fact that I had been told things such as midwifery clients do not get preference in hospitals if they need an epidural for example. So I had asked my midwives if this is true, as I believe it is important to have knowledge and peace of mind, and those questions build trust. The midwives took these questions as lack of trust, which is so disappointing, because this sends the message that clients are not to inform themselves, and deal with the uncertainty on their own. As a new mom, this could be incredibly stressful. As a result, I was told to look for another midwife. The reason they pointed out was lack of trust, although I am sure they just wanted to get rid of me so they wouldn't have to answer my questions. I explained that there was a misunderstanding with those questions and it is not at all the case that I don't trust them, and I want to stay with them. I told them I did not want to be a bad client, and I would scale down the questions. They refused to acknowledge any of this and maintained that they could no longer care for me. I was so desperate I contacted their Head Midwife and she was incredibly kind, understanding, and sympathetic. She acknowledged that perhaps my team of midwives took on too many clients and they were not as patient with me as they should have been. She tried to look around for other options for me, but unfortunately my pregnancy had advance to a point where all other teams were fully booked for my due date. The same was true for all other midwifery options, so I am now left without a midwife. After my interactions with the New Roots Elm Team, I had a major breakdown and had to go to a psychologist for help, as this stress is so harmful to my baby. What an incredibly stressful and disappointing experience. How can they do this to a first-time mom...........

Dr. Christine Chang is an exceptional Psychiatrist. She is professional, respectful, warm and…read moreempathetic. I have benefited greatly from her expertise and experience in treating sleep disorders. She provides counseling sessions of various lengths and frequency depending on your needs as well as specific and achievable advice that has helped me cope with my insomnia. I believe she is dedicated to providing genuine care to her patients. It does take a while for the Sleep Center to triage referrals from your family doctor but it is well worth the wait. It will change your life for the better.