Parents, midwives mourn closure of family birth unit at Montreal’s Notre-Dame Hospital

The closure of the family birth unit at Montreal’s Notre-Dame Hospital has left many in the community feeling saddened and disappointed. The unit, which cost $25 million to build, was intended to provide a space for natural, medication-free births, collaborating with midwives to offer a unique birthing experience.

Unfortunately, the unit struggled to maintain specialized obstetrics staff, leading to its closure less than a year after opening. This closure is seen as a missed opportunity for patients who wanted to give birth outside of a traditional hospital setting. The unit was designed to accommodate 1,500 births a year but only 46 children were born there.

Barbara Beccafico, a birth doula and board member with the Quebec Association of Doulas, expressed her disappointment, stating that the closure felt like a “beautiful project that was stillborn.” She emphasized the importance of offering care and facilities that meet the needs of the population, particularly for those seeking physiological births.

Shannon Godin, who had planned to deliver her son at the family birth unit, had to find an alternative option when it closed last summer. She highlighted the benefits of the unit’s design, which offered large private rooms with birthing supports like tubs, balls, and stools. However, she acknowledged the challenges of staffing shortages within the healthcare system.

The closure of the unit was attributed to recruitment difficulties, reduced availability of obstetricians, and evolving community needs. The regional health authority stated that other birthing centers in greater Montreal could handle the demand, as projections show a declining birth rate.

Despite Health Minister Christian Dubé’s comments about the importance of considering global spending, advocates like Beccafico argue that a patient-centric approach focusing on natural births can empower parents and potentially reduce postpartum depression. They believe that the closure of the family birth unit sends a message that budget priorities outweigh parents’ choices.

In conclusion, the closure of the family birth unit at Notre-Dame Hospital highlights the challenges of providing specialized care in the healthcare system. While the unit’s closure may have been a setback, advocates continue to push for more options for natural, medication-free births to meet the evolving needs of the community.