You can call our clinic as soon as you find out you are pregnant. We will book a phone visit with one of our nurses to review any urgent concerns, and then arrange your first ultrasound and provider (doctor or midwife) appointment.
We book your first phone appointment with a provider around 10 weeks and first in-person about 12 weeks. Your due date will be confirmed at your first ultrasound.
Visits are generally every 4 weeks for the first 28 weeks, then every 2 weeks until 36 weeks, then weekly thereafter.
We encourage you to contact us if there are urgent concerns in between appointments. We will assess if you need to be seen earlier, or if you need to proceed to the hospital for assessment.
Take a read through Routine Care Plan: What to Expect to get an idea of what to expect during pregnancy, delivery and after birth.
A team-based approach to care means you will likely see all pregnancy care providers throughout your pregnancy and postpartum journey, enabling you to benefit from the expertise of both midwives and physicians. We work hard to ensure that you will receive compassionate, high-quality care no matter which pregnancy care provider you see.
It’s always important to have a conversation with your care provider about your individual circumstances and preferences. While we understand that home births may be the preferred choice for some individuals, we currently do not offer home birth services. We strongly encourage all patients to attend pre and postnatal appointments at our clinic to ensure the best care and support throughout your pregnancy journey.
Our care providers work both in the Encompass clinic and on-call at the hospital. You’ll have opportunities to meet with various team members throughout your pregnancy journey. While we can’t guarantee who will be on-call when you go into labour, it’s likely you’ll have had the chance to meet them at one of your prenatal appointments.
You will be referred to a local obstetrician in your third trimester. The obstetrician will see you to discuss your C-section and then you will continue seeing Encompass until your delivery date and after for postpartum care.
Talk to your care provider ahead of time about when is the best time for you to go to the hospital.
You can also read Interior Health’s Knowing When To Come to Hospital guide.
If you need to talk to someone, we suggest you call the hospital first since the staff are always available 24/7. The staff will advise you when the best time to come to the hospital would be.
You and your baby will be followed by Encompass for the first 8 weeks. The first visit is usually at one week of age.
After 8 weeks, you will book appointments with your family doctor as needed. If you do not have a family doctor, the Encompass team will provide information on the Health Connect Registry which is a waitlist for a family doctor or nurse practitioner in your community. Public Health is also available for support.
A Public Health Nurse (PHN) will call you in the first couple days after you are discharged from the hospital. The nurse will offer to weigh your baby, provide support with feeding (breast or bottle), and offer information on a variety of newborn and parenting topics. The nurse can visit your home or you can go to the health unit to meet the nurse if you prefer.
Public Health Nurses can see you as many times as needed in the first few weeks. Public Health Nurses will also provide information on routine childhood immunizations. When your baby is 2 months old, the first routine immunization is provided. For parents choosing to delay immunization, this 2 month appointment is also an opportunity to meet with the PHN to review baby’s growth and development and answer any questions that have come up. PHNs are available to answer questions throughout the early years of a child’s life.
Quickly addressing breastfeeding issues helps solve problems and increases your likelihood of successful long-term breastfeeding. Speak with your care provider about support within the first 8 weeks postpartum.
After 8 weeks, if a problem arises that does not quickly resolve, get prompt assistance from a breastfeeding specialist, such as a lactation consultant or public health.
We’re part of the East Kootenay Primary Care Network (EK PCN). Talk to your care provider about getting access to services such as mental wellness clinician, physiotherapist, dietitian, and more.
If you do not have a family doctor or nurse practitioner, you can access care through the Urgent & Primary Care Centre (UPCC) for non-pregnancy related concerns.
Upon discharge from Encompass, you and your baby can also access support through Public Health for newborn growth and development assessments and routine immunizations. The first immunizations are booked around 2 months of age – see question above on Public Health for full details.