Two new midwives join Prairie Mountain Health

WINNIPEG — Prairie Mountain Health (PMH) is adding capacity to its midwifery program with the arrival of two newly trained midwives, a welcome boost in a province where expectant parents often face long waits, or no access at all, to midwifery care.

Brandon’s Karisa Minary and Dauphin’s Sophie Delaurier have joined the PMH team, bringing the region’s midwife staffing up to five. According to a recent release, both say they chose the profession for its hands-on, relationship-based approach to maternal care and because they wanted to support families close to home.

For Minary, becoming a midwife started with science, but became something deeper.

“A family member’s experience with a midwife introduced me to the profession and its unique blend of clinical skill, advocacy, and relationship-based care,” she said. “I knew the program aligned perfectly with my hopes for a meaningful, hands-on health-care career supporting families through such an important life transition.”

Delaurier, who worked in other roles within Prairie Mountain Health before entering the field, said she wanted a career rooted in care and connection.

“I found out about the midwifery program through my sister’s suggestion, went for it, and ended up falling in love with the work and the unique aspects of my job,” she said.

Midwives provide prenatal and postpartum support, labour and delivery care, breastfeeding assistance, and newborn care, all while giving parents time, education and a voice in the process.

But access can vary depending on where someone lives. The Manitoba Association of Healthcare Providers notes that many Manitoba communities, especially rural and northern ones, have limited staffing, which can mean families are sometimes turned away or placed on long waitlists.

Delaurier said every midwife added to the system strengthens a community.

“Midwifery is a unique profession helping pregnant people through a stressful time. I am happy to give back to my community,” Minary added.

For PMH, the addition of two new midwives is a step forward, and for families across Manitoba, a reminder of how valuable the service can be when it’s available.

Compounding the problem: Manitoba-trained midwives often move to other provinces because stable, full-time jobs aren’t available here.

There are signs of progress. Budget 2025 included $1.1 million for midwifery services, including recruitment, training placements and new job opportunities. PMH is actively recruiting for two additional midwife positions and has been attending career fairs and increasing clinical training and mentorship to bring more graduates into the region.

In the meantime, most midwifery teams, including PMH’s, continue operating at full capacity. Registered midwives provide comprehensive prenatal, birth, and postpartum services for low-risk pregnancies, including 24/7 on-call care for approved clients, with the option of hospital or out-of-hospital births within Brandon city limits. Postpartum support continues for six weeks, with a focus on breastfeeding help, maternal recovery, newborn monitoring and emotional support.

For families, that continuity matters.

Midwives offer longer appointments, shared decision-making, culturally sensitive care and ongoing communication. For many parents, the experience is far more personal and hands-on than the traditional medical model.

Demand continues to grow as more Manitobans seek midwifery care for its holistic approach, culturally safe practices, and continuity throughout pregnancy and postpartum. But supply isn’t keeping up.

Experts say that strategic, sustained investment could change that. Expanding midwifery in Manitoba would allow graduates of local training programs to stay and work in the province, bring services into rural and remote regions that currently have none, reduce long waitlists in urban centres and give families the ability to choose a birth experience that respects their culture, language and values.

» Winnipeg Sun