About Jennifer Hewko
As midwifery care wasn’t recognized in Canada until the 1990s, I initially took the nursing path, working as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) for nearly ten years. I started at at Women’s College Hospital in Toronto (1987-1992) before moving on to Royal Victoria Hospital (RVH) in Barrie, Ontario (1991- 1996), where I also spent two years as a volunteer birth coach.
I am proud that with midwifery care I can empower women and their families by promoting choice through the child-bearing year. It's rewarding to help women discover their own unique ways of giving birth, and a privilege to be part of the experience.
In 1996 I moved to Nanaimo, British Columbia with my family. Being blessed with four children has given me considerable personal insight into the joys and challenges of pregnancy, childbirth, and motherhood. In 1997, I successfully completed the Breast Feeding Counselor Program at Douglas College. This course integrated well with my 10 years of nursing and gives me confidence in helping new mothers establish good breastfeeding practice.
In the fall of 2000 I entered into a three-year program of intensive study at Seattle Midwifery School, which provided me the opportunity to expand my knowledge and experience from nursing into specialized midwifery. During this period I also successfully completed three apprenticeships:
- almost a year of part-time work with Nanaimo midwives;
- a nine-month full-time apprenticeship at Seattle Home Maternity Services in Seattle, Washington;
- five weeks in the South Pacific, providing maternity care in the Port Vila Hospital in Vanuatu.
After graduation I approached the College of Midwives of British Columbia and became registered in the Fall of 2004. At this time I completed eight months as a Conditional Midwifery Registrant under supervision in Nanaimo as required by the College of Midwives of BC. Since that time I have been working in Nanaimo and its surrounding communities as a General Registrant. I currently maintain hospital privileges at the Nanaimo Hospital.
For me working with women during childbirth has felt like a calling -- it's where my heart lies.