What is a registered midwife?
A registered midwife is a health care provider who is trained to provide care to both mother and newborn during normal pregnancy, labour, birth, and the first six weeks of your baby’s life. When women and babies are healthy, midwives provide primary care similar to the care that a family doctor would provide, including ordering blood tests, ultrasounds, and other routine assessments. Midwives are skilled in providing emergency care, detecting complications, and providing care together with physicians and other specialists when consultations are needed.
Midwifery is a self-regulated profession, and registered midwives work under the oversight of the College of Midwives of Ontario, which sets core competencies and registration requirements that midwives must maintain. The role of the College of Midwives of Ontario is to ensure that midwives provide safe care to families.
The word ‘midwife’ comes from roots that mean “with woman,” and midwives themselves may be men or women, although most are women.
Registered Midwives
Jessica Taylor
I graduated with honours from the Laurentian University Midwifery Education Program in 2006. I then practiced midwifery in both Sudbury and Collingwood before coming to Orillia. It is a pleasure and joy to support families through pregnancy, childbirth, and the integration of a new child into their lives. I also hold an BA honours in History and English. I am excited both to be practicing and settle in this wonderful area.
Kelly Armstrong
Kelly has been a Registered Midwife since 2008. Kelly’s formative years of midwifery practice were spent at Kenora Midwives with privileges at Lake of the Woods District Hospital. Then, together with Jessica Taylor, she founded Orillia Midwives in 2010. The practice has grown from two midwives who did everything, from faxing to painting, to four midwives and a great support staff.
In addition to catching babies, and managing Orillia Midwives, Kelly is involved in the education of future midwives as a tutor and preceptor through Laurentian University and is working towards the completion of a Masters program in Health Leadership.
Having completed a decade of practice, Kelly still loves being a midwife. She is currently Lead Midwife at Orillia Soliders’ Memorial Hospital where she enjoys strong interdisciplinary relationships.
Laura Ready
I hail from the shores of Georgian Bay but have nestled nicely into Orillia. I studied arts and science at University of Guelph and completed my bachelor in health sciences at Laurentian University in 2013. I have been practicing with the Orillia Midwives since 2014 and the women I have served since then have taught me much.
Emily Morris
I completed my Bachelor of Health Sciences in Midwifery at McMaster University in 2014. After working in Lindsay, ON and London, ON, I joined the Orillia Midwives in 2017. I am so happy to work and live in this vibrant and growing community.
I chose to be a midwife because I was attracted to the unique model of care that midwifery provides. I focus on pregnancy and birth as a state of health and an important transition in the lives of women, parents, and families. I strives to promote a gentle and informed birth experience, and am passionate about your right to make your own choices. I look forward to accompanying you and your family on your journey through pregnancy, birth, and the first 6 weeks with your new baby.
Victoria Evans
I earned my Bachelor of Health Science (Hons.) and trained to become a midwife at Ryerson University and have enjoyed working and learning at several clinics in central Ontario. I also hold a Bachelor of Science (Hons., Biology) from the University of Toronto and a Master of Science (Dist., Evolutionary Psychology) from the University of Liverpool. One of the reasons I love being a midwife, in addition to providing comprehensive and client-centred care, is that the learning never ends! Perfect fit for a biology nerd 😉 Je suis aussi bilingue.
Cherish Decaire
I am an Indigenous Midwife, and one of the last students to graduate from Laurentian University with a Bachelor of Health Sciences in Midwifery. I am from the Wahta Mohawk Territory near Muskoka, Ontario and am so glad to be able to offer Indigenous midwifery care to clients in Orillia and surrounding communities. I have also practiced in North Bay and Thunder Bay, and have an advanced diploma in Child and Youth Work and a certificate in Perinatal Support Work. When I’m not catching babies, you can find me hiking with my partner and our golden retriever puppy, Gibson!
Support Staff
Judi Fairwell
I was born, raised, educated and brought up my children in beautiful Orillia. After retiring from Family Practice where I worked as a medical secretary, I joined the administrative staff of Orillia Midwives in 2013. It is my pleasure to assist the midwives and clients in my new vocation and look forward to welcoming growing families into our care over the years to come.
Sarah Maharaj
I started with the Orillia Midwives in 2017 as an administrative staff member. I have since taken over all social media aspects of the practice. My passion is promoting inclusion, acceptance, understanding and awareness. I enjoy the opportunity to work with our growing families and encourage community building between various caregiver programs.
Maryann Reichert
I was born and raised in Orillia and have also raised my family in Orillia. I have recently left family practice where I worked as a medical secretary for several years and in late April 2021, joined the administrative staff at Orillia Midwives. I am eager to work alongside the midwives and support the clients, and their families in their prenatal journey. I look forward to meeting new clients and getting to know new individuals who come into the care of the midwives.
