LITTLE CURRENT—The Northeast Manitoulin Family Health Team (FHT) has a new staff member. Emma Witkowski is a midwife who will now be sharing the deliveries, pre- and post-natal care of Island mothers alongside Dr. Ben Quackenbush. Ms. Witkowski will be taking over the obstetrics duties formerly held by Dr. Ken Barss, who retired May 1.
Ms. Witkowski hails from Markdale (home of Chapman’s Ice Cream), a couple of hours drive down the Bruce Peninsula and a ferry ride away, but has lived at various locations across the province. She tells The Expositor that Manitoulin, however, feels like home.
Ms. Witkowski has a Bachelor of Science, with minors in women’s studies and creative writing, from the University of Toronto. Following that, she enrolled in the four-year midwife program at Laurentian University, graduating just under the wire. The notoriously difficult-to-get-into midwife program (there are only five programs nation-wide) was one of the many programs axed during Laurentian’s financial crisis. Ms. Witkowski was in her last year of studies when the announcement was made.
She shares that her fourth year was spent at Countryside Midwifery Services in Milverton and she loved every moment of it.
Ms. Witkowski and her partner Patrick had come to Manitoulin for an anniversary getaway. She was keen to show off the place she’d discovered while at Laurentian. Both fell in love with the Island and thought it might be a nice place to make a home, so when the opportunity arose, they took the chance.
The two are now nicely settled just outside of Mindemoya. Patrick is the manager at Mindemoya Home Hardware and Ms. Witkowski is the FHT’s very first on-staff midwife.
“It’s the best choice I’ve ever made,” she says. “He loves it, and I do too.”
Ms. Witkowski will be sharing the role of on-call for deliveries at the Little Current site of the Manitoulin Health Centre with Dr. Quackenbush, the post formerly held by Dr. Barss.
“The birthing suite here is very much in line with what I’m used to,” the midwife adds.
Ms. Witkowski was given onboarding funds which she used to purchase a light that emits aurora borealis-style beams and starry patterns onto the ceiling to help give a calming effect to mothers in labour. The midwife also purchased a birthing stool, which supports upright birthing positions and a Bluetooth speaker so that moms can play their favourite music while in the birthing suite.
On top of deliveries, pre- and post-natal care, Ms. Witkowski will also be giving PAP tests, well baby visits as well as breastfeeding clinics, although she is quick to note that she is not a lactation consultant.
“The goal is to have seamless care,” she says. “Manitoulin Health Centre (MHC) has excellent obstetrics care here. It’s a great place to give birth.”
While she notes that it might be somewhat unusual to have a midwife on the staff of a clinic, she says she stays true to her midwife beliefs—a focus on informed choice and continuity of care.
“I like to get to know all of my patients on an individual basis,” Ms. Witkowski shares. “Building trust is huge.”
“I want my patients to realize they’re the centre of their own lives and to make sure they are aware of their own power when it comes to pregnancy, birth and post-partum, but clinically we’re the same,” she adds.
“We are excited to welcome Emma to our team at Manitoulin Maternity Care and the NEMI Family Health Team,” Dr. Quackenbush tells The Expositor. “I am delighted to have Emma join us as we continue to offer local prenatal care and childbirth options on Manitoulin. In addition to her roles in prenatal care and delivery, Emma will also work with our team to provide women’s and children’s health services to our patients.”
Ms. Witkowski says her family was concerned about the move to Manitoulin, worrying that she and her partner would be isolated here.
“It’s the least isolated we’ve ever been in our lives,” she says, noting the kindness of her neighbours, co-workers and people she meets. “It’s very rare (as a midwife) to walk into a medical clinic and feel welcome on all fronts, but I have.”
For more about accessing prenatal care and delivery services visit www.manitoulinmaternity.com.
