Address

680B Leg-in-Boot Square
Vancouver, BC V5Z 4B4

Phone

(604) 874-7999

Fax

(604) 874-7333

Website

www.pacificmidwiferypractice.ca

Midwives

Elizabeth Ryan, Patti Thompson, Shannon Norberg, Terry Lyn Evans, Carolyn Saunders, Alison Humphrey

Serving

Vancouver


Elizabeth Ryan, RM

Hello, I am Elizabeth Ryan but I usually go by the name Liz. I am the proud grandmother of two beautiful grandsons, and am very happy they were born into this world with loving and caring midwives.

I am also the eldest of six children and grew up on a sheep station in Australia surrounded by my younger siblings and many birthing animals. Those happy childhood years formed the basis of my love for caring for people and the birthing process.

During my travels abroad, I ended up in Canada where I became a mother myself and also pursued a career in nursing. My love of babies and women stayed with me and I eventually returned to Australia to do my midwifery training in Sydney. After finishing in 1985, I returned to Canada and worked at the now Children’s and Women’s Health Centre as an obstetrical nurse and midwife in the midwifery pilot project prior to official professional recognition.

Since registration in 1998, I was appointed the first Acting Director for the Department of Midwifery, a position I held until 2000, and I presently represent midwifery on a number of College committees.

I look forward to the future with student midwives so I can share my expertise and knowledge in the hope that all women who want a midwife will have access to that option. I am devoted to providing a happy and joyous journey through pregnancy, childbirth and the newborn period.

Patti Thompson, RM

Patti has been a midwife for over 20 years. She trained in Vancouver through the apprenticeship model with doctors and midwives.

She is experienced in complementary therapies, and focuses on preventative health care for women during pregnancy and birth, and for the newborn. Because of her empirical training, her midwifery philosophy has evolved from responding to the needs of the many families she has cared for. She supports a woman's choice to plan her birth in the hospital or at home, and to create a beautiful and empowering experience.

Patti has one daughter and one son, both born with midwives at home in the 1970's. She is a visual artist, enjoys yoga and a variety of outdoor activities, and is especially fond of West Coast surfing.

Terry Lyn Evans, RM

Hi my name is Terry Lyn Evans. My dream of becoming a midwife was fulfilled in 2002. Since that time I have had the privilege of being a part of the team at Pacific Midwifery Practice.

My journey toward becoming a midwife began when I was 12 years old and loved to look after babies. This passion led me first to a degree in Nursing from UBC then a degree in Midwifery from England. I provided nursing care to women and their families for 10 years at Women's Hospital in Vancouver while working on becoming a registered midwife in British Columbia. I have thoroughly enjoyed working with child bearing families of Vancouver and cherish the relationships that have developed.

My greatest dream of all came true January 2005 when I gave birth to my own baby- Spencer. The journey through pregnancy and birth was extremely fascinating and hopefully will enhance my future practice as a midwife.

I believe everyone should be provided with the best of care in this important part of their life. I truly love what I do and look forward to supporting women, their partners, and families through the journey of birth…and beyond-into life with their new baby.

Shannon Norberg, RM

I attended my first birth in 1994, a defining moment for the rest of my life. I have always been passionate about women's health issues and our bodies' amazing abilities to create health from within. Following the path of becoming a midwife has been a natural evolution of this passion. I am reminded daily of the uniqueness and beauty that accompanies the creation of each new life and family, and the importance of honouring and respecting the process.

I have been involved with Pacific Midwifery Practice since 2000. I feel blessed to be working with such an amazing team of midwives. My birth-related studies have taken me to Thailand and the Philippines, where I learned to view maternal and child health from a global perspective. My midwifery training was through the Seattle Midwifery School as well as a number of related courses in BC, Washington and overseas.

Born and raised in the Lower Mainland, I find that the ocean and mountains are never far from my heart. In my 'other' life I can be found playing in snow, water or mud, depending on what kind of day it is. I appreciate being able to live and work in such a vibrant and international community. I look forward to the day when midwives are plentiful across the province and care is accessible to those most in need.

 

Carolyn Saunders, RM

I am a recent graduate of the University of British Columbia midwifery program and I am delighted to be the newest member of Pacific Midwifery Practice. My interest in midwifery began during my teenage years when I was exposed to the homebirth movement in Ottawa, Ontario. I share my passion for midwifery with my sister, who graduated from the Ontario midwifery program in the spring of 2005 and practices in the Ottawa Valley. In addition to my midwifery training, I have completed a Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology and Biology. Anthropology has given me an understanding of the cultural diversity of our province and an appreciation of the rewards of working with women from different social, economic and cultural backgrounds. I have a great respect and appreciation for biological processes that was enhanced while studying birds in northern Canada in the summers of 2002 and 2003.

In 2003-2004 I was involved in a project whose aim was to facilitate better communication between health care providers and their clients. Through this work I developed a strong commitment to empowering women to make their own health care decisions. It is my philosophy that a woman should leave midwifery care feeling empowered by her birth experience, feeling that she has done her very best, and feeling greater confidence in her own body. I hope that I can help women accomplish these goals.

In my free time I can often be found riding my bike, strolling through the Vancouver Art Gallery, or curled up on the couch with a good movie. I was married in May 2004 to my long-time partner Adam; we live near Commercial Drive in Vancouver. I look forward to helping women achieve the birth experience of their choice.

Alison Humphrey, RM

I am originally from Sudbury, Ontario but am thrilled that my partner’s job has brought us to Vancouver, and pleased and excited to be joining the team at Pacific Midwifery.

I became a registered midwife in 2005, a graduate of the Midwifery Education Program at Laurentian University. I spent 2 1/2 years working as a full-time midwife at the Midwives Collective of Toronto, a busy downtown practice with a strong commitment to continuity of care, homebirth, and teaching of new midwives. Previously, I earned a degree in Women’s Studies from the University of Toronto. I speak English and French.

One of the things I enjoy most about being a midwife is the opportunity to be a teacher. Teaching families about pregnancy, labour and the newborn/postpartum periods, and learning from their experience, makes being a midwife one of the greatest jobs in the world. I have also been a formal prenatal class educator since 2004, teaching a regular series of prenatal classes as well as a homebirth class for children. I’ve done outreach teaching with under-serviced communities including young mothers, and with participants of a local food bank.

I’m looking forward to meeting you, and working with you and your family.