📋 Where to start
Island Health (our government health care provider for Vancouver Island, covered by the BC Health Medical Services Plan): Pregnancy, Birth & Babies section: islandhealth.ca/learn-about-health/pregnancy-birth-babies
BC Midwives: The professional association for midwives in BC. bcmidwives.com
Doula Services Association of BC: A non-profit association promoting Perinatal Doula support in BC: bcdoulas.org
BC Government: Registering a birth: www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/life-events/birth-adoption
Canadian Government (Federal): Having a baby in Canada: canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/benefits/having-baby.html
Healthy Families BC: Provincial government guide to pregnancy: healthyfamiliesbc.ca/home/articles/topic/pregnancy-birth
🤰The Process: Having a baby
Cost: Doctors appointments, medical services and midwifery services for pregnancy, birth and delivery are covered by our BC Health Services - i.e. free and at no cost to you.
Pregnancy test: Buy an “at-home” pregnancy test at any drugstore or grocery store (Shoppers Drugs, Sav-On, London Drugs). This usually costs $10-$30. Then, schedule a follow-up appointment at your GP (doctor’s office) to get a blood test to confirm your pregnancy.
Choose a doctor and/or a midwife: If you do not have a doctor yet, it’s up to you to find a doctor, OB/GYN, and/or a midwife. To find one, contact Island Health (our government healthcare service), BC Midwives Association or use a walk-in clinic to get a referral.
Choose a doula (optional): Some women and families also find a doula to help them before, during and after delivery. This service is not covered by our healthcare (BC Health Medical Services Plan), so you pay privately.
Month 1 (or after you have missed your second period): prenatal doctor’s appointment
Month 1 - 9 (optional): Start emailing or calling daycare centres to be put on their waitlist for childcare. Often families sign up for childcare waitlists this early in their pregnancy, to get a childcare spot when their baby is 1 year old. Cost: Free - $50 per waitlist spot (depends on the daycare centre).
Months 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 of pregnancy: 1 doctor’s appointment each month
Month 8 of pregnancy: 2 doctor’s appointments (every 2 weeks)
Month 9 of pregnancy: 4 doctor’s appointments (maybe) / 1 doctor’s appointment every week
Delivery: You will most likely give birth at Victoria General Hospital (VGH) or at home with a midwife/doula (depending on your birth plan with your family, your doctor, and/or your midwife). You can choose to have a natural (vaginal) birth or a C-section (cesarean section) depending on your doctor’s advice.
After delivery - newborn tests: The hospital will run several tests for your newborn right after birth to make sure the baby is ok. You have a right to decline any of the tests. Here’s an explanation: bcwomens.ca/our-services/labour-birth-post-birth-care/after-the-birth/newborn-tests-and-procedures
After delivery - stay in hospital: Typically women in BC stay in hospital 1 - 4 days after giving birth. How long you and your baby stay in hospital depends on your delivery method, how you are doing and how the baby is doing, determined by your doctor and nurses.
1 - 2 weeks after delivery: A public health nurse should call you to see how you are. They should also schedule an appointment for a nurse to visit your home, or possibly for you to visit a nearby clinic, to check you and your baby’s health.
📕 Paperwork for a new baby
BC Online Birth Registration: After your baby is born, register your baby online using the BC Government website for births: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/life-events/birth-adoption/births. This online form includes all of these steps at once:
1. Register the baby for their Birth Certificate
2. Register the baby in the Medical Services Plan for BC (health insurance)
3. Apply for your baby's Social Insurance Number (SIN)
4. Apply for the Canada Child Benefits (CCB)
Canadian Passport: Apply for a Canadian passport for your baby, once you received their Birth Certificate (you have to pay BC to get a Birth Certificate in the mail): https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/canadian-passports/child-passport.html. Children born in Canada are Canadian Citizens.
Other citizenship/passport (optional): If you or your child’s other parent are citizens of another country, register your child with your country’s embassy or foreign ministry as a citizen, and get that passport for your child as well. For example, if you are American, your child is also an American citizen.
Life Insurance: If you have life insurance privately or through your employer, update your life insurance to include your new child.
Will / Estate Plan: If you have a will or estate plan, update it to include plans for the care of your child, in case you die or fall seriously ill.
Do I need to register my child with the city, my landlord (apartment), my employer or the university I attend?: No, you don’t.
👨🍼Maternity & Paternity Leave
You may hear this referred to as “Mat Leave” and “Pat Leave” sometimes. You are eligible for maternity / paternal benefits if you have worked 600 hours in the past year, in Canada. A typical 37.5-hour work week = 1,950 hours per year. You do not have to be a Canadian citizen - everyone legally in Canada is eligible.
There are two main options for maternity / paternal leave:
Standard parental benefits: 12-month leave, paid 55% of your normal weekly earnings
Extended parental benefits: 18-month leave, paid 33% of your normal weekly earnings
Canadian Government’s guide to Maternity/Paternity Benefits: canada.ca/en/services/benefits/ei/ei-maternity-parental.html
💶 Child Benefits
In Canada, families receive a monthly payment from both the BC and the Canadian Federal governments for each child under 18 years old. Add all 3 of these possible credits/payments up, per month, per child. It depends on the child’s age, how many children you have and your income.
BC Child Credit: This is called the “B.C. Child Opportunity Benefit” now. Families can receive up to $133/month for the first child, $83/month for the second child, and $66 for all additional children. This money is not taxed. This credit depends on your family’s income - if it is higher than $80,000/year the credit goes down slightly. www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/family-social-supports/family-benefits/child-opportunity-benefit
Federal Child Credit: This is called the “Canada Child Credit”. The maximum you can receive is $569.41/month, per child, if that child is under 6 years old, and $480.41/month, if the child is 6 years - under 18 years old. The credit is reduced depending on your income. Higher incomes receive less in child payments per month. canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/child-family-benefits/canada-child-benefit-overview/canada-child-benefit-we-calculate-your-ccb.html
Federal Child Credit - additional payment for young children: This is called the “CCB young child supplement”. If your child is under 6 years old, you receive an additional $1,200/year per child. If your income is higher than $120,000, you receive $600/year per child. canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/child-family-benefits/ccb-young-child-supplement.html
Looking for baby groups to join with your infant? We have a list in the Family & Kids section.
There are words used here that I don’t know what they mean!
Yep. In Canada and in Victoria, we use a lot of slang from “Mat Leave” to “ISO”. We wrote a glossary (dictionary) to help you.