Home births still on hold as IWK recruits midwives

Officials at the IWK Health Centre in Halifax say they're making progress to restore the hospital's midwifery program, two years after it was suspended.

The hospital recently hired two more midwives, but it needs to fill another 1.5 positions. While some midwifery services have been restored, home births still aren't happening. The hospital said that will be allowed when they fill the vacancies.

That's disappointing some parents including Kristel Vom Scheidt.

"There should be no reason for this," she said. "They need two midwives for a home birth, so women aren't able to have the type of birth they want."

Vom Scheidt's daughter was born two years ago. At the time only one midwife was working, so she had her baby in the hospital.

The IWK's midwifery program was suspended in 2010 after an independent report found professional and personal conflicts within the program.