Meet the Midwives

Heidi Vergo (Coughlin)

I first became interested in becoming a midwife when I was on a missions trip in Kenya with my dad (a doctor) who was put in charge of high risk obstetrics. One night a pregnant women was in a car accident and had to go to the operating room for an emergency cesarean section. It was not safe for me to stay home alone, so I went with my dad and sat outside the operating room. When the surgeon walked by he told me to scrub in as they needed extra hands. My dad shook his head no and said, "she faints at the sight of blood and throws up when others throw up." I went into the operating room and it was life changing. The baby was born premature and was little, but alive and thriving. The next day I spent her time helping feed/care for the baby while the mother of the baby healed. It didn't take long before I was spending every day after school and started working with the nurse-midwives who cared for all the low risk women.

After high school I took my Bachelor of Nursing  at the University of Alberta. I worked for a year in Labor & Delivery at the Grey Nuns and 9 years in Labor and Delivery at the Royal Alexandra Hospital. While working as a nurse, I taught prenatal classes, birthed my daughter Emma, attended many midwifery conferences, and joined the Aspiring Midwives of Edmonton. When my daughter started grade one, it was finally time for me to pursue my dream. I graduated from midwifery school Spring 2010.

The name HOPE stands for "Helping Others by Prayer and Encouragement". It is my belief that pregnancy is an amazing gift and a gentle birth is the best gift that you can give your baby. No matter what your story...there is HOPE! 

I am a mom, a Christian and I love home birth. I am all about choice and am dedicated to undisturbed birth. My hobbies include: running, photography, going out to eat, going to movies, going to the spa, scuba diving, traveling, sewing, planning/hosting parties, and hanging out with friends.

I look forward to getting to know you and your family!

Heather Beaudoin

I was called to become a midwife long before I even knew what a midwife was. My earliest memories all revolve around a fascination with pregnancy, birth and especially the creation of families.

As a teenager I had an “ah-ha” moment that planted the first seed of my plans to become a midwife. A dear friend attended the homebirth of a family she nannied for. In her retelling of that experience, what I remember most clearly are her words describing how amazing it was to watch the labouring mother maintain “control” over how her labour and birth unfolded. I said to myself; “Yes, that is how every birth should be!”

After raising my three own homebirth babies, my family journeyed across the country to support my dream of studying to become a midwife in Ontario. Now settled back in our hometown of Edmonton, I am delighted to be offering midwifery care focussed on preserving the sacred nature of childbirth as a normal, non-medical miracle.

When I’m not catching babies you will very likely find me curled up with a good book, drinking a cup of chai or strolling in Edmonton’s beautiful ravines.

Megan Wagner

My call to midwifery began with the birth of my second child. During my first pregnancy, I mistakenly believed that all tests and procedures were mandatory. With my second, I knew I wanted more choices in my healthcare, but felt that my wishes weren’t always honoured. My pregnancy and labour were uncomplicated, but I felt I had to “perform” to have care provided to me. This experience left me feeling robbed of what should have been a calm, peaceful, and normal life event.

I began to hear lovely stories from friends about their autonomy under the care of midwives, and how freedom of choice contributed to the quality of their care and birthing experiences. I felt an intense pull to explore the options available to childbearing people and found that the pillars of midwifery are built on relationship, trust, and informed choice.

With my young family at home and a successful business already flourishing, I tried to ignore the desire to become a midwife, but the pull got stronger. Finally, my husband encouraged me to follow my dreams, and he assured me that we could figure everything out as we went on, and we did!

I got into the Bachelor of Midwifery program at Mount Royal University in Calgary. During my time in school, we were blessed with our daughter, who we welcomed into the world in the comfort of our home, surrounded by family and our amazing midwifery care team. Her big brothers witnessed her arrival, held her tiny hand, and bonded within moments of her taking her first breaths. This birth experience was redeeming and empowering. 

Through all of this, I have found my voice as a passionate advocate for the right to information and knowledge so parents can make informed, heartfelt choices. It’s been a privilege to witness and assist babies coming earthside. Every birth is unique, and I learn something from each experience and person I attend. The most important lesson I’ve learned is to trust the instinct, intuition and wisdom of the birthing person and their baby. Because of this, I strive to operate from a place of love and kindness when providing care.

I am a homebody, so cherish the time I spend with my family snuggling on the couch, playing the piano, or playing one of our many favourite games. I am also all too often cheering at the arena, supporting my boys and their passion for hockey.