Welcome to Passages Midwifery in South Edmonton!

Midwives Heather Martin, Amrit Rai, Samantha Smith-Bird, Caitlin Bridson-Pateman and Lauren Kitchener are so excited to offer their services out of our new Southwest Edmonton location!
Our address is 3474 93 Street NW, Unit 207. (Please note: this is NOT our mailing address. All mail can be sent to our Stony Plain office.) Our fax number is (587) 689-2296.
To apply for care with our midwives at this office, select “Passages Midwifery: Southwest Edmonton” from the waitlist.

ABOUT US

Amrit Rai
Registered Midwife
I completed my Bachelor of Midwifery Degree at Mount Royal University in Calgary. I was accepted into the midwifery program immediately after completing my high school education. I am originally from Surrey, BC where I grew up prior to moving to Alberta for post secondary school. I am of Indo-Canadian descent and am fluent in Punjabi and English.
As a child, I always knew that I wanted to work in the field of medicine and had a specific interest in women’s health. When I was in grade 11, I was given the opportunity to go to Ottawa for a week and participate in a program called “Encounters with Canada” filled with workshops focussed on medicine and health. It was there that the seed of midwifery was planted in my mind. I was drawn to a workshop titled “baby catching” run by the local midwives, and from that moment moving forward I knew that midwifery was the path for me.
I am grateful to all of the families who have welcomed me into being a part of their beautiful and unique birthing experiences. Every birth has taught me invaluable life lessons of strength, empowerment, resilience, love, and unity. I am someone who is passionate about advocating for my clients to have their voices heard. I want to ensure that every individual’s birth experience is centered around their own values and decisions.
I hope to someday provide midwifery services to marginalized populations of women in underprivileged communities across the globe. I love to travel and have had Midwifery placements in Calgary, Saskatoon, Fort Qu’Appelle, Medicine Hat, and Edmonton.
I look forward to working with you through this time of transition and new beginnings!
pronouns: she/ her

Samantha Smith-Bird
New Registrant Midwife
I hail from a little bit of both of Canada’s coasts with a bit of the middle mixed in. I am so pleased to be working with the Passages team.
I have long felt that health professions were the place for me and pursued a dual program major in Public Health and Geography (medical concentration) while competing as a division 1 athlete south of the border. But I soon found that I felt stymied in my ability to be useful without a clinical skill set. The flame for midwifery was lit during my first pregnancy. At that time I was fortunate to receive midwifery care, before a move to a smaller city necessitated a transfer of care to a physician as there were no midwives in that city. I went on two have more children and was increasingly frustrated by the lack of midwifery services in my area. My public health training could see the incredible value that midwives offered in their evidence-based, person-centered approach and I wanted to be one of them. I would often research midwifery programs in the dark hours of the night while nursing my babies. Finally, when my littlest was seven months old I bit the bullet and applied to the Ontario Midwifery Education Program and was accepted.
My final year of education was spent in Southern Ontario working at Canada’s only midwifery-led and staffed hospital unit. I am so pleased to now work with the skilled midwives at Passages and look forward to being involved in your care.
When not in clinic, at home visits or in hospital, you’ll find me searching for local adventures and treasures with my three boys and husband, curled up with a book, rowing on the water, or hunting for the next travel deal.
Pronouns: she/her

Lauren Kitchener
New Registrant Midwife
My passion for midwifery care came from listening to stories of people who had given birth and felt that the experience was not the empowering one they had hoped for. I was in school studying acupuncture at the time and felt a calling to midwifery that I could not ignore. While completing my Midwifery Degree at Mount Royal University I was shown time and time again that I had made the right decision. It is truly an honor to be able to work in this profession and provide families with informed choice and options for their birth. I value our role in providing support and continuity of care throughout the entire pregnancy, from prenatal health through to the postpartum. I have a particular interest in infant feeding and supporting that component of your journey however that may look for you.
I grew up in Northern Ontario and completed my first degree in Kinesiology at the University of Western Ontario. I danced contemporary and ballet, pursued a passion for scuba diving, skied and spent many years riding dressage with my family horses. After graduating from Western University, I moved to Vancouver Island where I studied Acupuncture. I am very grateful to have a basic understanding of Eastern Medicine philosophies, however I felt something was missing and decided to pursue my dream of becoming a midwife. I am passionate about continuing my education and advancing my knowledge and skills while practicing. I feel my background has helped me tremendously in this career and I look forward to helping you and your family safely incorporate complementary therapies into your pregnancy journey if this is of interest to you. I want to help ensure that your journey is focused on your values and goals and that you feel confident and supported in your decision-making.
Through my education at Mount Royal University I had the opportunity to have placements in Edmonton and Medicine Hat. I am very excited to continue working in Edmonton with the wonderful team at Passages Midwifery and my practice partner and long-time friend Caitlin Bridson-Pateman. I look forward to working with you during this transformative chapter of your life!
Pronouns: she/her

Caitlin Bridson-Pateman
New Registrant Midwife
As far back as I can remember, I would tell anyone that would listen that I wanted to be “a doctor who takes babies out of mummies tummies”. I was fascinated by childbirth, and my mother would regularly find me watching “A Baby Story” on TLC or reading pregnancy books at the library. Although my passion for pregnancy and birth continued throughout my life, I realized that becoming a doctor was not something that I was interested in pursuing, but midwifery was also not something discussed or offered in my rural community.
After graduating from St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia with an Honours degree in Child Psychology, I decided to travel the world to learn more about other cultures and discover my true passions in life. It wasn’t until I was teaching English to Kindergarten students in southern Thailand that I even learned what midwifery was. Once I realized the wonderful alternative that midwifery is in the current obstetrical system, I knew that this profession was my true calling.
What drew me to midwifery initially and continues to guide me throughout my career is the ability to help birthing persons feel empowered during their pregnancy journeys through informed choice decision making and education. Using these key pillars of midwifery, I hope to provide clients with the information they need to make the choices that are best for them and their growing families.
Through my midwifery education from Mount Royal University in Calgary, I was fortunate enough to have placements in Calgary, Medicine Hat, and Edmonton. It was through these placements that I discovered my love for the city of Edmonton, and more particularly, the midwifery community here. I am thrilled to continue working in the city I love alongside the amazing midwives at Passages with my practice partner and friend, Lauren Kitchener.
When I am not advocating for you and supporting you through your pregnancy journey, you can find me curled up with a good book, cooking a new recipe, playing games (video or board) with my partner, Bruce, or snuggling with our two cats Titan and Nova.
I look forward to meeting and walking through this journey with you!
Pronouns: she/her







