About sarah Leslie

Hello, my name is Sarah and I'm a full-time midwife at The Midwives’ Clinic of East York Don Mills in Toronto, Canada. I have been working in the east end of Toronto as a registered midwife since June 2003.  I love sharing my knowledge and experiences with soon-to-be new parents. My classes provide an interactive opportunity to engage with a healthcare practitioner who works with babies all the time! Below is a little about who I am. 

I was born in New Brunswick in 1974 to a young, opinionated hippie mother. Shortly, after I was born we moved to Ontario where my mother attended nursing college. She became a labour and delivery nurse in a downtown Toronto hospital and soon began to consider becoming a midwife. During this time, my sister was born at home with a family doctor and a midwife. At the young age of seven, I witnessed my very first birth which was thrilling for my young mind. I remember that the room was very warm, the family doctor sat in a rocking chair in the corner while my mother's apprenticing midwife did her work. I was enthralled and captured by the immense joy that erupted at the moment when she was born.  At ten years of age, with my sister on my lap, we witnessed the quick home birth of our little brother. My mother did a midwifery apprenticeship and became a pre-legislative midwife in 1986. As a young person, I could see her drive and desire to become someone who could have an impact on women’s health. As I grew into my teenage years I was invited to help out at other family home births while my mother attended as a legislated and registered midwife. I learned from these experiences that birth can show us how strong we can be. Although it is a process that is different for everyone, I love that there are consistent themes of strength, resilience, tenderness and hope.

With my solid history of natural birth behind me, I went off to York University to achieve an Arts degree in Women's Studies. After I graduated I wanted a profession where I felt I could make a difference. The logical answer for me was to become a midwife! Over the years I’ve learned that one of the enchanting elements of midwifery is that I continue to learn as a person and as a practitioner. My clients, parents and newborns alike, continue to teach me new things all the time! It doesn’t seem to matter if my client is having their first baby or their 7th. We grow and learn together during this exciting time.

My hope is that when I'm teaching my classes my students will feel comfortable with me – that they will be able to ask questions and contemplate ideas. I hope that my diverse clientele will find comfort in my classes and leave feeling a bit less scared of this new adventure that they are on. Becoming a new parent is a vulnerable time which I understand intimately as I have three beautiful children who were born in 2004 (Lucy), 2007 (Ben) and 2008 (Rowan). They keep me humble while laughing about life and being forever forgiving of my crazy work hours as an on-call midwife. Although their infancy is long over, I do have a lasting impression of how hard new parenthood can sometimes feel even when it is also so beautiful. I bring these insights into my classes hoping to keep our conversations informed, practical, and also fun! I look forward to meeting with you and working with you during this transitional time in your life!

I've been a registered midwife with the College of Midwives of Ontario (CMO) since June 2003. I have enjoyed a wonderful relationship with Michael Garron Hospital as a midwife on staff since my graduation. I am also an adjunct professor at Toronto Metropolitan University teaching clinical skills to senior midwifery students. I've been so privileged to call my nursing, obstetric and paediatric colleagues my friends.  In 2019 we decided to offer our clients a newborn class to help them prepare for their new babies. Prior to the pandemic, this was a small in-person class. Due to this, the size was restricted by space and cost. The pandemic forced us to create our current online class. It’s been very successful and has reached so many more people and now has grown into more classes plus an in person class too. 

I follow the College of Midwives of Ontario’s standards and guidelines and maintain a current certificate in neonatal resuscitation, CPR and midwifery emergency skills. In addition, I keep my skills and information current by attending conferences and workshops. I deliver midwifery care and classes in English and use the pronouns she/her/hers.

I would also love to thank all the wonderful parents who generously gave me photos for this website. I am eternally grateful.