Midwifery is a form of alternative care for women with low-risk pregnancies; however, with long waitlists and a lack of services in rural areas, it’s not an option for all expecting mothers.

Stephanie McDougall's been a new mom before. Three-week-old Elliott is her second boy, the difference this time is she used the services of a midwife.

“I wanted a more holistic approach with the second baby. I want not to have just the baby’s health monitored, but mine as well,” says McDougall.

Registered midwives care for low-risk expecting moms. They are there through the pregnancy, delivery, and for the first six weeks after birth.

The Association of Nova Scotia Midwives prides itself on the quality of service it offers woman.

“The difference with our service is that the only women that we are looking after, or patients or clients that we have, are women having babies and just for the short time while they are pregnant, during labour and a few weeks after,” says Kelly Chisholm, with the Association of Nova Scotia Midwives.

Stephanie Gilbert is expecting her second child next month. She is also with a group that advocates for the specialized care; however, because she lives in Sydney it's not an option for her. The closest hospital that allows licensed midwives to practice is over two hours away.

“My hope is that midwifery care could be expanded and offered to women all across the province so all women have a choice of what model of care they can receive during their pregnancies,” says Gilbert.

Currently there are nine full time midwife positions in Nova Scotia: five are at the IWK Health Centre in Halifax, two in Antigonish and two on the South Shore. The president of the association says there are waitlists at each centre and until services are expanded they can only deliver about three per cent of babies born in the province.

A 2011 provincial government report recommended hiring of 20 full-time midwifery positions by 2017, but it comes down to money. The Association of Nova Scotia Midwives asserts they have the more cost effective option.

“We have shorter lengths of stays in the hospital which costs the system less, we have fewer intervention rates which costs the system less, we have very high breastfeeding rates which costs the system less and dramatically contribute to long term health,” says Chisholm.

With files from CTV Atlantic's Kelland Sundahl