About Us

I became interested in midwifery while attending high school in my hometown of Peterborough, Ontario. I was accepted into the Midwifery Education Programme at McMaster University in 2002 after completing a double major in Physiology and Psychology at the University of Western Ontario in London. I graduated with a Bachelor of Heath Sciences in Midwifery in 2007.

My midwifery training included a combination of both classroom and clinical experiences exposing me to midwifery in a variety of settings during my placements.

I attend seminars, workshops and hospital rounds to help keep my knowledge and skills current.

I relocated to the Northumberland Hills area following in 2010 after three years of midwifery practice in Sarnia. I love what I do and I am very much enjoy the team atmosphere at New Life Midwives.

When I am not on call I enjoy hiking, running, kayaking, reading and travelling on the back of my husband's motorcycle cross country.

Hello, my name is Erin Croteau, I am a graduate of the Mdiwifery Education 

Program, McMaster class of 2008.  I have been a Registered Midwife with New Life 

Midwives since 2010.   I see pregnancy and childbirth as an incredible time in a 

person’s life, to learn about one’s own inner strength, and an opportunity to 

empower families to become engaged in their health care experience.   There is 

nothing more magical than handing a mother her baby for the *rst time.   

I grew up in Peterborough, but have called Port Hope home since 2010.   I love my 

small town, and live there with my partner Mike, and our two daughters Pyper and 

Isla.   When I am not catching babies, I love riding my horse Joey, listening to live 

music and walking my dog Poppy along the  beaches of lake Ontario.  I have 

dedicated myself to caring for the families of Durham and Northumberland counties,

and feel incredibly privileged to work alongside the wonder*ul midwives, nurses and

physicians in our community. 

Hi! My name is Paige Ricketts 

I am so very excited to be joining the team at New Life Midwives. 

I initially became interested in midwifery while observing a birth in a clinical placement for my nursing diploma. I knew immediately that I wanted to pursue  a career involving pregnancy and birth. 

I completed my nursing diploma and applied to the Midwifery Education Program at Ryerson University 2 years later. I was delighted to be accepted and began my studies in 2012. In 2015, I had my son under the care of  midwives. This experience completely solidified my desire to become a midwife. I was very fortunate to have been able to complete my final year of the program with New Life, and I am so happy to be returning. 

I have worked as a nurse in Durham and Northumberland  for almost a decade, specializing in addiction and mental health. I look forward to continuing to care for my community in a new capacity. 

In my spare time you can find me spending time with my son Jordan, reading a good book, or enjoying time outdoors. I  am so privileged to be able to provide the benefits of midwifery care to clients and their families. I look forward to meeting you!

Hi there! I am so incredibly excited to begin my career as a midwife here at New Life Midwives.

Prior to becoming interested in Midwifery, I completed a B.Sc. in Biomedical Biology with intentions of going to medical school. However, when a close family friend was discussing her experiences with her midwives during her pregnancies I was intrigued and had to investigate further. And so began my love for the wonderful world of Midwifery.

I entered the Laurentian University Midwifery Education Program in 2008 and I was truly fortunate to have completed all of my placements in the Durham/Northumberland region including my senior placement at New Life Midwives. I consider it an honor and a privilege to work with families during such a transformative life stage and I am constantly amazed by the strength and uniqueness of every client who crosses my path.

Being a midwife makes for a busy life! But when I do have spare time I like to spend it with my amazing family, and wonderful friends eating sushi and hanging out. I’ll never underestimate the power of a good book to help me unwind and the value of a good night’s sleep!

I am looking forward to meeting new clients and welcoming back those I have already worked with. I hope to provide you and your family with the individualized care and support you deserve from a care provider. 

I am so thrilled to be starting at New Life Midwives!

I am a 2014 graduate of McMaster University, but prior to that I attended Wilfrid Laurier University where I obtained a Combined Honours B.A. in Criminology and Health Studies, with Contemporary Studies and a minor in psychology. It was at here at Laurier that I was first introduced

to Midwifery through an elective class discussing the medicalization of motherhood and the historical shift away from midwifery in Canada.

I was born and raised in Etobicoke, with my parents, three younger sisters, and our family dog. I love music, especially country music and classical opera, horseback riding, and reading historical fiction.I now live here in Bowmanville with my partner, our son William and our 4 cats. Some fun, and little known facts about me: I have held jobs as a blackjack dealer for casino-themed charity events, a licensed private investigator and security guard, a veterinary assistant/receptionist, and a ranch hand! I have had many pets growing up which included a hamster, a budgie, several fish, a dog, 7 rats, 4 cats (current) and I used to breed guppies with Jeff before we had our son. I absolutely love to learn new things, meet new people and share

stories about my experiences, and hear others’ stories as well! I have travelled to over 20 countries worldwide, the highlight being a 9 week tour of 16 countries in Europe and the U.K. when I was 16.

I am so pleased to be able to care for clients and their families, and feel very lucky to be starting a new chapter here in this new and exciting community!

My name is Julia Merkler, and I am so excited to be joining the New Life Midwives team and look forward to meeting you and participating in your care. 

I stumbled upon midwifery as a young parent, newly pregnant and frankly, quite scared!  Midwifery quickly became a lifeline for me when I was most in need of it, introducing me to the concept of informed choice and client-centred care, both of which transformed the way I view healthcare and my relationship to my bodily autonomy. I attribute much of my success in parenting to the philosophy of midwifery care that was ingrained in me from the moment I became a client. I felt safe, respected, valued and connected to the process of pregnancy and birth from the very start. As such, after the birth of my second child I decided to pursue midwifery as a career. I attended Ryerson University, completing all of my education in Toronto where I trained under midwives, obstetricians, pediatricians, nurses and other allied health professionals. I graduated with a Bachelor of Health Sciences in Midwifery with Honours and had the pleasure of working in the Kawartha Lakes region up until recently. 

I believe birth has the ability to empower, strengthen, and transform lives. I am extremely humbled and grateful knowing I am invited to participate in such an important milestone in other people's lives, and I'm thankful to all of the people that have and continue to invite me to share this journey with them. When not working, I can be found with my two kids and my partner hiking, bike riding, reading, baking, or spending time with friends and family. I enjoy being outdoors as much as possible no matter the season, and find any excuse possible to spend time amongst nature. 

I look forward to meeting you and to being part of your journey and remain committed to providing safe and respectful care.