Hi everyone! As promised I am updating the threads on Maternity Leave benefits so that others can learn from my experience :-).
So, I registered online for EI benefits for self-employed people in June 2013, knowing that we were going to try to have a baby in the coming months. I was hesitant at first because when I read through the advice here a lot of people seemed to be against the program, however when I did the math and determined how much I would pay in premiums versus how much I would receive in benefits, there was no question that this program was right for me.

I applied for sick leave at the beginning of June - my midwife had no hesitation at all about writing me a letter recommending that I stop working immediately (working over 50 hours a week alone is justification for this, but add in the stress, the physical requirements, etc. and it makes sense). I found out today that my application was approved and that I will receive my benefits in 2-3 days. I will receive 15 weeks of sick leave, then 15 weeks of maternity leave, then 35 weeks of parental benefits. So a total of 65 weeks of paid benefits. The premiums and benefits are determined by your income as reported on your most recent taxes. My fiscal year runs from Jan 1 - December 31 so my rates are determined by my 2013 information. This is something to keep in mind and plan for as you would want your taxable income to be as high as possible so that your benefits are as much as they can be.

For the benefit of everyone, here's a financial breakdown:
My net (taxable) income for 2013: approx $30,000
EI Premiums I paid on my 2013 taxes: approx. $550
My weekly benefits: approx. $300 per week, total of $19,500

It would take me 35 years of paying EI premiums at the rate of $550 per year in order for me to break even, so for me this program was totally the way to go. If anyone has any questions about the specifics, please send me a private message and I'll try to help!