ᐱᒍᓐᓇᓐᓂᖅ ᐃᓐᓂᓱᔅᓰᓂᒻᒧᑦ ᐱᔨᔅᓯᕈᑎᓂᒃ ᕿᑐᙱᐅᓐᓂᒻᒧᑦ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᖃᑦᑕᐃᓕᒪᓂᒻᒧᑦ ᐱᔪᓐᓇᐅᑎᐅᒻᒪᑦ

“In Nunavik, we fought to return birth and midwifery to our communities. The Inuulitsivik Health Service on the Hudson Coast has had an Inuit midwifery service in Puvirnituq since 1986. The service expanded to Inukjuak in 1998, Salluit in 2004 and Kuujjuaq in the mid 2000’s.

Our service is midwifery led and part of a strong interprofessional team. We have many years of experience providing high quality care and midwifery education in our remote communities. This provides excellent outcomes for women and babies and keeps families together at this important time. As well, we provide care in our language and culture and see the midwifery service as part of healing from colonialism.”

“As a nurse who has been trained in labour and delivery, I have seen how medicalized birthing has become, rather than a natural process. A woman who gives birth in a hospital must ask permission for just about everything she does. She can only have a limited number of family members present and she is at the mercy of hospital staff who do not know her and do not understand her culture or her wishes.

Midwifery would give a woman her autonomy back over the birthing experience. It would also ensure the birth plan is followed, making her delivery experience much more personal and customized.”

“I believe that having midwives in Inuit Nunangat is truly important as many of our communities do not have doctors. Expectant mothers and communities would appreciate someone who can speak the language, understand the culture, and hopefully promote midwifery as a career path to our youth which would benefit the entire community.”

“Inuit midwifery addresses the need for more accessible health services within Inuit communities, and our right to determine and promote services by and for Inuit.

Inuit midwifery keeps babies in the community and allows Inuit families to be together at birth and onwards. Inuit have known for time immemorial the traditional practices of birthwork and Inunnguiniq / childrearing and advocating for midwifery programs will strengthen our communities and families.”

Inuit midwifery is crucial for the wellbeing of the start of life of an Inuk child and it allows mothers to be surrounded by their loved ones when welcoming their baby.