Giiwije Bimo’se Maanan Nokoomagk Chi’Mino Bimadiziiyaang – Cradle of Care to help people giving birth in the province
On the winter solstice a group of health-care professionals, local advocates and people wanting to learn more gathered at the Gaynor Family Regional Library to witness the naming ceremony of a new program aimed at allowing more advocacy for Indigenous practices to be used throughout pregnancy and giving birth in our province. The program is called Cradle of Care and the ceremony celebrated the program receiving the name Giiwije Bimo’se Maanan Nokoomagk Chi’Mino Bimadiziiyaang which translates to walking towards the good life with the grandmothers.
“[Cradle of Care] is a project that we brought forward in our region to help people who are pregnant or going to be birthing soon so that they would have an Indigenous doula helper. It does have some teachings in terms of cultural teachings, we have a knowledge keeper who’s been participating in our project for a long time and who supports the doula as well as our steering committee. The doula actually works with the families to help incorporate their needs to help with teachings to prepare for birth and for parenting early on,” explained Health Services Manager for Primary Care West Mazine Zastiko.
The naming ceremony opened with a pipe ceremony by Carol Thomas. Thomas was given the gift of being able to give names and guests were honoured to be able to see her give the Indigenous name to the Cradle of Care program.
The idea for Cradle of Care came to fruition because of work that started in 2000 in the harm reduction sphere.
“Knowing that possibly that there isn’t the prenatal care that is there to support people to get testing or to be able to have support during the birthing process, and prepare for that birthing process, in some parts of our region, even from a primary care lens we don’t have enough primary care providers and sometimes people don’t have access to regular doctors. And so, to be able to have a birth helper to help as the liaison to a primary care provider and other services and supports was really our goal,” said Zastiko.
She explained that the service is there to support the families that use it in individual ways based on their needs.
“Our project does support people, even with transportation, if they’re not able to make it to appointments we are able to support them with gas coupons or arrange for rides or pickups. We also [have our] doula and provide some outreach services to be able to meet people where they feel that they can either in their homes or the closest health center,” said Zastiko.
The aim is to have healthy pregnancies because if residents are supported in their pregnancies their children have the best chance of having the healthiest start to life.
After the pipe ceremony, attendees gave tobacco to the sacred fire and then went inside. Next, Jaime Grasby gave an opening prayer and a lesson in solstice teachings before performing a drum song.
Thomas also discussed the sacred medicines of our local Indigenous groups. She explained how cedar, sage, sweetgrass and tobacco all have uses and other members in attendance chimed in to discuss how these medicines can be incorporated into modern health-care settings.
“We’re talking about preparing, and making places for people so that people can have their babies and feel supported and loved and feel confident and feel that they have the support of relatives and grandmothers and community that’s what we want,” said Thomas.
Jeannie White Bird who is a traditional helper on the Cradle of Care Steering Committee says that it’s important that these services will now be offered.
“We had our own birthing practices prior to the way things are right now and those practices incorporated our cultural, ceremonial and traditional ways. It also includes being able to not have to travel and be separated from our families during our most vulnerable time. To have Indigenous doulas supporting our life-givers is decolonizing the structures that are currently causing harm,” said White Bird.
White Bird encourages Indigenous people who are pregnant and wish to learn more to reach out to the program.
“It’s more than the actual birthing process. This is [about health]. We want to support the life-givers,” she said.
Residents can connect with this program through various organizations in our community like the Selkirk Friendship Centre, First Nations in the region and health care offices. The program encourages self-referrals.
