Aboriginal women receive culturally sensitive care from new midwifery practice

Toronto, Ont. - A new midwifery practice is providing culturally sensitive care to Aboriginal women in Toronto by supporting women to incorporate traditional teaching and ceremony into prenatal care, labour and birth, and postpartum care.

Seventh Generation Midwives Toronto is comprised of both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Registered Midwives that deliver babies at home or at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. Midwives provide primary care to women, including supervision, care and advice, throughout the pregnancy, birth and up to six weeks postpartum. The Aboriginal People's Council of Toronto estimates that there are over 60,000 people of Aboriginal descent living in the GTA. Since the practice opened in January 2006, over 40 babies have been delivered.

"Many Aboriginal women and their families face significant barriers when seeking care during their pregnancy, and many have experienced racial stereotyping in the past within the healthcare system. We invite women to incorporate their own traditional teachings into the birthing process, such as having a welcoming ceremony led by an Elder, smudging with traditional medicines like sage or sweet-grass and having the first voice heard by the baby to be in their traditional language," explains Sara Wolfe, Registered Midwife with Seventh Generation Midwives Toronto.

Sunnybrook was eager to embrace the goal of Aboriginal midwifery, which is to provide safe and culturally sensitive birthing that emphasizes respect for life and the empowerment of women. Midwifery typically tends to focus more on low-risk maternity care. Each year, Sunnybrook delivers approximately 4,000 babies, with a patient and family-centred approach to care. "Childbirth is a profound experience and is a critical time for cultural sensitivity and respecting traditions. Sunnybrook welcomes the opportunity to deliver culturally relevant maternal care that recognizes the birthing needs of Aboriginal women in Toronto," says Dr. Jennifer Blake, Chief of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre.

"We're excited to see the practice grow as more women learn about the unique focus of this midwifery group." The new practice also informs women of teachings and traditional practices around labour and delivery, and can help women to locate Elders and traditional healers to be present during delivery.