Meet the Innu Nation's up-and-coming midwives
A small crew of Innu students have officially signed on to become the First Nation's newest midwives.
For one of the five, Noreen Andrew, it's a journey she hopes will make having a baby in the Innu communities across Labrador a lot easier than when she tried it herself.
"My delivery, I felt like I didn't have any support. I didn't think midwifery was a thing back then," Andrews said, speaking at an open house last week at the Innu Round Table Secretariat office in Sheshatshiu.
All five students hope to graduate from the program as registered midwives and plan to work in Innu communities so expectant mothers have support at home, without needing to travel.
"I think it would be safer delivering babies in the community and have more connections," Andrews said.
The program, federally funded and offered through the secretariat, already has co-ordinator Gisela Becker looking forward to the future.
"I think all five students are doing an absolute wonderful job — so interested in midwifery and motivated to become midwives and serve their own communities," Becker said.
"Innu people are supporting Innu, during childbirth and pregnancy and postpartum."
Last week's open house also demonstrated a birthing simulator the class will use to practise delivering babies.
"It's very practical," said student Emma White. "It's a very good learning tool that we can use over and over again."
White says she entered the program to give women and families a choice of where to deliver while creating a bond with the community.
The class still has a long way to go before they're helping out with local births, though.
"That's the first time delivering a baby in the simulator," Andrews said. "In the next five years it'll probably be a piece of cake."
