My First Field Placement with The Winnipeg Boldness Project: Indigenous Doulas and Health Advocacy

By Ari Phanlouvong, 1st year MDP student 

 

Tipi in the sun

The Indigenous doula program is a one of a kind service offered in Manitoba for Indigenous women who travel for birth. As I have learned through interviews, as well as through discussions with friends, there are many common misconceptions about the role of doulas in birth. Indigenous doulas are however distinct as they offer women with emotional support, along with an optional support that is culturally based. This cultural support includes teachings, stories, ceremonies, natural medicines and teas for women during pregnancy, birth and postpartum. More importantly, Indigenous doulas ensure that women are in control of events and processes surrounding birth, and that they are provided with support and resources that are necessary for informed decision-making. Thus, I learned this summer that the Indigenous doulas not only provided emotional care, but were also very strong advocates for women in the hospital setting. 

In the same sense, as partners in the doula program, The Winnipeg Boldness Project (Boldness) and the North End Women’s Centre offered a “Baby Basket” to all families participating in the program. The Baby Basket allows families to choose several items from a variety of categories such as bathing and hygiene, clothing, toys and books, and even some cultural items such as a star blanket and moccasins. The Baby Basket package therefore advocates and ensures that each basket respects families’ right to self-determination.

Tucker, the Boldness office sweetheart

This field placement has helped me to develop not only practical skills in the field of research, but has also enabled me to think of Indigenous women’s health differently.

I had the privilege of meeting and working with many new individuals throughout the summer, from the hardworking and passionate women at Boldness, and a great research team, to the families in the community, the doulas, and some of the women who have initiated this program. Meeting individuals from such a broad range of professional backgrounds and experiences has allowed me to really understand the different aspects of the Indigenous doula program.

 

My First Field Placement with The Winnipeg Boldness Project: Supporting Winnipeg's Indigenous Doulas

By Ari Phanlouvong, 1st year MDP student

The Winnipeg Boldness Project's colourful entrance

My first MDP Field Placement is with The Winnipeg Boldness Project (Boldness), located in the heart of Point Douglas. Boldness is a social innovation lab that tackles social challenges and systematic barriers as identified by community members, and focuses on designing community-driven and community-led programs guided by a child-centered model.

Boldness's awesome ladies hard at work

What drew me to Boldness is its involvement in supporting the first Indigenous doula program in Winnipeg and in Manitoba. This program is led by Wiijii’idiwag Ikwewag (Manitoba Indigenous Doula Initiative (MIDI)) which was founded in 2015 by a group of Indigenous women in Manitoba. In case you’re wondering what ‘doulas’ are, they are defined as helpers or birth companions to expectant mothers. Doulas support women through pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period, providing emotional and social support. An Indigenous doula possesses the same skills but also provides Indigenous women with support that is culturally based, enabling mothers to connect spiritually through traditions and ceremonies. 

The event poster I created for the doula's celebration

Wiijiii’idiwag Ikwewag envisions the Indigenous doula program as an important step toward reclaiming birth in defiance of Health Canada’s maternal evacuation policy, which forces expectant mothers living on-reserve in rural and remote regions to be transferred out of their home communities to larger centres to give birth. This pilot program was made possible through the combined efforts of Wiijiii’idiwag Ikwewag, Nanaandawegimig ((First Nations Health & Social Secretariat (FNHSSM)), the Winnipeg Boldness Project, the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority (WRHA), and Mount Carmel Clinic. In the coming years, the Indigenous doula program is expected to develop in Cross Lake and two other remote communities in Manitoba, underlining the necessity in supporting travelling expectant mothers and their families, and for a holistic approach to health.

Boldness is specifically involved in the evaluation of the Indigenous doula program. The first urban cohort of doulas was trained earlier this year and supported Indigenous mothers in Winnipeg, as well as mothers who travelled from Norway House Cree Nation and Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation (Nelson House). Part of the evaluation process consists of meeting with doulas and the mothers they support, and conducting interviews. I was tasked with interviewing some of the families which helped better understand the impacts that the program has had in the community. Through stories told by the mothers and the doulas, I have learned about some of the barriers and challenges faced by Indigenous mothers in the healthcare system, the important role that doulas have as advocates for these women, and a strong desire in the community to welcome their children to the world in a way that fits with a family’s values and beliefs.

The 1st cohort of Indigenous Doulas on the graduation day

Sharing Back the Research with the Community

By Sarah Wood, 1st year MDP student

For the second half of my placement, I returned to Winnipeg to work on data entry and analysis of the information gathered in the surveys on maternal health services that I collected in Norway House last month. After a month or so of this work, I returned to Norway House for Treaty and York Boat Days to disseminate some of the preliminary findings to community members during the health fair. The health fair drew a wide audience on this rainy August day. The participants explored the displays from various health initiatives in and around the community and filled out a health fair “passport” to win prizes.  

Our table at the health fair

Through working with Norway House during this stage of the project, I was able to gain a deeper understanding of the importance of reciprocity and sharing back the information gathered through research. Research has a long colonial history that must be acknowledged and challenged. Research should not be extractive, but reciprocal. During the health fair, quite a few people took the time to read through a pamphlet which graphically displays some of the results of the survey. There seemed to be significant interest from both men and women about the future of maternity care in the community.

I was also able to witness an exciting presentation in another area of Indigenous health during Treaty and York Boat days. Cindy Blackstock, First Nations child welfare advocate, was honoured by Norway House for her work with Jordan’s Principle. Jordan’s Principle, which seeks to end delays due to jurisdictional disputes surrounding healthcare for First Nations children, is named for boy named Jordan who was from Norway House. 

 

I was able to learn a lot about Indigenous maternal health during my time in Norway House and Winnipeg, but was also able to learn about many other intersecting health issues and initiatives under way in this vibrant Cree community.  

I would like to thank Norway House Cree Nation leadership for hosting me during my placement and Councillor Gilbert Fredette for his support in Norway House, as well as the staff at the Health Division for their help in ensuring I was able to distribute the surveys! I would also like to thank the research team at the University of Winnipeg, Dr. Jaime Cidro and Betsi Dolin for their guidance and support!

Cindy Blackstock speaking in Norway House

 

Learning about Indigenous Health Research in Norway House

By Sarah Wood, 1st year MDP student

Sarah and summer solstice skies

My field placement began with an 8 hour car ride so far outside the city I didn’t even have CBC Radio to keep me company for much of the drive. Instead I kept myself entertained with intermittent black bear and bald eagle sightings. 

My placement is with Norway House Cree Nation and a research team from the University of Winnipeg who are jointly working on a project surrounding birthing and maternity services in this northern First Nations community. Currently, pregnant women living in Norway House travel to cities like Winnipeg to have their babies, but there is growing interest in understanding the challenges this poses to women and their families and exploring the option of births in Norway House.

  

Norway House Indian Hospital where every once and a while babies are delivered

I have been fortunate enough during my time here to speak briefly with hundreds of women and men at numerous events in the community. It has been interesting to navigate the practicalities of Indigenous research that we explored during our course work this past year. 

Specifically, I have met with a Community Advisory Committee who offered crucial feedback on our survey design. I have learned how O.C.A.P (Ownership, Control, Access, Possession) principles for research in First Nations communities are applied to this specific research project such as how the information collected for this research, that belongs to Norway House, will be stored.  I even had to make a radio advertisement to alert the community of my presence here. (Those of you who know me know that is this my nightmare). I am hopeful that this work will prove useful for the community in their efforts to steer their healthcare programs in whichever direction they decide is best.  

Aside from meeting survey quotas, I’ve been keeping myself busy by fighting with the internet connection, swimming, visiting waterfalls, and enjoying sunsets that last well past eleven in the evening.

  

The midway set up for the weekend at the waterfront, bursting with eager survey participants