Restoring the blessings of the morning star: childbirth and maternal-infant health for First Nations near Edmonton, Alberta

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dc.contributor.authorWiebe, Adrienne D.
dc.contributor.authorBarton, Sylvia
dc.contributor.authorAuger, Laura
dc.contributor.authorPijl, Em M.
dc.contributor.authorFoster-Boucher, Caroline
dc.date.accessioned2020-02-07T17:34:02Z
dc.date.available2020-02-07T17:34:02Z
dc.date.issued2015
dc.descriptionOpen access article.en_US
dc.description.abstractIt is not only remote Aboriginal communities in Canada that have poorer maternalinfant health status than Canadian averages; residents of First Nation communities located close to large urban centres also experience this health status gap. Alexander, Alexis, Enoch, and Paul First Nations are located within an hour of healthcare services in greater Edmonton. The narratives of 75 predominantly Cree and Stoney women from these communities were gathered through seven talking circles and five semi-structured interviews. The participants described their experiences of loss and separation as pregnancy care and childbirth moved out of the community and into the hospital over the last two generations. This shift was not only a geographic relocation; it also disconnected the childbirth experience from elders, family and community, traditional teachings, and spiritual meaning. Conversely, the participants’ hospital experiences were characterized by a limited sense of cultural safety. Participants highlighted the urgent need to reintegrate culturally based community support and health perspectives into the childbirth experience. The implementation of such a culturally integrated healthcare model in all Aboriginal communities—remote, rural, suburban, and urban—may be the key finally to closing the gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal maternal and infant health status in Canada.en_US
dc.description.peer-reviewYesen_US
dc.identifier.citationWiebe, A. D., Barton, S., Auger, L., Pijl-Zieber, E., & Foster-Boucher, C. (2015). Restoring the blessings of the morning star: Childbirth and maternal-infant health for First Nations near Edmonton, Alberta. Aboriginal Policy Studies, 5(1), 47-68. https://doi.org/10.5663/aps.v5i1.23823en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10133/5674
dc.language.isoen_USen_US
dc.publisherUniversity of Albertaen_US
dc.publisher.facultyHealth Sciencesen_US
dc.publisher.institutionMennonite Central Committeeen_US
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Albertaen_US
dc.publisher.institutionAlberta Health Servicesen_US
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Lethbridgeen_US
dc.publisher.urlhttps://dx.doi.org/10.5663/aps.v5i1.23823
dc.subjectIndigenous peoples -- Health and hygieneen_US
dc.subjectMaternal-infant healthen_US
dc.subjectChildbirth experience
dc.subjectIndigenous mothers
dc.subjectIndigenous midwives
dc.subjectIndigenous doulas
dc.subjectCree
dc.subjectStoney
dc.subject.lcshMaternal and infant welfare--Alberta
dc.subject.lcshChildbirth--Alberta
dc.subject.lcshCree women--Health and hygiene--Alberta
dc.titleRestoring the blessings of the morning star: childbirth and maternal-infant health for First Nations near Edmonton, Albertaen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US
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