Here are some resources we have found to be useful in supporting Indigenous families, birth workers, and allied health-care providers. If drawing on any of these resources in your work, always give credit to the original source.
Reproductive and Sexual Health Care
Feminist Midwife. (2012). Self-Swab. Link to research and how-to information via Article.
Susan Ferreyra & Katrine Hughes for Planned Parenthood San Francisco. Table Manners: A Guide to Pelvic Examination for Disabled Women and Health Care Providers. Link to PDF.
Pregnancy
MAAIINGAN Productions, Frog Girl Films, and Muskrat Magazine. Spirit of Birth. Link to Short Documentary and accompanying Article.
Perinatal Services BC. Our Sacred Journey: Aboriginal Pregnancy Passport. Link to PDF.
Best Start Resource Centre. (2013). Beginning Journey: First Nations Pregnancy Resource Book. Link to PDF.
Southern Ontario Aboriginal Diabetes Initiative. (2016). Sweetgrass Prenatal Yoga (running time: 41 minutes). Link to Youtube.
Aviva Romm. Herbal Medicines During Pregnancy: What’s Safe & What’s Not. Link to Article. **Please note: We advise to consult with your Midwife, Herbalist, Naturopath, or trusted Elder about your unique situation if you have questions or concerns about the use of specific herbal medicines.
Aviva Romm. 10 Things I Wish I Knew All Pregnant Women Knew About Birth. Link to Article.
Taproot Doula Project. (2016). How to Prepare for an Unmedicated Birth. Link to Article.
Mark Rosengarten. (2016). Your Cesarean Section [Preparing for a scheduled C-Section at BC Women’s Hospital]. Link to Article.
Postpartum/Breastfeeding/Infant Care
Shibogama First Nations Council. (2016). The Creator’s Gift to Mothers (a video describing the long-term benefits of breastfeeding). Link to Youtube.
Best Start Resource Centre. (2013). Breastfeeding for the Health and Future of Our Nation. Link to PDF.
First Nations Health Authority. Breastfeeding Wellness Tips for Mothers and Community Helpers. Link to PDF.
Kathleen Huggins. (2014). Sore Nipples in the Early Days of Nursing. Link to Article.
Stanford Medicine. Getting Started with Breastfeeding. Link to Instructional videos & PDFs.
First Nations Health Authority. Safe Infant Sleep Toolkit. Link to website and materials.
Perinatal Services BC. (2011). Celebrating the Circle of Life, Coming Back to Balance and Harmony: A Guide to Emotional Health in Pregnancy Pregnancy and Early Motherhood for Aboriginal Women and their Families. Link to PDF.
Taproot Doula Project. (2016). Chicken Soup for the New Mother’s Soul. Link to Article.
Taproot Doula Project. (2015). I Survived Postpartum Depression. Link to Article.
Kelly Mom (An educational website with scientific information related to breastfeeding and parenting). Link to Website.
Well for Culture (An Indigenous educational website with Indigenized movement and ancestral eating tutorials). Link to Website.
Parenting
First Nations Health Authority. Fatherhood is Forever: A Resource Booklet about Fathering for First Nations and Métis Parents in BC. Link to PDF.
First Nations Health Authority. Parents as the First Teachers: A Resource Booklet About How Children Learn for First Nations and Métis Parents in BC. Link to PDF.
First Nations Health Authority. Growing Up Healthy: A Resource Booklet About Healthy Children for First Nations and Métis Parents in BC. Link to PDF.
Andrea Landry for Today’s Parent. (2018). How I’m Raising my Daughter to be 100 Percent, Unapologetically Indigenous. Link to Article.
Indigenous Motherhood. Link to Website.
Rebecca Tabobondung for Muskrat Magazine. Letter from the Editor: The Art of Indigenous Parenting. Link to Article and Issue on Indigenous Parenting.
Leanne Simpson. (2014). Leaks. Link to Music Video.
Best Start Resource Centre. (2010). A Child Becomes Strong: Journeying Through Each Stage of the Life Cycle. Link to PDF.
Justice Education Society. (2015). Aboriginal Parenting After Separation. Link to resources, toolkit, handouts, video and FAQ via Website.
Indigenous Gender and Sexuality
Native Youth Sexual Health Network. Two-Spirit Resource Directory. Link to PDF.
Sarah Hunt. (2016). An Introduction to the Health of Two-Spirit People: Historical, Contemporary, and Emergent Issues. Prince George, BC: National Collaborating Centre for Aboriginal Health. Link to PDF.
Multiple Authors. (2018). Indigenous Feminist Activity Book. Link to PDF.
Kim Anderson. (2016). Aboriginal Women, Water, and Health: Reflections from Eleven First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Grandmothers. Link to PDF.
Quill Violet Christie-Peters. Selected Writing. Link to website.
Indigenous Birth Work and Caregiving
Moon Magazine. (2018). Women are the First Environment: An Interview with Mohawk Elder Katsi Cook. Link to Article.
National Aboriginal Council of Midwives (NACM). Link to website and Toolkit.
Williams, M. (2010). Aboriginal doulas for Aboriginal women: An Action Plan for Bringing Traditional Birthing Support Practices Back into the Hands of Women. Vancouver, BC. Link to PDF.
Nicolle Gonzales. (2018). Intersections: Indigenous Midwifery, Reproductive Justice, & Indigenous Feminism. Link to Article.
Native Youth Sexual Health Network and Women’s Earth Alliance. (2016). Violence on the Land, Violence on our Bodies: Building an Indigenous Response to Environmental Violence. Link to Report & Toolkit.
Native Youth Sexual Health Network and Women’s Earth Alliance. Environmental Violence Art. Link to Website.
Karen Stote. (2017). Decolonizing Feminism: From Reproductive Abuse to Reproductive Justice. Atlantis, 38(1), 110–123. Link to PDF.
Yee, J., Apale, A. N., & Deleary, M. (2011). Sexual and reproductive health, rights, and realities and access to service for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis in Canada. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 33(6), 633–637. Link to PDF.
Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women. (2014). Sexual and Reproductive Justice in the North. Link to Fact Sheet.
Social Media
Instagram
– @indigenousmotherhood
– @indigenousgoddessgang
– @nyshn
– @indigenousbirthab
– @reclaimyourpower
– @wellforculture
– @rematriate
– @nalgonapositivitypride
Facebook
Zaagi’idiwin (Full Spectrum Indigenous Doula Community based in Manitoba). Search “@indigenousdoulas”.
Allyship
Taproot Doula Project. (2018). Dear White Feminists. Link to Article.
Taproot Doula Project. (2017). Native Mothers Need Native Midwives. Link to Article.
Taproot Doula Project. (2017). WAKE UP WHITE BIRTH COMMUNITY: BLACK WOMEN AND BABIES ARE DYING. Link to Article.
Taproot Doula Project. (2017). The Nurse’s Role in Reducing Cesarean Births. Link to Article.
Cheryl Ward, Chelsey Branch, &Alycia Fridkin. (2016). What is Indigenous Cultural Safety – and Why Should I Care About it? Link to Article.
Alesha Hayes for Indigenous Perspectives Society. (2017). How to be an Ally to Indigenous People. Link to Article.
La Leche League Canada. (2015). Thursday Tip: Breastfeeding and First Nations Families in Canada. Link to Article.
Council on Patient Safety in Women’s Health Care. Link to Website.
Indigenous Foundations (an information resource on key topics related to histories, politics, and cultures of Indigenous peoples in Canada published by the University of British Columbia First Nations and Indigenous Studies Program). Link to Website.
United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). Link to PDF.
Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. (2015). Calls to Action. Link to PDF.
Indigenous Sexual, Reproductive and Maternal-Child Health Research
Lawford, K., & Giles, A. R. (2012). Marginalization and coercion: Canada’s evacuation policy for pregnant First Nations women who live on reserves in rural and remote areas. Pimitasiwin, 10(3), 327–340. Link to PDF.
Smylie, J. (2014). Strong Women, Strong Nations: Aboriginal Maternal Health in British Columbia. Prince George, BC. Link to PDF.
Kolahdooz, F., Launier, K., Nader, F., Yi, K. J., Baker, P., McHugh, T.-L., … Sharma, S. (2016). Canadian Indigenous women’s perspectives of maternal health and health care services: A systematic review. Diversity and Equality in Health and Care, 13(5), 334–348. Link to PDF.
Greenwood, M. L., & De Leeuw, S. N. (2012). Social determinants of health and the future well-being of Aboriginal children in Canada. Paediatrics and Child Health (Canada). Link to Article.
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