Sturgeon Lake First Nation soon to have dedicated centre for childbirth and maternal care

A new birthing and childrearing lodge is prepping to open April 29 in Sturgeon Lake First Nation. Jasmine Pelletier reports.

A brand-new birthing and childrearing lodge is set to open April 29 on Sturgeon Lake First Nation (SLFN).

Chief Christine Longjohn says the lodge has been in the works for decades.

“We had instructions from the elders, probably about 20 years ago or plus, that they wanted to bring back traditional birthing practices within our community,” she said.

The Shirley Bighead Birthing and Childrearing Lodge will allow mothers from SLFN to give birth on their own territory, as well as mothers from surrounding Indigenous communities to give birth in accordance with Cree ceremony.

“We’ve been using the health care system for the last 50 years, which is relatively new compared to how long we’ve been here,” said Longjohn.

“We’ve been introduced to the hospitals, which is, you know, a cold environment. You can’t take your support system with you.”

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She told reporters on Friday the lodge will be the first of its kind in Saskatchewan.

About 2,000 members live on the First Nation and the community currently has 11 mothers using prenatal care.

Longjohn was born on Sturgeon Lake, but she and her mother had to travel for post-natal care.

“My mother and I were taken to the hospital, and we were put in isolation for four days,” said Longjohn. “To me, that’s my first introduction to the Western health-care system, where you know, as an infant, me and my mother are put in isolation because I wasn’t born in the hospital.”

She wants to prevent other families from having similar experiences.

“It wasn’t until a few years ago that she shared the isolation part with me. So, this is something that she’s carried along, you know, her entire life.”

The lodge has trained medical staff including a midwife and a nurse practitioner.

The facility is ready to open by the end of the month, but SLFN met with Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) in Ottawa on Thursday to advance funding discussions for the lodge in hopes of ensuring long-term sustainability. Johnson said the process is ongoing.

CTV has reached out to ISC but has not heard back.