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NNSL photo

New arrival Shanti Dias was getting lots of love and attention recently from mom, Shawna, centre, and midwives Ann Lovold, left, and Chantal Desgranges. Shanti was born at the Rankin Inlet Birthing Centre on Aug. 6. - Darrell Greer/NNSL photo

New moms get new accommodation

Government provides rooms for post-natal recovery

Tara Kearsey
Northern News Services

Rankin Inlet (Sep 18/02) - New mothers from the Kivalliq region are now guaranteed a place to stay in Rankin Inlet after they give birth.

The Department of Health and Social Services for the south Kivalliq region has secured two rooms at Tara's Bed and Breakfast, which will be available all year round to accommodate new mothers.

The announcement was made in August via teleconference to all Kivalliq communities. The Rankin Inlet Birthing Centre now employs two full-time midwives to assist in deliveries.

"So we have invited all the communities to send their women down if they want to have their babies here and we've already had four births here from other communities in the past month," said registered midwife Ann Lovold.

Those new mothers hailed from Coral Harbour, Chesterfield Inlet, Arviat and Whale Cove. Prior to the move, mothers in the Kivalliq region were required to travel to Winnipeg, Churchill, Man., or Yellowknife to give birth if they could not secure their own accommodations after childbirth.

Lovold said she and other Birthing Centre staff are proud to finally provide women with the opportunity to give birth close to home.

"I think some of the women are very excited. They have been just waiting to come here, waiting to hear that news," she said.

Ann Johns, director of health and social services for the region, said it's nice to give Kivalliq women more options. However, she said some women choose not to give birth in their own region.

"It's a choice issue and some women will choose to go elsewhere even if there is a regional birthing centre," she said.

The Rankin Inlet Birthing Centre has several other expectant mothers waiting in the wings. Lovold said another Arviat woman will be arriving in the next few weeks.

Johns said the department is in the planning stages of developing programs geared at training Inuit for maternity care positions