Rankin Inlet (Nov 01/06) - More and more often, young Nunavummiut mothers-to-be are turning to the past for help bringing their future bundles of joy into the world.

They are becoming more interested combining elements of traditional Inuit birthing with modern health services, said Nowyah Williams, who runs the Rankin Inlet Birthing Centre.

"The more young girls hear about what traditional midwives used to do, their interest is piquing a bit," Williams said.

Midwives help teach new moms how to take care of their bodies during pregnancy.

Traditional practice also dictates three women stay with the mother during labour, she said.

That contrasts standard hospital births where, "the only time we ever saw a doctor was when the baby was about to be born or if something is going wrong," she said.

"The midwives are always, always there with you."

The Kivalliq has taken its baby steps toward a full-fledged midwifery revival with the graduation of two women - Diane Tiktak and Rachel Jones - from Nunavut Arctic College as maternity care workers last month.

Maternity care workers support nurses and midwives, said Sharyne Fraser, the program's instructor.

While the midwife "catches babies," the maternity care workers are "the preservers of the culture" for new mothers, she explained.

Working with new moms in Rankin Inlet, they hope the graduates will help bring new Nunavummiut into the world with the right mix of southern science and Northern knowledge.

The college's Rankin campus is still developing a full three-year midwifery program, the first year of which would be the maternity care worker training.

"Our hope is that we can bring together traditional knowledge and western midwifery practice and meld those together," she said.

Students learn about women's health issues, anatomy, physiology, pre- and post-partum care and health promotion.

They also take cultural programs, she said.

Students will travel to other communities to gain experience with live births, since there aren't enough in Rankin Inlet alone, she added.

The second and third year curricula are still being developed, but plans call for the final year to consist of an internship, Fraser said.

- with files from Darrell Greer.