Meno Ya Win launches Healthy Babies Program

Sioux Lookout's Meno Ya Win Health Centre is about to launch a Healthy Choices for Healthy Babies program targeting First Nation communities across Northern Ontario.

Approximately 350 babies are born every year at the hospital, making it the second largest centre of births in northwestern Ontario. Research shows that Aboriginal people have children at a younger age. Consequently, maternity is one of the core services at the hospital, said Barb Linkewich, vice-president of health services and project lead for the program.

Due to the increasing number of births in the region, Healthy Choices for Healthy Babies was designed to develop a culturally relevant maternal childcare program for implementation at the hospital and community level. It embraces traditional First Nation wisdom and current practices with a focus on four key postnatal care areas: breastfeeding, dental care, parenting and safe sleeping.

"We wanted to build capacity and consistent messaging within the communities," Linkewich said. "It is a program specific to the North and First Nation communities. Although the rules apply to all cultures, it was developed by a First Nation woman for First Nation families."

Funded by the Paediatric Wait Times Strategy, Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care,  the program began to take shape two years ago. It involved working with elders, young mothers, hospital maternity-care staff and other health professionals.


Traditional wisdom

"We wanted to have information that would marry the wisdom of the elders with best practices in a milieu that would be acceptable," said Linkewich, who will be handing over the reins to Leanne Tyler, registered nurse and clinical co-ordinator, to implement the project.

Tyler will use K-Net (Kuhkenah-Network), an information and communications technology provider based in Sioux Lookout, as a means of communicating with new mothers, while elders will promote breastfeeding and best practices on local radio.

Tanya Hazelaar, project developer/co-ordinator, developed the resource materials to be given out during a new mother's hospital stay. Other materials will be available within the communities, including posters, pamphlets and a health-care provider's manual on postnatal care and development.

"The goal was to have consistent culturally-sensitive messaging in our practice area, as well as to build support for mothers and establish connections within each community," Linkewich said. 

Meno Ya Win Hospital arranges for mothers to be flown in two weeks prior to their due date. While there, they receive a variety of resources such as a diaper/baby bag with a calendar that provides child development milestones and space for the mother to record her own baby's development. She will also receive a baby book about how to care for "mom and babe," as well as a framed photo of the baby.  


Calendar

"The calendar will help families plan and map the child's development in the first year.  The mother will keep a record of when the baby cuts its first tooth, starts its first solid food and when it should receive its immunization shots," Tyler said. "Each month has a tip to offer parents about normal development to ensure the baby is developing normally."

She said the book is written at a Grade 6 level without being patronizing. "It is simple, clear and concise and it gets the message across to families for basic issues like cuddling, swaddling, dental care, immunization, bathing and breastfeeding." 

The design and artwork reflect the traditional First Nation culture with its decorative flowers and colours of tikinagans, or cradleboards. Messages from elders are placed throughout the materials.

Tyler said the materials were worth the wait. A nurse in Northern Ontario First Nation communities since 1991, she has had to rely to photocopied resources from southern Ontario until now.

Partners such as the Sunset Women's Aboriginal Circle will offer breastfeeding support, and the Nishinawbe Aski Nation is offering support. The plan is to implement the project beginning in April 2010.

Linkewich said the program's success will be determined by its partnerships and the capacity built through those partnerships. As well, it is hoped that breastfeeding rates increase and dental care improves.

Meno Ya Win Hospital provides acute, long-term and ambulatory care along with mental health, addiction and community-based services to 30,000 people in 32 First Nation communities. Geographically, the region is spread out over 385,000 square kilometres, about one-third of Ontario's land mass.
Eighty-five per cent of the patients are from remote communities and must fly in to receive hospital care. 


www.slmhc.on.ca