All VIDM 2023 Conference sessions are recorded. Links to the recordings are available on our @VirtualMidwives YouTube channel and linked below in each session listing.
Use the Search CATEGORIES and KEYWORDS (ie. Spanish, Students, or Keynotes) to find sessions of interest.
VIDM 2023 Conference sessions were presented and recorded using Big Blue Button mobile friendly webconferencing technology, thanks to our colleagues at Frontier Nursing University.
Speaker: Elisabeth (Lizi) Jones
Facilitator: Caitlin Goodwin
Indigenous peoples and others living in Alaska and the circumpolar north are geographically remote and face climate conditions that can be extreme. They live in close connection to their environment and have developed characteristics of hardiness and resilience in the face of global pressures such as climate change and colonialism. Long-standing cultural traditions influence birth practices and expectations and are valuable to maintaining a shared sense of connection and caring for one another in these remote communities. Temporary relocation for childbirth has deleterious social effects and there is considerable support for traditional communal birthing in combination with modern techniques and technology. This presentation will describe a selection of Alaska Native and circumpolar childbirth traditions and outcomes, as well as the importance of birth in cultural continuity. Consideration will be given to the preservation of traditions and reflection on one’s own cultural humility and sensitivity, the value of incorporating ancient ways of knowing into modern medical practice, and the importance of promoting sovereignty and reclamation of birth by indigenous midwives worldwide. This presentation draws from a student assignment called “Celebrating Diversity in Childbirth” and is the 8th Annual Georgetown University Midwifery Student Café at the VIDM.
Recording: https://youtu.be/F6hXGnr4pP4
