The Midwifery Project

Midwifrey Project – While working with traditional elders in May of 1998, a circle of Diné (Navajo) grandmothers raised concerns about the threat (and consequences) of losing the knowledge of traditional natural childbirth practices among their people.

It is a well-known (and documented) fact that Native Americans living on reservations have some of the highest rates of malnutrition, birth defects, fetal alcohol syndrome, and teenage pregnancies in the country.

Giving Birth With Integrity

Giving Birth With Integrity – To implement Giving Birth with Integrity, Life Resources Institute brought together a number of partners – Trillium Midwifery, WellSprings and Natural Immune Systems. This two-year project, exploratory in nature, culminated in the development of an integrated birthing center model. /or World Institute Education Committee.

The midwifery model provides a sound foundation upon which to build. Midwifery has withstood the test of time, and continues to be “mainstream” or, at least, a sound alternative in many developed nations. In the United States, however, the midwifery model lies outside the medical paradigm. This, perhaps, is midwifery’s greatest strength, but also its greatest weakness. If a system could be developed whereby midwifery is integrated into the medical model — without losing its philosophy or integrity — then this would represent a major achievement for women and for medical science alike. This combined or integrated approach to labor and delivery would serve to strengthen all components.