National Council of Indigenous Midwives

The National Council of Indigenous Midwives (NCIM) is a Canadian organization based in Montréal, QC, dedicated to Indigenous midwifery. NCIM supports communities, advocates for systems change, and works to restore birth on the land. The organization offers resources for parents and caregivers, an Indigenous Midwifery Education Framework, and a marketplace, and can be reached by phone or email. The National Council of Indigenous Midwives (NCIM) represents a vital, transformative movement dedicated to restoring excellence, autonomy, and cultural sovereignty in reproductive health care for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis families across Canada. Rooted in the understanding that birth is fundamentally a sacred ceremony rather than a routine medical event, the Council works to reclaim and revitalize ancestral birthing traditions, traditional medicine ways, and community-led health modalities. Through its visionary movement to "Bring Birth Back," NCIM advocates for restoring local birthing services directly within Indigenous territories. This essential shift works to eliminate the systemic trauma, anxiety, and cultural displacement caused when pregnant individuals are routinely evacuated thousands of kilometers away from their home communities and support networks to give birth in isolated urban hospitals. The holistic practice of Indigenous midwifery operates on an integrative model of care that honors the whole person, nourishing the spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical dimensions of childbearing. Indigenous midwives seamlessly weave together ancestral wisdom, sacred teachings, traditional plant medicines, and ceremony alongside advanced clinical midwifery expertise. Their continuous continuum of care spans preconception, pregnancy, labor, birth, and extended postpartum support, incorporating culturally centered practices such as "Milk Medicine" to honor and restore traditional Indigenous lactation and infant care techniques. By embedding cultural safety and community self-determination at the heart of their practice, Indigenous midwives act as vital protectors of maternal and infant wellness. In doing so, the National Council of Indigenous Midwives ensures that childbearing serves as a foundational force for intergenerational healing, community resilience, and the vibrant preservation of Indigenous heritage.