Bringing birth back to community: Echo Sulin’s journey in midwifery – FNHA
May 5, 2026
International day of the Midwife, May 5, is a time to celebrate those working to ensure healthy beginnings and hopeful futures for the next generation
In First Nations communities, the birth of a baby is a sacred event to be celebrated. Women and birthing people are honoured for their role as life‑givers, a responsibility understood as a profound gift. Each Nation carries its own teachings, knowledge, and ceremonies that guide every stage of the journey, from preconception through pregnancy, birth, and beyond.
For student midwife Echo Sulin, bringing birth back into community is at the heart of her work.
“Birth has been a part of people’s communities and cultures since time immemorial,” she says. “But in the last 50 to 100 years, many communities have lost the presence of birth. I think it’s really important to bring that back. Birth is so personal, and there are so many ways to celebrate and integrate it into our culture and traditions.”
