SADDLE LAKE – On Jan. 17, Saddle Lake Cree Nation celebrated the birth of 42 babies born in 2024 during its 14th Annual Baby Celebration, hosted by the Saddle Lake Health Centre.
"Children are blessings. They're a gift from the Creator," says Gloria White, a health representative at the Saddle Lake Health Centre. She has been organizing the event for 11 years.
Babies are the future, "So, we have to keep celebrating them," she says. "Make them feel special, loved, and cared for."
The event also offered an opportunity to celebrate the first baby born of 2025.
Saddle Lake's New Year's baby is Sariyah Cardinal. She was welcomed on Jan. 2, 2025, by parents Evangeline Mckay and Carl Cardinal. Mckay said Sariyah is the couple's third child. "We feel very blessed," said the mother.
Asked if she has any advice for new moms, Mckay believes breastfeeding as long as possible is a good thing. As her grandmother told her, the first two years of a child's life are the most important, and, "I'll continue that with my third child."
White also encourages breastfeeding for new moms. She runs a post and pre-natal program in Saddle Lake, explaining that she gets to work with families during their pregnancy and after their baby is born.
Having children is difficult, acknowledges White, so she encourages parents to attend the program to get support. Additional classes are also held within the program, like moccasin-making classes.
"Some of the babies are wearing [the moccasins] today."
As someone who has been helping families for over a decade, White took time to reflect on her job. She says it has allowed her to build long, lasting relationships with people and, "I'm really proud of that."
Seeing parents grow and learn how to raise their children in a "healthy, happy way," is among the best parts of her job, she adds.
