Group 3/ EDUC 6160 Early Childhood Development Course Week: 1

                                                                  Week: 1

              

               Childbirth In My Life and Around the World

On May 14, 2002 after 17 hours of labor and a C-section, I finally gave birth to a beautiful, healthy, 7lb baby girl, that I named Jada Nicole.

I remember this day so vivid I was happy, nervous, excited, scared and anxious all at the same time, I was going to be a mother!  

I was surrounded by many loved ones, family members, and friends at a nearby hospital in Bridgeport Connecticut.

After 15 hours of  natural labor I finally decided that I needed an epidural to stop the excruciating pain. :(  Two hours later the doctors had decided that I was going to have to have a cesarean.

There was only one person who was allowed in the operating room with me so the father of my daughter suggested that my mother go into the room with me because he was to "scared" I mean he "did not like the sight of blood" in his words ;/ ha ha

So my mom held my hand and was by my side as I had a c-section childbirth delivery.  My mom was the first person to see my daughter born and they are still close to this day.    

I choose my daughter as my example because this is the only childbirth experience that I had the opportunity of witnessing.

 My daughter is the love of my life and I think that this childbirth experience effected me so much that after 14 years I still only have one child. ;)

My thoughts on birth and the impact that it has on child development is that a baby starts to develop as they are in their mother's womb.

A child's development depends on the mother's choice to live a healthy and positive life style while being pregnant.

Having prenatal care, a healthy food diet, exercising, and avoiding stress, drugs, alcohol, and nicotine is all part of impacting a child's development.

   



                           

                  Childbirths Around The World

The Netherlands

"Most expectant moms in Holland don't see an obstetrician, but are instead referred by their family doctor to a local midwife practice. Doctors only intervene in high-risk cases or if complications arise during delivery. Dutch women decide whether they want a home or hospital delivery.  In fact, all expectant mothers in Holland are required to pick up a kraampakket that includes all of the medical supplies necessary for a home birth.  If you choose not to deliver at home, your midwife will make a house call to check on the progress of your labor and determine the ideal time for you to go to the hospital.

Even if you opt for a hospital birth, it's unlikely that you'll get an epidural. Epidurals are usually only given if it's convenient for the anesthesiologist's schedule (people often joke about the Dutch 9-to-5 epidural) or if an obstetrician determines it is necessary. Giving birth naturally remains the ideal for the vast majority of Dutch women. 

If a mother gives birth early in the day without complications, she and the baby may go home in as little as two hours. Then the unique Dutch system of kraamhulp (maternity home care) is set into motion. For seven days we had a nurse come to our home, a benefit covered by insurance. Not only did she provide medical care, but she also cleaned our apartment, cooked, and instructed us in basic parenting skills.

Local custom: Another important duty of the nurse is to manage the flow of visitors and make the traditional snack to celebrate a birth: beschuit met muisjes, which literally translates as "biscuits with mice." The "mice" are actually miniature licorice bits with blue-and-white coating for boys, pink-and-white for girls" (Schalken ).

Reference

Birth Customs Around the World

When it comes to having babies, every country has its customs.

By Lara Schalken

http://www.parents.com/pregnancy/giving-birth/vaginal/birth-customs-around-the-world/ 

                                                  

                           
                               What I have learned    

I learned that all countries have many different ways, ideas, customs and strategies involving childbirths.

The similarities that I can compare with my childbirth experience and the mothers in the Netherlands is that I had to wait 15 hours to get an epidural and "epidurals are usually only given if it's convenient for the anesthesiologist's schedule in the Netherlands".  I really think I could have gave birth naturally if not for the cesarean.

The differences are that the Dutch women decide whether they want a home or hospital delivery.  
"In fact, all expectant mothers in Holland are required to pick up a kraampakket that includes all of the medical supplies necessary for a home birth".

I did not have a choice between a home delivery the only option I had was to choose which hospital I wanted have my baby delivered at.

"Dutch women do not see an obstetrician and doctors only intervene in high-risk cases or if complications arise during delivery".  In my experience I had to see my doctor almost every month when I was pregnant.  

Also "If a mother gives birth early in the day without complications, she and the baby may go home in as little as two hours".  In my experience with my childbirth I had to stay in the hospital for 2 days or more.

The insights that I have gained is that mothers in the United States are very blessed to have health care and medical technology that many countries may not have.  

We should be greatly thankful and be willing to learn new knowledge from the many different positive experiences that other countries may have to offer.