HW 41 - Independent Research

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2001/feb/09/socialcare1 http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/content/CFW/Publications/pdfs/mapagendaforaction.pdf http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single-parent http://www.adoptionservices.org/pregnancy/pregnancy_birth_mother_government_assistance.html http://www.americanpregnancy.org/planningandpreparing/affordablehealthcare.html http://pregnancy.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Help_for_Pregnant_Moms_Who_Can%E2%80%99t_Work_and_Need_Money http://addins.kwwl.com/blogs/thesunnyside/2011/01/a-place-of-hope-and-help-for-young-unmarried-pregnant-women I personally want to see what degree of assitance is given to unwed mothers in poverty. There appers to be little exploration into the supports that would be most useful in helping these types of women. I think in many respects its our moral obligation to give these women asstiance in finding resources she needs to parent effectively. I think such an exploration would be worth wild and somthing not touched on much in my opinon, it's long overdue.I would want for what ever I undertake on my project to not influence lower encome women's decisions and behaviors about pregnancy directly but alot like the movies we've watched and book's we've read to promote overall health and well-being and to support women's choice's.

HW 40 - Insights from Book - Part 3

So far in "Birth" by Tina Cassidy, Ive been reading about the postpartum period speacfically the importance breastfeeding.Cassidy after studuing the social and scientific approaches to childbirth gives her evidence about breast feeding's benefits. One of the agrument she used was the their is a bond created through breastfeeding.She claim's that theirs a closeness and intimacy of breastfeeding which strengthens the maternal affection.But it makes sense that breastfeeding would foster early post-partum maternal bond because in many ways breastfeeding is compelete domanance of the senses either through touch,mutal gazing, or the sounds .

I think more women should be made aware of the benifits of breastfeeding so they can make more informed decisons . The chapter also focused on the placenta , I thought this was somthing new and intresting because while we all marvel at the wonders of fetal development and micracle of birth, we often over look the miraculous organ which is the placenta. To think a womens body can make a organ which does so much that previously didnt exist , is simply amazing. The placenta grows from the moment of conception assist the production of hormones needed to sustain the pregnancy at around 12 weeks , It supplies the nutrients to for the baby to devolp.

The book focuses on how other cultures have come to see the placenta in a different light. And how some even have ceremonies and beliefs held about the placenta that are completely foreign to us, normal in indeed werid. For example, in some cultures it is commonplace to eat the placenta because its packed with nutrients.There are even meal like recipes for cooking placentas, including placenta stew, placenta lasagna, power drinks with blended placenta and others. Some people even eat the placenta raw. "Birth" made me think how crazy the value of a placenta is , it has played a main role in helping to nurture and bring forth a life, it truly is the Tree of Life. Like I said in my last post this book is both insighful and oddly entertaining. It really allows you to build up a sense of understanding about birth as awhole.

HW 38 - Insights from pregnancy & birth book - part 1

The beginning of "Birth" by Tina Cassidy talks about the different accounts of women's birth experiences she recevived.Which led her to writing her book. Cassidy really dives into both the labor and delivery procedures during the early decades and contrast them with today's "advanced knowledge". Then she goes on to claim that the real difficulty of the birthing process is infact the woman's pelvis.Her evidence for this was on page 16 whichs proves that by comparing a Homo Sapien's pelvis to that of a chimpanzee and Australopithecus Africanus, evolution has not favored the woman.

I found this book to be oddly entertaining and enjoyable to read. For me I found the info about the midwives really interesting ,this was due to the fact before this book I didnt know much about them. Like when they talked abouthow a midwife during the seventeenth century used odd-shaped large syringes for baptism in utero.It was a shock to hear what mothers in the much ealier decades had to go through .

It was also insightful to hear how much a role where the baby is born location wise plays.It was always my thought that culture has a major role in the birthing process. The book also discusses the Lamaze method,th tools of obstetricians, ultrasound, the trial of the postpartum period, and breastfeeding.

To me personelly as a male who one day may have children of his own was Chapter 8: A Father's Place. Its odd how in a werid way we all tend to ignore the importance of a father. Whether as a witness or advisor a father plays a crucial role to the mother and the baby, because this is when the baby's bonding with the father begins. It's a shame how we as a society and even the fathers themselves have been excluded from the process.

Comments & Comments Left

Comment For Arden H. (H for Haselmann):

While I don't have the pleasure of writing this from a beach I enjoyed your post very much.I liked how you made it personnel, I feel some of the deepest insights we can get is from are own life's sometimes.For me I loved when you said "My mother guessed that "he was trying to prepare himself, cope with the changes that were going to happen in his life." or maybe "he was just trying to comfort me in the changes I was dealing with" I think you were getting at something that in the mist of the birth topic is sometimes sorely missed. That not only is their a baby on the way, but a relationship that has created this life. It appears to me that the birth of a first child can either make or break a relationship. It's a testing time where both people like you pointed out our changing but also trying to be their for one another. It's weird how almost everybody goes into marriage knowing most likely they'll eventually be having a child but then when that day comes their all of a sudden like "ooo shit where having a baby". I thought you brought up a real interesting point at the end as well when you said " A plan was devised for M to before more parent equipped and then claim her baby." Ive been struggling with this idea is it right to bring a baby in this world if your not equipped, even if you accuse is it was a accident ? In my belief its not. I think in fact the problem is that where not problematizing the fact that more and more people are having children and not ready. More than 4 million babies are born in the United States each year, this number is both shocking and disturbing to me because out of that number almost 750,000 U.S. women age 15–19 become pregnant every year.And most teens I know are barely mature or cable a nove to handle themselves how could they handle a baby. This is not to highlight just teens , their are equal amounts of adults who shouldn't be having children. That's why I think your choice of wording "equipped" is right on the money. When and what makes someone equipped a nove to have a child ? . Giving life is a great power that no one has given or taken any responsibility for.Plato said "For neither birth, nor wealth, nor honors, can awaken in the minds of men the principles which should guide those who from their youth aspire to an honorable and excellent life, as Love awakens them." You had a real great post I cant wait to read more

Comment For Sharif:

In my opinion this is a really well written piece,you made some real strong and insightful insights. I thought your interview with you mom was quite interesting , espically when you discussed the "connection" your mom felt with with you as both a fetus and then newly born child. I think this connection with a mother and newborn is something special. It's something hard to miss,but the idea that it occurs even before actual birth is amazing. How the baby and mother are one in the same.Makes me think of a quote "I don’t know whether they should say “You have a baby” Or “The baby has you”." Nice job can't wait to read more.


Joshua ,My Brother:

What I liked about this was the dealtailed way this was wrote. Explaining about the cesections or C-sec for short that some wemon go through when they think they can't get the baby is amazing. This story really's give a person or at least me an understanding of how hard,and painful birth is. But what this story also incorparates is even through all that pain,the end results of this process is worth it. So that's why I have to say nice job.

Jennifer ,My Mom:

It's wonderful you have insight into the birthing process. However I wish you could have expounded on the mental transition that goes on during the process of being pregnant for nine months. The joy and fear, anxiety of another individual living inside of you, the miracle and the questioning of that miracle and it's effects on
the family compostion changing for partners or as a single women ,instead I felt as though I moved right through to some form of the birthing, and believe me their is a middle between giving birth that is as life changing as the finality. The mere conception of another person is created sometimes through preplanned wants or sometimes mistakes or mistiming, however once this life takes on its first ultrasound of a heartbeat the changes begin and the thought processes grows no longer as you the mother a solo entity in this world but has the new caretaker of another.