Although I'm not a mother, breastfeeding has been on my mind lately due to a close friend who's struggling to get the hang of it. I've been trying to keep her spirits up by joking and laughing with her about my friend's mother's (from the last entry) advice on the subject. She says, "Breastfeeding is best when you can get another woman to do it!" Her children often tease her about passing them off to the other women in a hippie commune in the 70's. Many women enjoy breastfeeding, however many also struggle with the process. "Doctors worldwide recommend exclusive breastfeeding...Breast milk should remain in the diet for a year or more, according to the World Wide Health Organization" (Berger, (2012), 153). But what about the mother's who struggle? What are their options?
We know that breast milk is a magical concoction of balanced nutrition, including fats, nutrients, and micronutrients promoting optimal brain/body development, as well as antibodies to help fight infection and disease; but, did you know it can also help deter school drop-outs and teen pregnancy (Berger, (2012), p. 152)? Why would anyone not breastfeed when it creates so many benefits for the infant, the mother, and the family. There are several reasons, in fact. One particular reason is for pre-term deliveries; often at this stage of pregnancy, the mother's milk has not come in yet limiting her ability to nurse her infant. Luckily, solutions to this issue are taking cues from past when wet-nurses were commonly employed, or other eager lactating women in the community kindly shared their own breast milk. Today, doctors are even known to prescribe beast milk from local milk banks--a place where woman can safely donate and receive breast milk. If you are interested in learning more about this type of service, please visit www.milkbank.org , Mothers' Milk Bank located in Austin, Texas. I was very happy to see the services and opportunities they provide, and in the future, I will certainly recommend that new mothers talk with their physician and look into this wonderful option before they give up on breastfeeding altogether.
Another issue preventing breastfeeding, in my mind, would be that of an HIV-positive mother. However, it seems that breast milk is so powerful that "In some African nations, HIV-positive women are encouraged to breastfeed because their infants' risk of catching HIV from their mothers is lower than the risk of dying from infections, diarrhea, or malnutrition as a result of bottle feeding" (Cohen, 2007; Kuhn et al., 2009) (Berger, (2012), p. 152). In fact, according to Unicef, "In West and Central Africa, exclusive breastfeeding could save hundreds of thousands of the three million children under five who die annually"("Promoting and Protecting Breastfeeding", Unicef). The article goes on to say that while breastfeeding is a cultural tradition in the region, the problem is that only about "20 percent of infants under six months are exclusively breastfeed...rates remain among the lowest in the world" ("Promoting and Protecting Breastfeeding", Unicef). The solution seems to only be accessible through long-term, wide-spread promotion of health care practices and support groups within these communities; once again, education is "the key to this life-saving practice"("Promoting and Protecting Breastfeeding", Unicef).
References:
Berger, K. S. (2012). The developing person through childhood (6th ed.). New York, NY: Worth Publishers.
Mothers' Milk Bank, http://www.milkbank.org/milk-banking/milk-for-your-baby/
Unicef, "Promoting and Protecting Breastfeeding",
http://www.unicef.org/wcaro/english/4501_5055.html
Saturday, May 17, 2014
Saturday, May 10, 2014
To C-section or not to C-section...That is the question in Chile
I have never given nor witnessed a
birth although I have had many discussions with women who have. One of my favorite birthing stories comes
from a friend’s mother; she’s an American
woman who gave birth to five children while living in Chile in the 1970’s. Her birthing and child-rearing stories have
often been humorously discussed at family gatherings because of their
intensity. While living in a rural area
of Chile, she described going into labor pains and waking her husband in the
middle of the night. He was so shocked
by the news that he ran out of the house naked to get help from the
neighbor. By the time he returned, she
was holding their son in the sheets of the bed; she had managed to give birth
alone to a healthy baby boy with the aid of a small hand mirror—that’s right,
no drugs, no doctors, no nurses or midwives, just a hand mirror. During subsequent childbirths, she labored so
quickly that her older children were called to assist in the birthing process. As they tell the stories now as adults, it’s
often accompanied with grimacing facial expressions, but I’ve often wondered if
participating so closely in the birthing process had, in fact, bonded these
siblings in a very special way. I’ve
also wondered if this type of home-birthing practice was common in Chile both
then and today.
As I began to research birthing
practices in Chile, what I discovered was quite the opposite. An article published in The Lancet entitled, “Health sector reform and the rise of
caesarian births in Chile”, states “National
statistics suggest that Chile has outstripped Brazil in having the highest
reported caesarean section rate in the world” (Murray & Pradenas, (1997). Wow. How
and why did this happen? It seems the biggest contributing factors are the
restructuring of the heath care system financing by creating a private health
insurance system separate from the national health fund as well as the risks
doctors are facing with malpractice suits.
As more privatization of heath insurance occurred, as well as changes to
the national health fund, more C-sections are being performed as a result. Another hint toward this reasoning comes from
a “Chilean forum in English for Gringos, Expatriates, and Travelers to Exchange
Ideas and Information about Chile, South America” at AllChile.net,where one
woman describes the risks and consequences facing doctors in the country. Kel
writes that one, “should
also know that in Chile, when a doc has a bad outcome, he can be taken to
court. The result may not be just an award of money to the Plaintiff but the
judge can send the doc to Jail. As a result many private docs require patients
to sign away the right to sue for a bad outcome. Who can blame them for not
wanting to go to jail? Its also a powerful incentive to practice on the conservative
side.” C-sections are also easier
to schedule and complete leaving doctors with more time to include more
patients in their practice. This seems
to be a cautionary tale. As the article
points out, “Privatisation
and the opening up of choice in maternity care seem to have resulted in more
surgical intervention at birth. As many countries plan changes in their health
care financing, the experience of Chile should stand as a timely reminder that,
whether intended or not, shifts in funding have the potential for enormous
impact on health care practices and behaviours”
(Murray & Pradenas, (1997).
As modern women around the world continue to debate the pros
and cons between natural and surgically
assisted child births, I realize there are many choices to consider each one
weighted with family values, culture, and education. However I also wonder about the women who don’t
get a choice. Was my friend just lucky?
doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(05)62208-8
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(05)62208-8/fulltext
http://www.allchile.net/chileforum/topic1183.html
Saturday, April 19, 2014
Ideally, ideals create ideas....
Wikipedia defines an ideal as a principle or value that one actively pursues as a goal. Ideals in the field of early childhood are vast, but I would like to comment on three specific ideals outlined by the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct and Commitment Statement.
(1.) I-1.1—To be familiar with the knowledge base of early
childhood care and education and to stay informed
through continuing education and training. (NAEYC, (2005, April), p.2)
This ideal is important to me because it sums up both my personal and professional goals. I am seeking a graduate degree in early childhood to fulfill this goal and to build upon my experience by deepening my knowledge and understanding of the field on many different levels. Parents often look to me to provide resources and strategies to assist them, and I want to be able to give them the best possible perspective and/or solution to their issues. This is also the direction I want to take myself professionally by leading more opportunities for continued education, training and workshops for others working in the early childhood field as well as providing more accessible classes and information for families.
(2.) I-1.3—To recognize and respect the unique qualities,
abilities, and potential of each child. (NAEYC, (2005, April), p.2)
This ideal is the reason I am choosing to specialize in Teaching and Diversity. I believe in my heart that we all have equal value as human beings though we are all given different talents. It is my goal to help young children and their families recognize and celebrate the unique abilities of every child, to foster their talents and applaud them as meaningful contributions to a community. We all have different jobs to do that keep society running; by focusing on what we can do instead of what we can't, we all find our own way to function in a group. It's my goal to help identify a child's strengths, nurture them, and begin to build in them a positive sense of self-esteem and belonging.
(3.) I-1.5—To create and maintain safe and healthy settings
that foster children’s social, emotional, cognitive, and
physical development and that respect their dignity
and their contributions. (NAEYC, (2005, April), p.2)
This ideal focuses on an area of great interest to me; one I want to learn so much more about. It is my goal to understand for myself and to help others in the early childhood field understand the importance of social and emotional development and education. New research is confirming that cognitive and physical development are hinged on social and emotional development, however many programs are not giving these aspects as much focus as literacy, math, science and physical activity. Navigating first friendships, negotiating for your needs, developing empathy, self-awareness and self-esteem are all part of learning how to function in the world, and, in my opinion, should be the priority of every childcare or early education center. Once these issues have been addressed, there is a lot less anxiety for the child thereby creating a calm mental space in which to focus and build more cognitive skills. It is my goal to enhance social/emotional learning by developing and providing more strategies and techniques for educators to include in the daily curriculum.
References:
(1.) I-1.1—To be familiar with the knowledge base of early
childhood care and education and to stay informed
through continuing education and training. (NAEYC, (2005, April), p.2)
This ideal is important to me because it sums up both my personal and professional goals. I am seeking a graduate degree in early childhood to fulfill this goal and to build upon my experience by deepening my knowledge and understanding of the field on many different levels. Parents often look to me to provide resources and strategies to assist them, and I want to be able to give them the best possible perspective and/or solution to their issues. This is also the direction I want to take myself professionally by leading more opportunities for continued education, training and workshops for others working in the early childhood field as well as providing more accessible classes and information for families.
(2.) I-1.3—To recognize and respect the unique qualities,
abilities, and potential of each child. (NAEYC, (2005, April), p.2)
This ideal is the reason I am choosing to specialize in Teaching and Diversity. I believe in my heart that we all have equal value as human beings though we are all given different talents. It is my goal to help young children and their families recognize and celebrate the unique abilities of every child, to foster their talents and applaud them as meaningful contributions to a community. We all have different jobs to do that keep society running; by focusing on what we can do instead of what we can't, we all find our own way to function in a group. It's my goal to help identify a child's strengths, nurture them, and begin to build in them a positive sense of self-esteem and belonging.
(3.) I-1.5—To create and maintain safe and healthy settings
that foster children’s social, emotional, cognitive, and
physical development and that respect their dignity
and their contributions. (NAEYC, (2005, April), p.2)
This ideal focuses on an area of great interest to me; one I want to learn so much more about. It is my goal to understand for myself and to help others in the early childhood field understand the importance of social and emotional development and education. New research is confirming that cognitive and physical development are hinged on social and emotional development, however many programs are not giving these aspects as much focus as literacy, math, science and physical activity. Navigating first friendships, negotiating for your needs, developing empathy, self-awareness and self-esteem are all part of learning how to function in the world, and, in my opinion, should be the priority of every childcare or early education center. Once these issues have been addressed, there is a lot less anxiety for the child thereby creating a calm mental space in which to focus and build more cognitive skills. It is my goal to enhance social/emotional learning by developing and providing more strategies and techniques for educators to include in the daily curriculum.
References:
- Article: NAEYC. (2005, April). Code of ethical conduct and statement of commitment. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from
http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/PSETH05.pdf
Saturday, April 5, 2014
Love and Logic for the Long Haul
Another excellent resource for parents and teachers is the Love and Logic Institute. The Love and Logic philosophy was founded by Jim Fay and Foster W. Cline, MD and is based on good common sense parenting, empathy and natural consequences. The idea is that the same types of issues and problems come up for us over the course of a lifetime (i.e. conflict resolution, negotiating, integrity issues, personal responsibility issues, acceptance of delayed gratification, etc...). Why try to save our children from experiencing these problems when we can instead lovingly guide them through them in childhood where they are protected, and teach them coping mechanisms and problem solving strategies that they can rely on later in life when the cost of consequences is often much greater. They offer all sorts of information about the philosophy and techniques for carrying it out through conferences, workshops, weekly emails, lots of published literature and free resource information.
According to the website, they are...
Love and Logic® provides simple solutions, tips practical techniques to help adults with kids of all ages:
According to the website, they are...
"Helping Raise Responsible Kids Since 1977™
Love and Logic® provides simple solutions, tips practical techniques to help adults with kids of all ages:- Raise responsible kids
- Have more fun in their role
- Strengthen the relationship with the kids in their life
- Tips, advice and real solutions trusted for over 35 years"
Please visit their website to learn more about this valuable resource at:
Tourist Information Center
For Kids' Sake is an amazing resource center located in Austin, Texas. However, their resources can be tapped from anywhere in the country. I learned about them several years ago and have been recommending them to families and teachers ever since. They service families and young children through private parent consultations, the Warmline call, school observations, kids' counseling, help choosing a school, home visits, workshops and study groups. According to their website, their goal is..."Helping parents and teachers replace the outdated, negative tools with positive techniques that empower children is our passion and our business. Each adult that makes the shift from punishing children to guiding children will change the world, one child at a time. Join the "kind yet firm" revolution with For Kids' Sake!"
Of all their services, I have found the Warmline call to be extremely helpful. Parents or teachers can make an appointment to speak with a highly trained Child Development Specialist and discuss any specific topic they choose for a fraction of the cost of a therapist all without having to leave the comfort of their own home or office. So many times I've seen issues come up for families who are lost to find the right path to resolutions. For Kids' Sake will help and support finding the right path and resources to best assist the situation. I have recommended them to parents going through divorce who needed coaching as to the best ways to deal with custody transitions. I've also recommended them to teachers who can't seem to understand or curb problem behaviors in the classroom and are having a hard time relaying the issue to the parents in a positive and productive way. Their advice proved invaluable! I wish there were organizations like this available to every community. I highly recommend this service to anyone seeking solutions to troublesome issues related to young children and their families. They can help!!
Please check out what kind of help and information they have to offer at:
http://www.for-kids-sake.com/about-us.html
Of all their services, I have found the Warmline call to be extremely helpful. Parents or teachers can make an appointment to speak with a highly trained Child Development Specialist and discuss any specific topic they choose for a fraction of the cost of a therapist all without having to leave the comfort of their own home or office. So many times I've seen issues come up for families who are lost to find the right path to resolutions. For Kids' Sake will help and support finding the right path and resources to best assist the situation. I have recommended them to parents going through divorce who needed coaching as to the best ways to deal with custody transitions. I've also recommended them to teachers who can't seem to understand or curb problem behaviors in the classroom and are having a hard time relaying the issue to the parents in a positive and productive way. Their advice proved invaluable! I wish there were organizations like this available to every community. I highly recommend this service to anyone seeking solutions to troublesome issues related to young children and their families. They can help!!
Please check out what kind of help and information they have to offer at:
http://www.for-kids-sake.com/about-us.html
Thursday, April 3, 2014
"I'm Done Making My Kid's Childhood Magical"
A WONDERFUL article about the pressure parents are putting on themselves. The key word for me is "making". It's time for a rest stop, folks!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bunmi-laditan/im-done-making-my-kids-childhood-magical_b_5062838.html#es_share_ended
Service Stations = Early Childhood Resources
I wanted to include this list of helpful resources courtesy of Walden University. It's a wonderful reference list for all kinds of services and organizations available to assist young children, their families, educators and communities.
Part 1: Position Statements and Influential Practices
- NAEYC. (2009). Developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood programs serving children from birth through age 8. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/dap
- NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on child abuse prevention. Retrieved May 26, 2010, fromhttp://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/ChildAbuseStand.pdf
- NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on school readiness. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/Readiness.pdf
- NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on responding to linguistic and cultural diversity. Retrieved May 26, 2010, fromhttp://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/diversity.pdf
- NAEYC. (2003). Early childhood curriculum, assessment, and program evaluation: Building an effective, accountable system in programs for children birth through age 8. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/pscape.pdf
- NAEYC. (2009, April). Early childhood inclusion: A summary. Retrieved May 26, 2010, fromhttp://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/DEC_NAEYC_ECSummary_A.pdf
- Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families. (2010). Infant-toddler policy agenda. Retrieved May 26, 2010, fromhttp://main.zerotothree.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ter_pub_infanttodller
- FPG Child Development Institute. (2006, September). Evidence-based practice empowers early childhood professionals and families. (FPG Snapshot, No. 33). Retrieved May 26, 2010, fromhttp://community.fpg.unc.edu/sites/community.fpg.unc.edu/files/imce/documents/FPG_Snapshot_N33_EvidenceBasedPractice_09-2006.pdf
- Turnbull, A., Zuna, N., Hong, J. Y., Hu, X., Kyzar, K., Obremski, S., et al. (2010). Knowledge-to-action guides. Teaching Exceptional Children, 42(3), 42-53.
Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
Part 2: Global Support for Children's Rights and Well-Being
- Article: UNICEF (n.d.). Fact sheet: A summary of the rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Retrieved May 26, 2010, fromhttp://www.unicef.org/crc/files/Rights_overview.pdf
- Websites:
- World Forum Foundation
http://worldforumfoundation.org/wf/wp/about-us - World Organization for Early Childhood Education
http://www.omep-usnc.org/ - Association for Childhood Education International
http://acei.org/
- World Forum Foundation
Part 3: Selected Early Childhood Organizations
- National Association for the Education of Young Children
http://www.naeyc.org/ - The Division for Early Childhood
http://www.dec-sped.org/ - Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families
http://www.zerotothree.org/ - WESTED
http://www.wested.org/cs/we/print/docs/we/home.htm - Harvard Education Letter
http://www.hepg.org/hel/topic/85 - FPG Child Development Institute
http://www.fpg.unc.edu/ - Administration for Children and Families Headstart's National Research Conference
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hsrc/ - HighScope
http://www.highscope.org/ - Children's Defense Fund
http://www.childrensdefense.org/ - Center for Child Care Workforce
http://www.ccw.org/ - Council for Exceptional Children
http://www.cec.sped.org/ - Institute for Women's Policy Research
http://www.iwpr.org/ - National Center for Research on Early Childhood Education
http://www.ncrece.org/wordpress/ - National Child Care Association
http://www.nccanet.org/ - National Institute for Early Education Research
http://nieer.org/ - Pre[K]Now
http://www.pewstates.org/projects/pre-k-now-328067 - Voices for America's Children
http://www.voices.org/ - The Erikson Institute
http://www.erikson.edu/
Part 4: Selected Professional Journals Available in the Walden Library
- YC Young Children
- Childhood
- Journal of Child & Family Studies
- Child Study Journal
- Multicultural Education
- Early Childhood Education Journal
- Journal of Early Childhood Research
- International Journal of Early Childhood
- Early Childhood Research Quarterly
- Developmental Psychology
- Social Studies
- Maternal & Child Health Journal
- International Journal of Early Years Education
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