Consequences of Stress on Children's Development

As a child, I dealt with living in poverty.  When I was very little my mom told me that we moved a lot!  I don't remember many of the moves.  I only remember the last three homes we lived in when I was little.  In one home we had rats and bats.  I remember waiting for my Uncle Gene to come pick us up one night because there were many bats flying around our house.  The next place we lived in was a single wide trailer.  It was very small, but we made it work for several years.  My mom didn't work, hadn't graduated from high school, and was not employed.  My dad was a fence installer and self-employed.  I guess I was fortunate that I really didn't realize that we were poor.  I think that the stressor that affected me the most was my dad making me feel ugly and fat.  At three years old, I remember getting a new easter outfit and feeling "fat" in it.  I had cousins that were tiny little girls and I think that my dad always compared me to them.  I grew up with being very self-conscience and feeling fat and ugly.  I think I coped with it by putting my effort into being a good student.  I worked hard to get good grades and to do my best.  I also started going to church when I was seven and found other people that told me how wonderful I was.  When I look back to high school, I realize that I wasn't any bigger than the other girls and I was pretty.  I have worked hard to be confident and feel good about myself. 

I was interested in the affects of war/terrorism on the development of children.  We have been affected here in the United States and I can't imagine being a small child in Iraq or Afganistan.  What I have read tells me that if children have a good support system they may be able to adapt and have little distress.  Without that support system children face lots of stressors.  Not only is there a war going on around them, but they may have lost a parent or both parents, they may not have anything to eat, and they may not have a place to stay.  When they do have their families and a good support system it must be hard.  They would have to think about bombs and gunfire going on around them.  I also wonder what they think of the soldiers that they may come into contact with.  Do they regard them as good guys or bad guys?  Parents have a strong influence on their children all around the world, so that will be a factor in the lives of these children.  Some children may show signs of PTSD

Child Development and Public Health

This week, I choose the topic of breastfeeding.  This is important to me because I feel that it is important for all women to try to breast feed.  I breast fed each of my children but only for a short time.  I never really got the hang of it and I didn't have a lot of support from their father, so I only did it for a couple of months at the most.  I alwasy felt that what I did do would help with their immune systems and to help with other areas of development.  I have learned that even the little bit I did do was great for them.  I also found information about breastfeeding around the world.  In the developing world, people need access to clean water, milk or formula, money, a way to store the milk or formula, clean containers and these supplies can be difficult to obtain.  It is also a more cost effective way to make sure infants get the proper nutrition they need.  Formula can cost a lot of money, but mothers milk is free.  There are also benefits to a woman's health.  Woman who breastfeed reduce the risk of breast and ovarian cancer.  I found this information at http://www.breastfeedingbasics.org/cgi-bin/deliver.cgi/content/International/his_intro.html. 

Childbirth––In My Life and Around the World

I have given birth three times and came home with three amazing children.  I wanted to be a mom for so long...we started trying for our first child just before we got married.  After being quite unsuccessful we sought professional help and went through lots of testing when they told me that they didn't think I was ovulating, which made sense to me.  So, now I had a reason and we would fix this...two weeks later, I called the doctor and told them I was pregnant!  I was so excited and overjoyed.  Now we had the wait until our baby made her way into the world.  On October 8, 1992 I went to work just like any other day, she wasn't due until October 27, when I started having a terrible back ache.  I didn't think much of it as it seems a lot of women have back pains while pregnant.  By the time I arrived home that day I was in a whole lot of pain and I sat rocking on my livingroom floor waiting for my husband to get home.  We then went to the hospital and we were admitted right away.  They thought my water had broke much earlier and there was some concern, but labor took it's course and four hours later I had my baby girl, Ryann Nicole.  She was perfect and beautiful!  I remember how much pain I was feeling and how I couldn't wait to hold my baby.  I choose this example because it was my first child, they were all memorable though!  My thoughts regarding birth and its impact on child development is that we hope things go well and that the baby doesn't experience any trauma during delivery.  I also hope that children come into the world being loved and feeling safe. 

I found an article in Parents magazine about giving birth around the world.  The author, Lara Schalken, moved from Texas to the Netherlands with her husband and gave birth to their son.  Most births there are performed by midwives and the majority of births occur at home.  They also desire a natural child birth with no drugs.  Germany has similiar customs with midwives being highly respected.  In Germany, a woman takes leave six weeks before giving birth and cannot work for eight weeks after and can take up to three years unpaid leave and still have her job.  The last year is a floating year and either parent can take that time!  The Japanese also regard having a natural child birth without drugs highly desirable although doctors are recommending epidurals to help ease pain.  In Brazil and Turkey there have been higher rates of cesarean births.  Each of these countries also have customs in regards to visitors and special foods or drinks that are shared after the birth of their child.  There are many differences, but also many similarities.  We have midwives here, but they aren't as respected and sought out.  I saw a midwife when I had my third child and if I had had a fourth, I would have opted for a home delivery.  In some of these countries, mom and child stay in bed for almost a month!  In some they are sent home within hours of their delivery.  We get sent home usually after 24hours, but we certainly don't get to stay in bed for a month...there is always so much to do!  I found it very interesting to read about other countries and how women around the world give birth. 

references:
Shalken, L.  Birth customs around the world.  Parents.  Retrieved November 4, 2011 from http://www.parents.com/pregnancy/giving-birth/vaginal/birth-customs-around-the-world/?page=1