Week 1- The Birth of the Baby

Reflecting back on the birth of my daughter, I feel lucky the way things worked out. Everything went according to plan. My daughter was even born on her due date! My husband and I went to the hospital as contractions became more intense and about six hours later we had a little baby girl, delivered by my doctor without any complications. My husband was by my side through the entire process. I think his favorite part, besides first seeing our new baby, was helping the doctor cut the umbilical cord; he remembers how strong it was. After Ruby was born, my husband called our closest loved ones to announce the birth and share the good news. We stayed in the hospital for 24 hours to ensure recovery and a healthy start for our daughter. A few close family members and friends visited in the hospital, bearing gifts and well wishes. Family came and went for the next couple weeks to meet the new baby and help out a little. From our perspective all these events seemed like completely normal things. My husband took about a week off work, then had to return to the daily grind. I took more time to care for our new daughter and allow my body to recover from the pregnancy, but still continued on with the everyday chores and tasks. Things didn't go back to normal, but things changed for the better. We all learned new routines and learned about ways to bond with each other.

While researching another culture, I found that Chinese woman traditionally are supposed to rest for 30 days after delivery of a baby to ensure balance and good health. This resting period is referred to as the "sitting month." According to the tradition, women are not allowed to bathe or eat cold foods and drinks. Typically an older female relative comes to help for the month, and the new mother is encouraged to do very little but rest. Another tradition is that the female relative helps with the delivery process, instead of the father. During the pregnancy the woman is also advised to rest and eat nutritiously in order to have a healthy pregnancy.

I think that American woman are encouraged to take time off to rest, recover and take care of the new baby, but there are not as many rules to follow. Really woman are encouraged to go back to daily routines while including baby in those routines and adjusting to baby.  American fathers are encouraged to be a part of delivery, for example cutting the umbilical cord and remaining in the delivery room whenever possible for support. They are also encouraged to help take care of the baby and the mother after delivery.

As a professional in the early childhood field, I realize that it is important to learn about other cultures in order to understand child development from a broader perspective. We can't assume that all families that we work with share the same values, traditions and beliefs. By learning about other cultures we can understand families more clearly and learn about the reasons why people may do things a little differently than we do.

References:

Lim, L. (2011) For Chinese moms, birth means 30 days in pajamas. Retrieved from http://www.npr.org/2011/07/20/138536998/for-chinese-moms-birth-means-30-days-in-pajamas

New York University, (2006) Medical Chinese: Pregnancy and Child Birth. Retrieved from http://edinfo.med.nyu.edu/mc/culture/Pregnancy.html