Stressors

In Oklahoma, the only stressor from this list I've ever experienced or know someone who has experienced is natural disaster. And that natural disaster would be a tornado! When I was younger I wanted to be a storm chaser. I always enjoyed watching the weather to see where the tornado was and how long until it got to us. I can remember we were coming back from a baseball game one night and we seen a tornado on the horizon, we drove really fast to get home. We didn't have a cellar, but we owned a dairy farm and we would go to the milk barn when it was about to tornado because it was made of cement. I never experienced one that took away our house or anything near us, but they were always around us. Now that I am an adult and have children of my own, I'm scared to death of tornados! When I was little I was enthused by them, because I wanted adventure. Now that I see the true toll they can have on families, I fear them. A couple years ago on new years eve, a family that lived near us died from a tornado and guess where they were at when it hit? The milk barn! That really set deep with me because the place we always went when there was a tornado, really isnt the safest place! Maybe it was the safest place we had, but it wasnt safe at all! This was definitly a shock. Since then, my mom and dad have got a cellar, but where I live, we don't have one! When there is a threat of a tornado now, I go to my moms. A tornado is not something to play around with and now I have realized that in my adulthood.
I looked up War and Education because I was very curious how children got educated in countries that were having wars. They divided "the country into three areas: evacuation (people living in urban districts where heavy bombing raids could be expected); neutral (areas that would neither send nor take evacuees) and reception (rural areas where evacuees would be sent)." All the teachers and children were expected to move to rural areas to learn. This is something that is very hard to grasp. I've never been close to war or know anyone close to war and it's hard to think that children arent getting educated. I can understand now why so many children are up for adoption in these areas. The parents are killed and poverty stricken. This is a such a sad issue.

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/2WWeducationC.htm

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

When you have your first child, all you do is worry. I spent many nights going in the bedroom, looking in the crib just to make sure she was breathing. Sudden infant death syndrome is a situation in which a seemingly healthy  infant, at least 2 months of age, suddenly stops breathing and dies unexpectedly while asleep (Berger, 2009). I had heard so much about SIDS after I had my baby, that I was so worried. I'd never done any research on it, but I had heard to make sure they sleep on their back and not their belly to reduce the risk of SIDS. 2-6 month old babies tend to be the time of highest SIDS deaths (Berger, 2009). In 1970, the infant mortality rates was almost triple what it was in 2010. India has the highest mortality rates. On mayoclinic.com I found that boys are more likely than girls to die from SIDS. For reasons that aren't well understood, black, American Indian or Eskimo infants are more likely to develop SIDS. Babies who've had siblings or cousins die of SIDS are at higher risk of SIDS themselves. The risk of SIDS is also affected by maternal factors associated with the pregnancy, including: Mother under the age of 20, Smoking cigarettes, Drug or alcohol use and Inadequate prenatal care (mayo clinic). I have read that low socioeconomic status increases the rate of SIDS (Berger, 2009). Also that long periods of lone sleep may contribute to higher rates of SIDS among white infants. Mothers who breast feed and tend to their sleeping babies, such as caressing a cheek or repositioning a limb have a less likelihood of SIDS (Berger, 2009). Here's what I found on Infant Mortality/SIDS in Mexico:

Among Hispanic Americans, the infant mortality rate ranges from 4.8 per 1,000 live births for Central and South americans to 7.3 per 1,000 live births for Puerto Ricans.  Puerto Rican Americans have a 30% higher infant mortality rate as compared to non-Hispanic Whites.  Hispanic mothers are almost twice as more likely to begin prenatal care in the 3rd trimester or not receive prenatal care at all as compared to non-Hispanic white mothers. 

• In 2008, infant mortality rates for Hispanic subpopulations ranged from 4.8 per 1,000 live births to 7.3 per 1,000 live births, compared to the non-Hispanic white infant mortality rate of 5.6 per 1,000 live births.
• In 2008, Puerto Ricans had 1.3 times the infant mortality rate of non-Hispanic whites.
• Puerto Rican infants were twice as likely to die from causes related to low birthweight, compared to non-Hispanic white infants.
• Mexican American mothers were 1.9 times as likely as non-Hispanic white mothers to begin prenatal care in the 3rd trimester, or not receive prenatal care at all. (minorityhealth).

I learned that to reduce the risk of SIDS in children, dress them lightly, lay them on their back, tend to them often, sleeping in the same room as someone reduces the risk. I will use this in the future for the sake of my own children. I will also educate parents on it also. I would love to be an advocate to parents in Mexico or India where the SIDS is high risk. It is definitly heart breaking to see any child die. I would love to be the one to educate parents to prevent these deaths in children. Luckily, the numbers have decreased greatly. Hopefully, they will continue to decrease to an even smaller number.

http://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/templates/content.aspx?ID=3329
Berger, K. S. (2009). The developing person through childhood (5th ed.). New York, NY: Worth Publishers.

Childbirth in Turkey

I chose to study childbirth in Turkey. I looked how they used to birth back in the earlier days.

"It has been scientifically proven that the unborn child is influenced by all its mother’s actions, from the moment of entry into the womb; in this respect, a system of beliefs applies to all those parts of Turkey where traditions still prevail.

This system of beliefs leads pregnant woman to avoid certain forms of behavior or to engage in others.

Some forms of behavior that the pregnant woman is expected to avoid during her pregnancy are:

• Not looking at bears, monkeys, and camels,
• Not eating fish, rabbit, trotters or sheep’s’ heads, and not chewing gum,
• Not attend funerals or looking at the deceased,
• Not secretly taking and eating anything."

I respect the fact that they say the child is influenced by all the mother's actions.

"In the more traditional parts of Anatolia, women used to give birth at home in their villages with the help of midwives, and the majority of practices carried out during childbirth were believed to make the whole process easier. Some of these practices were;

• Unfastening the woman’s hair,
• Opening locked doors, chests and windows,
• Feeding birds,
• A woman who had earlier had an easy labor would rub the back of the pregnant woman,
• Shooting in the air,
• Putting the woman on someone’s back and shaking her,
• Making the woman jump down from a high place,
• Making the woman lie down on a piece of cloth and rocking her.

Nowadays, childbirth takes place in hospitals, and licensed midwives help pregnant women to give birth in remote, mountainous villages."

Through this research, I have found that these people along with the children will follow these traditions because it was the way used when they were born. When I had my child, there were really no traditions I followed. I read somewhere about the India people, they refused to show pain, if they did, they were looked down upon. I feel totally opposite here in the United States luckily we have the epidural, which is absolutly amazing and saves lots of pain! I don't think they use this in many other countries. The people take the pain because that is how their culture does, it is a tradition. These Turkish also have certain places to put the umbilical cord if they want their child to be a certain way.. Here's an example: Umbilical cord is buried in a stable. (For the child to be an animal lover). I have no idea what they did with our child's umbilical cord.

http://www.turkishculture.org/lifestyles/ceremonies/birth/birth-traditions-216.htm?type=1

Birthing Experience

First of all, I want to talk about my birthing experience (of my child). This is such an amazing thing to experience. I just wish it couldve been with a different man... haha! I was trying to write a paper for one of my Education classes that was due the next day and my stomach started just cramping! I was like daaaaang. So I got in the bathtub. It felt really good while I was in there. So I felt better so I got out. About an hour later is started hurting real bad again, so I got back in the bathtub again. Felt better, got out. Hurt again, got in. That was the last time I yelled at my husband (now ex husband) and said my belly hurts really bad, I think I may be having contractions. He said "just go to sleep and you'll feel better when you wake up" (he had a friend over and they were playing video games. I said "TAKE ME TO THE HOSPITAL OR I'M CALLING MY MOM!!!!" I can remember all the way there the contractions would come and go. When they came oh my gosh they hurt so bad. I can remember gripping the grip handle above the door and closing my eyes and toughing it out. Then, when I got to the hospital, I had to fill out more paperwork and everytime a contration would come, I would grit my teeth and say "oh my gosh, hold on" they acted like they were impatient. So I went back in the back FINALLY, and I was already dilated to a 6. I went to the hospital around 1:00 A.M. and at 6:18 my beautiful baby girl came into this world. It was a very easy birth. I had an epidural and all I felt was pressure... Now after the birth and the epidural went away... it wasnt so good. I laid in the bed for probably another 5 or 6 hours before getting up. I was so scared to get up because of all the..(hope there's no men lol) blood. Well after sitting there so long I was very stiff and my back hurt so bad. I walked for two weeks bent over because I couldn't stand up straight. When you first see the face of your angel you think they are absolutly beautiful!!!!! To this day I still beleive she is the prettiest girl on earth! She will be 4 on the 25th of this month!
Now, let me tell you about my sisters experience. Baby came out and weighed 11 pounds 9 ounces!!!! Second baby 2 years later weighed 10 pounds 11 ounces!!! That had to be painful!!!!! (had to share that with you because they were so big).
I think that birth is the second step in the development of their life! The 1st step is taking care of yourself and the baby in the prenatal stage. Second step is the delivery of the baby. If the baby stays inside the mother too long it could cause damage. If the baby comes out too early, there could definitly be damage or a lot of immaturity. I have the perfect example. I have a child in my class who was born 6 or 8 weeks early (can't remember exactly), but he was premature. He fought for his life the first few months. Now that he is 4 and in Pre-K, he is very immature, but he is definitly a fighter!! He stands up for himself very well. He doesn't let anybody run over him. He takes it too far though because last week he bloodied a kids nose. At recess, they are always playing fighting. He always hits and kicks other people. He will fight for something he wants. This is a very good example of why I feel birth plays a major role in child development.