Childbirth In Your Life & Around The World

            Unfortunately, I have never been apart of a birthing experience but I did have the pleasure of talking with a very good friend about her water birth. I was able to see the baby and new mom a few days after the birth and was very interested in the how’s and what’s of a water birth. The midwife has been a life long friend of the families and actually delivered my friend. First, my question was why do you choose a water birth, as she explained that it is typically less stressful on the newborn considering the child is in amniotic fluid sac for their first nine months and also gentler on the mother. I was unaware that some mom’s will get out of the bath to deliver the baby while others will remain in it. I was able to understand that it is easier for the mother to get new positioning during labor, it can help lower blood pressure, and can also increase a women’s energy. I was just in awe about all of this information since most of it was all so surprising and new. However, I also wanted to know what kind of disadvantages a water birth can cause, some children can get caught in the birth canal and if they gasp for air the possibility of inhaling water is extremely high. The reason I chose this example was because I still have so many unanswered questions about a water birth and to be honest this could possibly be my choice on my first birth.

            For the second part of this assignment, I found a very interesting article about Japanese women who live in New Zealand in maintaining their birth traditions. They are many unique birth traditions that Japanese women follow which are religion-based. If the mother is unable to make it back to Japan their parents will practice these rituals on their behalf. “For example, her parents would go to shrines in Japan and send omamori (charms for a good birth) and haraobi (traditional maternity girdles) to her. The women highly valued these customary visits and items and the support from their families. They always kept the charms or amulets sent from Japan with them or in their bedroom during pregnancy. Also, most of the women had visited the shrines with their babies whenever they returned to Japan for omiya-mairi (a ceremony praying for the baby's healthy growth at a shrine 1 month after birth)” (Doreing, Patterson & Griffiths, 2016). Hearing these women’s stories was extremely interesting and not something that is very common in the United States. Dealing with cultural differences when you are not in your homeland can cause conflict; many Japanese women believe they should not move around after the first month of their pregnancy. Many of their parents would come visit to be sure they are fully resting and would help maintain a household. It is amazing to hear other stories about the birthing process and the difficulties they may face when others do not understand their cultural birth traditions.

Reference

Doering, K., Patterson, J., & Griffiths, C. (2016). Negotiating wa (harmony): A qualitative study about the challenges japanese women who live in new zealand have in maintaining their birth traditions. International Journal of Childbirth, 6(1), 27-36. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1891/2156-5287.6.1.27

Examining Codes of Ethics

            The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and Division for Early Childhood (DEC) have created a code of ethics that has encompassed the upmost of values when caring for children and working with families and colleagues. This is to allow for early childhood educators to practice and promote high standards of conduct for the early childhood field. After reviewing the numerous principles, I have found three ideals that are extremely meaningful which are:

·      We shall demonstrate the highest standards of personal integrity, truthfulness, and honesty in all our professional activities in order to inspire the trust and confidence of the children and families and of those with whom we work.

·      We shall honor and respect the rights, knowledge, and skills of the multidisciplinary colleagues with whom we work recognizing their unique contributions to children, families, and the field of early childhood special education.

·      We shall use every resource, including referral when appropriate, to ensure high quality services are accessible and are provided to children and families.

By holding myself to such a high standard in my career will ensure that I give the upmost care and respect for everyone who enters my classroom. I strive to be the best I can and am willing to listen to others who surround me. By creating lesson plans that can give my students the confidence in my program will allow them to trust within themselves and give families the reassurance that their child is receiving the best care and education.

Working with other professionals we must respect the advice that is given. Someone who may have been in the field for 10 years or 10 days can still share advice and ideas that can be beneficial for my classroom. I do not want a colleague to feel that they are not being heard or valued. I believe everyone has a right to their opinion and we must keep our ears open and respond properly, even if we may not agree.

With the many resources that surround the early childhood field I feel that any referral is helpful. If you see a student struggling with a lesson, take a step back and see how you can modify the lesson, if you are still unsure ask a colleague and the parents. If we notice a learning delay or disability we must be sure to give the families the information and resources they need that will benefit their child. Every child is different and learns in different ways by providing family members with specialists (if needed) we can ensure that their child will receive a high-quality education.

Reference

Code Of Ethics. (2009, August). Retrieved from

https://class.waldenu.edu/bbcswebdav/institution/USW1/201720_02/MS_MECS/EDUC_6005/Week 7/Resources/Resources/embedded/dec_codeofethics.pdf

Code of Ethical Conduct and Statement of Commitment. (2005, April). Retrieved from

https://class.waldenu.edu/bbcswebdav/institution/USW1/201720_02/MS_MECS/EDUC_6005/Week 7/Resources/Resources/embedded/naeyc_codeofethicspdf.pdf