Part 1
Based on this week lecture and reading, we can notice the difference of life cycle event like childbirth and death in each of the different country due to their culture. As we all know, culture is very important because it show the identity of a certain country or ethnic. It is very important for us to understand their culture to avoid any misunderstanding. When it come to childbirth practices, there are different practices that every country use. In Netherland, based on the articles that given this week, most of the women in that country prefer to give birth at home compare to giving birth in hospitals. Based on the research, there are 60.7% women had planned to give birth at home while 30.8% intended to give birth in hospitals. Plus, most women in 25 years and older, of Dutch origin and of medium to high socio-economic status tend to give birth at home. However, it has been unclear whether giving birth at home is safe. Fortunately, it is good to hear that the Netherland try to meet the demand for home births and provide transport incase of emergency. Among the Inuit, based on The Inuit Way: A Guide to Inuit Culture, they believe that when a child is born, the ‘soul’ or spirit of a recently deceased relative is taken on by the newborn. Traditionally, an older woman experienced in childbirth, or we can call it as midwife, often assisted the mother while giving birth. Aside for that, the elder women also looked for clues that would indicate the future and character of the child. Constant contact between the mother and the newborn is important in this culture. An interesting cote in the article is that, even thought, many babies nowadays were born in hospital, they still support the traditional way of giving birth. Thus, Inuit midwives may now assist Inuitwomen give birth in several regions across the north. Based on the video about the Mountain Midwives of Vietnam, it shows the how a midwife trained in order to provide maternal care and have safe birth in her community. There are a lot of culture and geographic difference. Due to living in the mountain area, there are not a lot of resources like health center are available. With the traditional tradition, it is very hard for them to accept a modern way of something since they use to the old ways. This video shows a lot of how we can approach and convinces them to aware of something – safe birth specifically in this video. To compare it with American culture, we know that the United States use biomedical as their medical system. Therefore, most of the childbirth happen at hospitals. I believed that midwives it is not common here in the United States compared to the countries that I mention above.
Part 2
Based on the picture that I found on google, I believe it is a common view in labor room in the United Stated. We can see there are doctor and nurse are presence to help the mother with the childbirth. From the picture, we can see the struggle and the pain that a mother went through while giving birth. Therefore, aside from medical support, emotional support also important for the mother during giving birth. Another thing that I notice is the skin-to-skin contact after the birth of the child. The skin-to-skin contact between the mother and the child actually help with the child development.
It is easy to assume that everyone experiences birth in the same way because every human is born into this physical world, but birth is actually one of the many life events that are experienced culturally (Lecture 3.1). My question for you is this: do you think it is still as common to carry down cultural birthing traditions through generations as it used to be? I think this depends on the evolution of culture itself. In America, for instance, we have adopted a handful of birthing techniques in modern society–we do not have one specific way. In more traditional cultures, however, it may be harder for mothers to stray from what is considered the norm. Another perspective to consider from the photo you found is the woman in white behind the two doctors. What is her relation to the new mother? Has she ever witnessed childbirth before? What if she is the newborn’s grandmother, watching as her child has a child of their own? It would be interesting to see culture through the eyes of this person.
I think it is interesting that you thought the push for medicalized births among the Inuit supported tradition. To me, I viewed it oppositely. The women and families had to push for their traditions to be considered as important. You’re absolutely correct that midwifery births are not as common in the United States. I believe part of that is because midwifery isn’t given as an option for many women. It is a rising movement in the wholistic health area of the United States. What do you think of natural births without the push of medication? The picture you chose is beautiful. Labor and delivery can look different for each woman. Especially, depending on the culture they mom is in. Home births in the U.S. are much safer than they would be in Vietnam or among the Inuit. The sanitary standards in each culture are completely different and it can affect the outcome of baby health.
I agree with your statement being that when it comes to child birth practices, each country has their own practice. Each culture has their own practice and beliefs for childbirth. The countries mentioned in the readings for this week cannot be compared because they are so different. Don’t you think it would be strange if every country and culture practiced the same forms of child birth? Each and every culture is different, thats what makes the world such a beautiful place. Compared to other counties, I believe that the United States practices every practice of child birth since it is such a diverse country. You are, although, correct when you make a statement that midwives are not as common in the United States compared to tore counties. But, I would not say that this practice is not used. The photo you chose for this week is a good photo to represent child birth in America. Like I wrote about in my post, the most common way for a woman to give birth to her child here is in a hospital with professional medical care. Skin to skin contact is important, although, it is not needed. When I was first born, I was two and a half months early and weighed only 2.5 pounds. My mom didn’t even get to see me or hold me since I was taken away by the doctors right away to get medical treatment since I was so small. I was in an incubator for 1.5 months before my mom even got to hold or touch me. I had no outside connection or was not touched for the first time until I was almost two months old because any outside germs could have made me very sick and even die. My mom and I always have been inseparable ever since I was a little infant. Because of this, I would say skin to skin contact when the infant is first born is beneficial but not needed.