Birthing Experiences
The birthing experience that was special to me, would actually be two instead of one! I have two boys and both experiences were equally amazing!! With both experiences, family support, love, and loving environment were the most important during the birthing process. As we all know, environment was one of the important aspects that Smidt mentioned in one of our textbooks. My entire immediate family joined during the birth of both of my children! They supported me with love, care, and emotional support for myself and both my children. Family and love are both of the utmost importance to the developing child.
The country that I chose to focus on for birthing experiences was the Philippines. I have three best friends/family members whom are mixed with African American culture as well as the Filipino culture; so this is why I chose this country. Filipinos put a very high value on family just as I did during my birthing experience. Although one difference is the fact that in the Philippines, the value of childbirth is not only shared by the family, but also with the whole community. During labor, pain is thought to be alleviated by placing a squash leaf on the birthing woman's abdomen; whereas I just used an Epidural. Touching of the laboring woman is not allowed in the Philippines because they feel that the laboring woman's pain will be transferred to the hand holder; but during my American birth, nurses encouraged my husband to hold my hand. Guests who are in attendance at a birth in the Philippines are not allowed to stand near the door because of possible labor complications; but in America, my family was pretty much allowed to stand where they pleased in the hospital room.
It seems as though many beliefs for Filipinos are based on superstition; whereas American births are based more on science. Even though these things differ, both Filipinos and I believe that families should be a natural presence during the birthing experience!
Reference:
Wilde, A.(2014). Birthing Beliefs in the Philippines. Retrieved from http://classroom.synonym.com/birthing-beliefs-philippines-9141.html
wow, though Philippine is in close to China, I felt still there are different points of view about laboring. In China, the husband are encouraged to accompany the wife during the laboring.
ReplyDeletethat's nice, philippine is near to china where i live now, china and philippine are two different culture, that's right life in philippine is based on supersition, but china is based on history, ancesteral heritage, most of the mothers and fathers always listen to their parents without think for second if it is right or wrong. Thank you for sharing
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