Birthing Experience

                                      NOE JEY OCHOA

                                      November 25, 1992

The first birthing experience I was exposed to was at the age of 19. The mother giving birth was myself. Although it was excruciating pain, the thought that I was going to be holding that little creature that had grown inside of me was all worth it. Since I was very young and it was my first time giving birth, I was afraid I was going to "break" my son by holding him when the nurse placed him in my arms. The only one there to support me through the whole experience was my older sister Lorena and my parents outside in the waiting room. Since I was a single mother, I viewed my son as very fragile, unprotected and depending on me for survival. That was were I grew up and I had to do it very quickly too. My son came to the world in November 1992. It was a natural birth and no medication was used. At that time, I was not aware the medication existed to make the birth less painful. All I could keep thinking in my head was that my beloved brave grandmother was able to go through this 15 times and survived, I was also going to come through just like her.

Since then, I had two other girls. So I went through this experience 3 times not 15 like grandma. All of my births were natural so I never knew what a cesarean  feels like.

This lead me to research that topic and I came across an article that mentions China as being the Cesarean Nation.

In September 2010, the Chinese Web portal Netease posted a page titled “Why Are Chinese Women Afraid of Natural Childbirth?” The headline might have sounded hyperbolic, but it was anything but. The World Health Organization had just released the results of a survey examining delivery methods in Asia.

In Chinese hospitals studied in 2007 and 2008, 46 % of babies were born through cesarean section—the highest documented rate in the world.

 Top reasons why women in China might opt for cesarean section.

Reasons on the list included “I’d like to have a natural birth, but I’m afraid it will influence my sex life.”, another reason was linked to culture such as my mother-in-law is superstitious about dates and wants to pick the time of birth.The primary  reason on the list was “everybody else is having surgery.”Although these reasons might sound lame, the similarities between the rate of China and the United States when it comes to cesarian births is not that far apart. According to the article; increased numbers of cesarean births are hardly unique to China. The U.S. rate rose by 53% between 1996 and 2007, according to a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Today, nearly one in three American babies are born via cesarean section.

I believe this is a very interesting topic and by reading this I learned that cesarian sections can be part of a birth according to culture, peer pressure, and lack of education. I find this interesting because I used to think the only factors taken into consideration were exclusively linked to medical isues.

References

Cesarean Nation

The cautionary tale of how China came to have the world's highest C-section rate.

By Mara Hvistendahl

Retrieved from

http://www.slate.com/articles/double_x/doublex/2012/01/cesarean_nation_why_do_nearly_half_of_chinese_women_deliver_babies_via_c_section_.html

A note of Thanks!

I want to express my deep appreciation for the help and support to Walden University and my classmates for helping me complete the Foundations of Early Childhood Course . I believe we have all grown professionally and personally in knowledge and wisdom as this class comes to an end.

I consider myself blessed for having the opportunity to work with professionals who are already in the Early Childhood field. It was a great learning experience for me. I really value the knowledge and insight I gained and everyone's willingness to share valuable experiences.

I wish all my colleagues very good luck in all your professional and personal endeavors.

Thank you,

- Dina

Codes of Ethics

NAEYC and DEC codes of ethics that are meaningful to me

We shall continually be aware of issues challenging the field of early childhood special education and advocate for changes in laws, regulations, and policies leading to improved outcomes and services for young children with disabilities and their families. 

As educators, we need to stay abreast of current information and research that affects our children. There is constant research being done to help diminish the rates of conditions associated with children such as autism, a.d.h.d, and a.d.d to name a few. BY staying informed, we are able to implement techniques that are evidence based for the benefit of the child.

We shall not participate in practices that discriminate against children by denying benefits, giving special advantages, or excluding them from programs or activities on the basis of their sex, race, national origin, religious beliefs, medical condition, disability, or the marital status/family structure, sexual orientation, or religious beliefs or other affiliations of their families.

Every child has a right to an education regardless of their socio economic status. As teachers, it is our responsibility to be aware of available services and perform linkage of services to every respective child that needs it. Teachers should work with all families from diverse cultures and be able to respect and treat every family with dignity regardless of their beliefs.

 

We shall create and maintain safe and healthy settings that foster children’s social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development and that respect their dignity and contributions.

This ideal is very important to me because I am aware how important social and emotional skills are in the early developmental years. Being able to acquire these skills at an early age will help children transition into adulthood and succeed in whatever they strive to accomplish. Being able to maintain a safety setting for children to learn is essential and it will foster their potential. Teachers need to put on their social emotional lenses and be able to promote each child’s capacity.