My Memorable Birthing Experience

Memorable Birthing Experience

In June 2007, I found out I was having a baby. I was not completely excited, about having another child for a number of reasons: I was thirty eight years old, my son was just beginning his first year of high school, my past pregnancies had been high risk and my husband and I were contemplating a divorce. Because I had been diagnosed, with an incompetent cervix, a surgical procedure (cerclage) was done on my cervix. The amount of stress I endured was too much for the pregnancy to handle; and as a result, I began to feel lots of abdominal pressure and pain. An hour after arriving at the hospital, I went into full blown labor, and was given magnesium, in an attempt to halt labor. The magnesium made me feel lethargic and weak, but labor was stopped; and it gave the baby more time to incubate. Four days later, I gave birth to a 2lb4oz baby boy. The medical staff was prompt and thorough. I had lots of support. My husband, who was putting on scrubs, missed the entire delivery; but I actually had doctors holding my hand through the entire process. One of the doctors, imitated the cry the baby made, when he was delivered. It was comical. My mother is a secretary in labor and delivery, which may have been one of the reasons; I had a good support system, while I was in the hospital. Because my baby was only 26 and half weeks, the NICU team, was standing right there to receive him. I was grateful for all of the knowledgeable, and professional medical staff, I had assisting with my delivery, and the care of my baby. My baby has gone through lots of challenges, but he is doing well today.

Unlike my positive experience, the women in South Africa are treated with complete disrespect! I was appalled at the information I read, concerning the maltreatment of women and infants. Women are pinched, slapped and treated harshly, by the nurses caring for the women (Nordqvist). The medical treatments and standards are low, and no one is enforcing the rules. According to an interview, done with prior patients, women were sent home without antibiotics or pain medicine (Nordqvist, 2011). Here is a statement, given by one of the women, who happened to be HIV positive: “My uncle advised me to call the ambulance when labor started but I did not want to go to the hospital. I was scared of how I would be treated. I hear the nurses are very rude and they are too rough. After giving birth I developed serious problems. I was bleeding too much and I couldn’t breathe properly. Luckily the HIV treatment center took me to hospital, and eventually I got treatment” (Nordqvist, 2011). What a sad story. Every year, 4,500 women die of treatable pregnancy complications. 87% of deliveries in South Africa are performed in a health facility. The Human Rights Watch is working with South Africa government officials to put a stop to this nonsense!  

Nordqvist, C. (2011, August 8). “The Shocking Truth About Giving Birth In South Africa.” Medical News Today. Retrieved from http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/232413.php.            

 

November 24, 2012

How Violence Effects Young Children

In our current society, violence has almost become a way of life for some people. Instead of simple communication (talking and listening), people have chosen to turn to gun violence and murder. I dread turning on the television, because there is always a breaking news report about a shooting. Unfortunately, the younger citizens in our country, are affected by the decisions of those, who are supposed to protect them. One news report, revealed the horrible murders a father/ husband committed against his own family (wife and children). Later reports revealed his involvement in an extramarital affair; I guess his family was in the way. Two weeks ago, I saw one of my former neighbors at the barber shop. She had her granddaughter with her, and she began talking about her three beautiful granddaughters. She went on to tell me how one of the granddaughters (2years old), survived a horrible tragedy. Her mother, grandmother and little brother (10month old) were murdered by the 10 month old baby’s father. The little girl hid in the closet, while the intruder shot and killed her entire family. After murdering everyone, he started a fire, in an attempt to burn the house down. The little girl (only two), told her dad and grandmother, she hid in the closet under clothes, but she came out when she smelled smoke. The little girl is currently attending counseling sessions and living with her dad. I could hardly hold back the tears! Our children are suffering, at the hands of adults who need psychological treatment.

In Israel, children are faced with a tremendous amount of violence. According to an article” Chain of violence: Study shows impact on Palestinian and Israeli children”, children exposed to ethnic and political violence, are more aggressive than other children (Swanbrow, 2012). The article went on to discuss how the political and ethical violence, has spilled over into households, neighborhoods and schools. The earlier the age of exposure, and the length of time exposed to violence, revealed a greater effect of violence and aggression in the children. What a very sad world we live in. How can children grow to be healthy, productive citizens when surrounded by such dysfunction?        

    (Swanbrow, D. 2012). Retrieved from http://www.sampler.isr.umich.edu/2012/research/chain-of-violence-study-shows-impact-on-palestinian-and-israeli-children/

 

 

Suspected Causes of SIDS(Sudden Infat Death Syndrome)

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

 

Twenty years ago, one of my co-workers took her baby to daycare, expecting to see him again; however, that day she experienced the devastating effects of SIDS. For months, she was unable to cope with the emptiness and stress of the loss of her first child. She couldn’t understand why her very healthy five month old, had died!

In this post, I would like to discuss SIDS and some of the research done, to identify the causes of such a horrific syndrome against infants.

SIDS can be defined as a sudden unexpected death of an infant younger than one year of age. If there are no signs of other causes of death, after a formal investigation and autopsy, SIDS is ruled as the cause of death (Carolan, “n.d”, para. 1).

It has been reported that 90% of SID deaths, effect infants younger than six months of age.

Suspected Causes of SIDS

Although causes of SIDS are still unknown, research has identified some reasons why SID has occurred:

1.     Exposure to cigarette smoke

2.     Bed Sharing

3.     Bed covers and blankets

4.     Position of the infant when placed in the bed(stomach)

Research has also shown, that SIDS is more prevalent in male babies, appear to occur during the winter months, effects African American and Native Americans, more than any other culture (Carolan, “n.d”, p. 3).

During my study on SIDS, I found one research on the causes of SIDS, to be quite interesting. According to Dr. Patrick Carolan, SIDS may be the result of interacting factors: SIDS appears to reveal a delay or abnormality in the development of nerve cells within the brain, that are critical to normal heart and lung functions (Carolan, “n.d”, p. 3).  Examination of the brainstems, of infants who died with the diagnosis of SIDS, showed a developmental delay in the formation and function of several serotonin-binding nerve cell pathways within the brain (Carolan, “n.d”, p. 3). Those pathways have shown to be important to regulating breathing, heart rate and blood pressure responses during awakening from sleep (Carolan, “n.d”, p. 3).   

In 1994, a “Back to Sleep” campaign began in the USA, encouraging families to place their infants on their backs to sleep. Since the “Back to Sleep campaign, SIDS has dropped 50% in the US. How exciting! I appreciate research!!!! Because I have learned so much about SIDS and the effect it has on families, I can use what I learned, to educate the families I connect with daily. I can encourage them to place their babies on their backs, avoid smoking around their babies, and place infants in separate beds instead of co-sleeping.

 

  

References

Carolan, P. L. (“n.d”). Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Retrieved from http://www.medicinenet.com/sids/article-htm