As I read the assignment for Childbirth around the world, I had to chuckle a little bit. This assignment just fit my world very well. I just wish that I could unbury my daughter's baby books, as they are in storage at the moment. I had the wonderful opportunity to have my first daughter here in the United States and my second daughter in a small hospital in Germany. Two completely different experiences, but two beautiful amazing girls.
Lily:
My older daughter Lily just turned 12 a few days ago, so her birth has been on my mind the last week. As she grows and changes each year, I always reminisce about her birth. I was 22 years old and living with my boyfriend (at the time) when I found out I was pregnant. I went to all my prenatal appointments by myself, except for my ultrasound. Prenatal care was standard with u/s at 20 weeks to make sure everything was developing normally. When it came time for Lily to arrive, my water broke, but I was not having concractions, so I was set up with a pitosin drip to get labor moving. I originally did not want an epidural or any other drug. I wanted to have her "au-natural". But pitosin is not fun, so once it started working, I asked for some stadol to help me relax. It helped me relax so well that I went from 3 cm dilated to 9.5 cm in about 30 minutes. And then, an hour later, Lily was born. I am very grateful that I did take those Lamaze classes, as it really does work. But her birth was the typical, laying on your back, IV, episiotomy, standard birth. My actual labor was only about 2 hours long. The hospital encouraged the babies to stay with the mothers in the room and to breast feed, both of which I insisted on doing. Being a mom was something I knew that I would be good at. And here we are, 12 years later, and I have a beautiful, stubborn, blonde-haired, blue-eyed young lady who I hope will choose to be something great.
Over the next few months, my boyfriend and I got married then moved to Germany for the Air Force.
Madisyn:
As we were settling into our new home I found out that I was pregnant with my second child, Madisyn. We were stationed at a little tiny base in the middle of the Germany countryside. The closest "American" hospital was an hour away. Since my first labor was so quick, I had to make the choice to either drive the hour when in labor and possibly have my child on the road, OR use the German medical system and have my child in a German hospital. I did NOT want to have my baby in the car, so I opted to jump into the German culture for this pregnancy. It was a completely different experience than the first.
In Germany, the mother receives a book that she takes with her to every prenatal visit and then to the hospital with her so that her medical history is in one place for the person who is delivering the baby to know. I was given an ultrasound at every visit until I was approximately 26 weeks, so that we could "see" the baby developing correctly. At 30 weeks gestation, I had the standard glucose test. Also at this time, I began the fetal heart beat monitoring prior to each visit. Each doctors visit began with me being put on a fetal heart machine to monitor the baby's heartrate and movements. At 36 weeks, Madisyn was still head-up or in a breech position, so my doctor gave me some at home ideas to get her to turn (and they worked) so I would hopefully NOT need a C-Section. As I neared my due date and Madisyn was still not ready to be born, the doctor had me take a medicine to help my cervix soften which would also help labor to begin.
At the hospital, epidurals and other drugs were not recommended. They encouraged natural labor. A mid-wife actually does all the work with the OB just being there only if complications arose. You had many choices of positions to make labor easier and more comfortable. They also had a bathtub for a water birth, if you so chose. They also had the ropes and the birthing balls available to help you get through actual labor. My water broke at midnight and concractions were already started. I went to the closest German hospital where I had a mid-wife who spoke no English and I spoke very little German. A wonderful and kind ER doctor came to help translate for me (I was very thankful to him for this and was also glad that this was not my first child!) Four hours later, Madisyn joined the world with no drugs and no episiotomy needed.
After birth, in Germany, a mother is encouraged to get her rest. They still encourage breast feeding, but they want you to sleep and rest and keep the baby in the nursery, where they would bring the baby to you when hungry. They also like you to stay in the hospital for up to five days, instead of the standard 1-2 in the US. This allows them to make sure that the mother is getting her rest and the baby is going to be fine and healthy.
Reflection:
Two different births in two different cultures. Both had great prenatal care, but the actual birthing process and the time spent in the hospital afterwards was different. In the US, we have our babies, and leave, much of the time because we cannot afford the medical bills or because there isn't enough room. So have your babies and go home. In Germany, the focus is on both the mother and the baby. They want to make sure the baby is developing correctly and that after birth, both mother and baby are strong and healthy enough to go home. There is no rush to get them out of the hospital. I am blessed to have had the chance to experience both cultures.
Friday, June 29, 2012
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Thank you!
As the last week of my first masters course winds down I would like to thank of classmates for their great support and discussions over the last 8 weeks! I look forward to working with you all again!
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Ethics
Ethics: an extremely important aspect of LIFE! This week, we had to read through the code of ethics for both the NAEYC and the DEC to see what "spoke" to us the most. To me, ethics are extremely important. I am an extremely honest person, and I value hard work, trust, and integrity, all of which play a big part in a persons' ethics. These are the ideals from each, that I chose to share with you.
NAEYC Code of Ethics:
1) I 1.1 To be familiar with the knowledge base of early childhood care and education and to stay informed through continuing education and training.
2) P 1.2 We shall care for and educate children in positive emotional and social environments that are cognitively stimulating and that support each child's culture, language, ethnicity, and family structure.
3) I 3A.1 To establish and maintain relationships of respect, trust, confidentiality, collaboration, and cooperation with coworkers.
DEC Code of Ethics:
1)I2 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 whome we work.
2) II1. We shall engage in ongoing and systematic reflective inquiry and self-assessment for the purpose of continuous improvement of professional performance and services to young children with disabilities and their families.
3) IV2. We shall use every resource, including referral when appropriate, to ensure high quality services are accessible and are provided to children and families.
All of these specific parts of these two organizations' code of ethics refer to doing our best, doing what is right, and always researching and adapting to our students to give them the best learning experience possible. Which is what I strive to do in my classroom.
Resources:
NAEYC. (2005, April). Code of ethical conduct and statement of commitment. Retrieved May 26, 2010, fromhttp://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/PSETH05.pdf
The Division for Early Childhood. (2000, August). Code of ethics. Retrieved May 26, 2010, fromhttp://www.dec-sped.org/
NAEYC Code of Ethics:
1) I 1.1 To be familiar with the knowledge base of early childhood care and education and to stay informed through continuing education and training.
2) P 1.2 We shall care for and educate children in positive emotional and social environments that are cognitively stimulating and that support each child's culture, language, ethnicity, and family structure.
3) I 3A.1 To establish and maintain relationships of respect, trust, confidentiality, collaboration, and cooperation with coworkers.
DEC Code of Ethics:
1)I2 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 whome we work.
2) II1. We shall engage in ongoing and systematic reflective inquiry and self-assessment for the purpose of continuous improvement of professional performance and services to young children with disabilities and their families.
3) IV2. We shall use every resource, including referral when appropriate, to ensure high quality services are accessible and are provided to children and families.
All of these specific parts of these two organizations' code of ethics refer to doing our best, doing what is right, and always researching and adapting to our students to give them the best learning experience possible. Which is what I strive to do in my classroom.
Resources:
NAEYC. (2005, April). Code of ethical conduct and statement of commitment. Retrieved May 26, 2010, fromhttp://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/PSETH05.pdf
The Division for Early Childhood. (2000, August). Code of ethics. Retrieved May 26, 2010, fromhttp://www.dec-sped.org/
Friday, June 1, 2012
Resources and Organizations in Early Childhood Education
NAEYC - www.naeyc.org
This organization has numerous articles and links for research that they have completed in the early childhood field. Their position statements are all research based to improve upon early childhood education.
Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families. (2010). Infant-toddler policy agenda. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://main.zerotothree.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ter_pub_infanttodller
FPG Child Development Institute. (2006, September). Evidence-based practice empowers early childhood professionals and families. (FPG Snapshot, No. 33). Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.fpg.unc.edu/~snapshots/snap33.pdf
Turnbull, A., Zuna, N., Hong, J. Y., Hu, X., Kyzar, K., Obremski, S., et al. (2010). Knowledge-to-action guides. Teaching Exceptional Children, 42(3), 42-53.
UNICEF (n.d.). Fact sheet: A summary of the rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.unicef.org/crc/files/Rights_overview.pdf
World Forum Foundation http://worldforumfoundation.org/wf/wp/about-us
World Organization for Early Childhood Education http://www.omep-usnc.org/
Association for Childhood Education International http://acei.org/
The Division for Early Childhood http://www.dec-sped.org/
FPG Child Development Institute http://www.fpg.unc.edu/main/about.cfm
Administration for Children and Families Headstart's National Research Conference http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hsrc/
Children's Defense Fund http://www.childrensdefense.org/
National Institute for Early Education Research http://nieer.org/
Additional Sites that are special to my research: Dr. Jean Feldman http://drjean.org/ I was able to go to a workshop that she hosted. She has amazing ideas to use in the classroom. She also has many great songs and ideas to use to add music into the classroom.
Jack Hartman http://www.jackhartmann.com/
Jack Hartman also emphasizes learning with music. I've used a lot of his songs to help enhance the learning of my students.
Hayes, K. & Creange, R. (2001). Classroom Routines That Really Work for PreK and
Kindergarten: A Bank Street Teacher Resource. New York, NY: Scholastic Inc.
- This book has a lot of great ideas for classroom management, centers, whole group
instruction, etc. It is a must have for any new ECE teacher.
Wong, H. K. & Wong, R. T. (2004). How to be an Effective Teacher: The First Days of
School. Mountain View, CA: Harry K. Wong Publications, Inc.
- Another great resource for any new teacher. I still read this book and get new ideas to
use in my classroom!
Steve Spangler Science http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/
I had the chance to meet Steve Spangler and take one of his workshops. He has great ideas to help you teach problem solving and critical thinking skills through science. His experiments can be used in all age levels and they are FUN!
This organization has numerous articles and links for research that they have completed in the early childhood field. Their position statements are all research based to improve upon early childhood education.
Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families. (2010). Infant-toddler policy agenda. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://main.zerotothree.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ter_pub_infanttodller
FPG Child Development Institute. (2006, September). Evidence-based practice empowers early childhood professionals and families. (FPG Snapshot, No. 33). Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.fpg.unc.edu/~snapshots/snap33.pdf
Turnbull, A., Zuna, N., Hong, J. Y., Hu, X., Kyzar, K., Obremski, S., et al. (2010). Knowledge-to-action guides. Teaching Exceptional Children, 42(3), 42-53.
UNICEF (n.d.). Fact sheet: A summary of the rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.unicef.org/crc/files/Rights_overview.pdf
World Forum Foundation http://worldforumfoundation.org/wf/wp/about-us
World Organization for Early Childhood Education http://www.omep-usnc.org/
Association for Childhood Education International http://acei.org/
The Division for Early Childhood http://www.dec-sped.org/
FPG Child Development Institute http://www.fpg.unc.edu/main/about.cfm
Administration for Children and Families Headstart's National Research Conference http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hsrc/
Children's Defense Fund http://www.childrensdefense.org/
National Institute for Early Education Research http://nieer.org/
Additional Sites that are special to my research: Dr. Jean Feldman http://drjean.org/ I was able to go to a workshop that she hosted. She has amazing ideas to use in the classroom. She also has many great songs and ideas to use to add music into the classroom.
Jack Hartman http://www.jackhartmann.com/
Jack Hartman also emphasizes learning with music. I've used a lot of his songs to help enhance the learning of my students.
Hayes, K. & Creange, R. (2001). Classroom Routines That Really Work for PreK and
Kindergarten: A Bank Street Teacher Resource. New York, NY: Scholastic Inc.
- This book has a lot of great ideas for classroom management, centers, whole group
instruction, etc. It is a must have for any new ECE teacher.
Wong, H. K. & Wong, R. T. (2004). How to be an Effective Teacher: The First Days of
School. Mountain View, CA: Harry K. Wong Publications, Inc.
- Another great resource for any new teacher. I still read this book and get new ideas to
use in my classroom!
Steve Spangler Science http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/
I had the chance to meet Steve Spangler and take one of his workshops. He has great ideas to help you teach problem solving and critical thinking skills through science. His experiments can be used in all age levels and they are FUN!
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