Consequences of Stress on Children's Development

 

Growing up I had a childhood with both parents in the household with my two sisters.  I am the oldest twin of my sister Nicole and our younger sister Rosalind.  I didn’t feel like I had any major stressors in my childhood.  My father was in the Marines and we moved around frequently.  Others may find this pretty chaotic, however, I enjoyed moving and meeting new people.  Out of all of the listed stressors for this assignment I chose chaos.  This stressor was felt in my adulthood with the stress of losing my twin sister in childbirth.  My immediate thought was about what life would be like for the three young girls she left behind ages 5, 8 and an infant.                                       

When my sister passed life changed as we knew it.  Changes were rapid and chaotic.  My sister’s husband made the move to be by my sister’s side of the family.  We pitched in to help him raise his three girls.  It was hard on all of us to adjust to the changes.  When I took the three girls and my two boys out for an outings people would assume all 5 children belonged to me.  This was especially difficult on the girls because they looked like me due to the fact of their mother was my identical twin.  The girls often yearned to call me their mother because they did not have one.  I would share things that their mother and I would do and reminded them that I would never take the place of their mother but would support them in ways their mother would.                      

My heart broke for the youngest baby because she would never know her mother.  She was forced to rely on what we shared with her about her mother.  When she was in pre-k I came to the school to pick her up and a girl asked her if I was her mother.  My niece said “no, that’s my aunt, my mom died having me.  My mom and auntie were twins.”   My heart sank.  I quickly responded to my niece and the other child by saying “yes we are twins that is why my niece looks like me.”  I couldn’t help but wonder if my niece felt that she caused her mother’s death.  As a family we have tried to reassure her that she was not the cause of her mother’s death and that God needed her to be with him.  Just recently, we were at the park.  My niece is now 9 years old.  She asked me, “auntie, why does my mommy have to be in heaven looking down on me?  Why can’t’ she be her with me now?”  I didn’t know how to answer her other than to say “she is an angel in heaven helping God.”  I told her she was a special gift from God.                          

Ensuring that my niece’s childhood continues to be one where they feel supported and love is what I feel their mother would love.  The girls do not live with me and my family but we still get to have our visits.  I am thankful for the times we get to share to remind them of memories of their mother.  Losing a parent is a challenge and stress on children of any age.  Life is not promised daily.  This event has cause our family to take one day and moment at a time.  We cherish every moment together.  My goal is to be there for the girls as much as I can to provide them with any ongoing assurances needed through their childhood. 

In South Asia children experience stressors also.  One source of stress for children is their academic performance requirements by their parents.  Children are expected to receive grades no less than a B plus.  Often the parent’s main focus is on what mistakes have occurred with the child.  Children are expected to be successful in school to ensure success as adults.  To minimize this stress parents are encouraged to talk to others if they recognize stress in their child or children.  Parents are also encouraged to listen to their children and allow them to play and be children.  Parents need to value and enjoy the time they have with their children ("Stress Facts For South Asian Children And Teens", 2011).

I feel that it is important for American and South Asian parents to observe children and have open discussions with children in order to minimize stress.  I worry for my nieces about feeling sad that they do not have their mother in their lives anymore.  This causes my family to play an active role in their emotional development by having honest conversations about how they are feeling. This will continue to be an ongoing process throughout their development. 

 

 

Child Development and Public Health

The public health topic I chose is breastfeeding.  I chose this topic because I breastfed both of my boys.  It was important to me to provide the best nutrients for them, especially because they were premature.  Breastfeeding was not an easy task.  I remember being very stressed to be successful in the beginning.  My first born had a hard time latching on because he was not breastfed right after birth due to my C-section.  This caused my son to be “nipple confused”.  The hospital gave me literature on the importance of breastfeeding my son, especially the colostrum milk.  I learned to speak with a lactation specialist to get strategies to help me be successful in my quest to breastfeed.  I found a technique that worked for me independently and continued to be successful with my second son.  I was able to breastfeed my oldest son for nine months.  My second son didn’t last as long.  He nursed for six months.                                      

 I looked up how other countries viewed breastfeeding.  In Cuba babies less than six months old are breastfed.  Upon leaving the hospital 98% of newborns are breastfed.  This percentage is due to the efforts of health professionals sharing awareness and the importance of breastfeeding ("More Infants Exclusively Breastfed In Cuba", 2013).  In Cuba they have world breastfeeding week.  It is the week of August first through seventh.  Cuba emphasizes the importance and values of breastfeeding infants for the first six months and then supplement for one year and up to two ("Cuba Marks 20th World Breastfeeding Week", 2012).                                           

The information I learned from having my two boys as well as from Cuba has encouraged me to ensure that my child care center has pamphlets on the importance of breastfeeding.  I also will continue to share my experiences with parents and friends that ask about breastfeeding.  I would recommend breastfeeding to everyone.  I would say the mother that is not able to breastfeed to not get discouraged.  Strides have been made to improve formula.  I also would refer the new mom to work with a lactation specialist.  Breastfeeding really helped my boys to grown into the young men they are today.  My youngest only weighted four pounds, however, looking at him know you would have no idea.

 

 

Reference

Cuba marks 20th world breastfeeding week. (2012). Retrieved from http://english.juventudrebelde.cu/cuba/2012-08-07/cuba-marks-20th-world-breastfeeding-week

More infants exclusively breastfed in Cuba. (2013). Retrieved from http://victoriafriendsofcuba.wordpress.com/2013/08/09/more-infants-exclusively-breastfed-in-cuba/

 

 

Births in another country

When I compare my birthing experience with what Germany provides there are some similarities.  I received a pamphlet on what to expect while I was pregnant similar to mutterpass.  However, I did not receive any holistic medicine.  I was considered high risk and had to see a doctor.  I received a wealth of information from my doctor and the facility.  Information was readily available to patients daily.  I was surprised that pregnant women in Germany only receive 12 visits.  I remember my appointments were monthly then every two weeks.  Towards the end of my pregnancy I began to go to my doctor every week.  After the C-section I stayed in the hospital for 48 hours.  My son and I were discharged the following morning.  In the U.S. women typically go home after the first day of a natural delivery.  I was surprised at how long women and their babies get to stay in the hospital after natural or C-section delivery.  

I chose to share the experience of having my first son because I had in my mind that I would have a typical delivery.  As I found out it was not typical at all.  When I reflected on my experience I was happy that I had a son but yearned to have a vaginal birth someday.  I wanted to experience a vaginal birth.  I was also curious to see how women experienced deliveries is other countries.  I was surprised that Germany had a lot of similarities.   I wish that I would have been more open minded to alternative experiences when I had my first son.  Thankfully I knew to arrive at the hospital open to whatever came my way with my second delivery.   

Personal Birthing Experience

                My personal birth experience began on November 19, 1997.  My doctor was inducing my labor due to complications of high blood pressure.  I had developed preeclampsia.  I was given Cervidil at night and my doctor said it would take awhile because this was my first child.  My husband went home to sleep.  I woke up hours later feeling contractions and told my husband to come back to the hospital.  When he arrived y contractions were getting stronger.  I remember the doctor coming in to check me and saying “stop, don’t try to push, we need to do an emergency C-section, your placenta is separating.”  Everything happened so fast.  I was rushed in to the operating room and given medicine to go to sleep.  When I woke up in the recovery room I asked my husband did I have the baby and where was he.  My husband told me that I had the baby and that he was in the nursery doing just fine.  When the nurse brought my son to me I was so happy to hold him for the first time.  I asked my husband what had happened and he told me that my placenta had separated.  He also told me that the doctor said we both could have died.  It was then that I realized the magnitude of what had happened.  I felt very blessed that we both were alive and well.  When I reflect back on my pregnancy I could not help but feel robbed of the natural childbirth experience.  Even though I was asleep through the delivery I was thankful for the experiences I had with the birth of my first son.