Greave Matters is a book about the embalming of peoples love ones, and goes in depth about the effects of an average burial, and gives readers insights about green burial. This book isn’t trying to change peoples minds on how to embalm themselves or their love ones when they pass away, it’s sole purpose is to inform people, and hopefully change the way people normally do things.
Grave Matters by Mark Davis is a book about the business of the embalming of the deceased. When I pre read the book at first I thought it was interesting because of the many facts it gave about funerals, the price, the materials, its affect on the environment, etc. At first I thought the first chapter would be a bit like the Omnivores Dilemma where it gave a short catchy story, than gave a lot of good facts, and points, but instead Grave Matters, gives personal stories, which is relevant to know, but to me is a bit dramatic. For example the first chapter was about this couple who lost their 18 year old daughter and all this is being explained in just three sentences, so when pre reading learning all these facts, you expect to see more interesting facts but instead, you get hit with a depressing story. This book like every other book we’ve read this year for all our units gives a “nicer” alternative to something that’s because nightmarish and creepy, or exploits people to make money.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
HW 48 - Family Perspectives on the Care of the Dead (Read This One)
My interview with my mother:
“What was the first death you experienced?”
“My friend Patrick who died of leukemia, when I was 16.”
“How did his family care for his death?”
“He had converted from catholic to Islam, the day after he died there was a wake, and it was open casket. The next day was the funeral; there was no open casket, because his mother was upset about having him exposed again. His head was facing east so the casket was moved a certain direction, because of religious purposes. People said their prayers than his casket was being buried, as that was happening his mother had a horrendous scream, which gave everyone chills and everyone started crying and so did I. He was 18.”
“What was your first experience with a death in our family?”
“My grandmothers death (my great grandmother). I was a sophomore in college when my roommate had gotten a call from my mother, when I got to my dorm and my roommate told me the message I did not believe her and was upset with her. The next day I flew back to New York from D.C. When I got to home it was hectic, because family from all over were coming in, staying at different relatives houses, there was a dinner and people were crying and rekindling. I had missed the wake because it happened the day I found out. The following day (the third day) was the funeral/church service, which hundreds of people came to. My grandmothers body was in the front of the church and it was an open casket, everyone went near to say their goodbyes, I stayed in the back, and was still able to see her body, but didn't want get close to it. After all that the casket was closed, and was carried into the hearse, and was taken to the cemetery, which people drove to as well. People said their last words, and the body was being buried, which is when I and many others and I broke down. After that a lot people went back to my great grandmothers house talking about her and stuff, but because their were so many people the family ended up renting out a hall. During the time people we’re talking about my grandmother and their memories of her, I stepped outside the house, because I couldn't take listening to any of peoples conversations, and I was getting annoyed with questions such as "how do you feel?" Which I thought was a stupid to ask. While I was outside and thinking to myself I was barely able to breathe from the anger I felt. But later that day I realized how much people loved my grandmother by the amount of people in the house, which made me feel a bit better.”
My mothers experience with her grandmother’s death, and my friends experience with their parent’s death, has many similarities. Such as they hated questions like "how do you feel?" "Do you feel better?" because no one ever fully recovers from a lost of a love one. Another similarity is that, at first when they got the news they didn't believe it at first, and weren't fully affected until after the funeral. The last similarity is that the whole process occurred in a 3 day span mourning, wake & funeral.
“What was the first death you experienced?”
“My friend Patrick who died of leukemia, when I was 16.”
“How did his family care for his death?”
“He had converted from catholic to Islam, the day after he died there was a wake, and it was open casket. The next day was the funeral; there was no open casket, because his mother was upset about having him exposed again. His head was facing east so the casket was moved a certain direction, because of religious purposes. People said their prayers than his casket was being buried, as that was happening his mother had a horrendous scream, which gave everyone chills and everyone started crying and so did I. He was 18.”
“What was your first experience with a death in our family?”
“My grandmothers death (my great grandmother). I was a sophomore in college when my roommate had gotten a call from my mother, when I got to my dorm and my roommate told me the message I did not believe her and was upset with her. The next day I flew back to New York from D.C. When I got to home it was hectic, because family from all over were coming in, staying at different relatives houses, there was a dinner and people were crying and rekindling. I had missed the wake because it happened the day I found out. The following day (the third day) was the funeral/church service, which hundreds of people came to. My grandmothers body was in the front of the church and it was an open casket, everyone went near to say their goodbyes, I stayed in the back, and was still able to see her body, but didn't want get close to it. After all that the casket was closed, and was carried into the hearse, and was taken to the cemetery, which people drove to as well. People said their last words, and the body was being buried, which is when I and many others and I broke down. After that a lot people went back to my great grandmothers house talking about her and stuff, but because their were so many people the family ended up renting out a hall. During the time people we’re talking about my grandmother and their memories of her, I stepped outside the house, because I couldn't take listening to any of peoples conversations, and I was getting annoyed with questions such as "how do you feel?" Which I thought was a stupid to ask. While I was outside and thinking to myself I was barely able to breathe from the anger I felt. But later that day I realized how much people loved my grandmother by the amount of people in the house, which made me feel a bit better.”
My mothers experience with her grandmother’s death, and my friends experience with their parent’s death, has many similarities. Such as they hated questions like "how do you feel?" "Do you feel better?" because no one ever fully recovers from a lost of a love one. Another similarity is that, at first when they got the news they didn't believe it at first, and weren't fully affected until after the funeral. The last similarity is that the whole process occurred in a 3 day span mourning, wake & funeral.
Friday, April 22, 2011
HW 47 - Peer Perspectives on the Care of the Dead
For this assignment i interviewed 2 friends of mine on their prospective on death, based on their experiences. One of my main focus is the effect of one losing a really close relative, and all of my interviewees lost a parent. One of my friends dad died when she was 5, and the other died just last year when he turned 17. The first thing I asked was "how did you recover from that experience?" The answer I got from both wasn't a shock, which was "you never recover" but they basically said, you just keep doing what you normally would do, but you'll always remember that your short of a parent. My second question to them was "What was you're first reaction when you found out about your dad?" Jacey (the one who's dad passed when she was 5), said she knew her father wasn't feeling to well, and was sent to the hospital, but was being told everything would be fine, until he died of a heart attack their. But she was traumatized because "nothing went fine". But she said that over the years her trauma from that has basically recovered, because her father has been gone for most of her life, but she still wonders what life would of been like if he was still around. For my friend Chris, his father died of a kidney failure on a business trip in Brazil, but when he found out about his dads death, he didn't believe it at first, because he saw his dad two days before his death. But the fact of his fathers death, hit him the day he was suppose to come back home, and instead his body was flown in, and the funeral. Even 8 months later, he still forgets his "dad is gone, but knows he is."
My third question to them was "How long did the whole process take (funeral, burial, etc.)? Jacey's dad was buried within four days, but normally they have a funeral and burial within 2 days. For Chris's father, took 6 days, because his body was flown from brazil, than a wake took place, than a funeral.
My third question to them was "How long did the whole process take (funeral, burial, etc.)? Jacey's dad was buried within four days, but normally they have a funeral and burial within 2 days. For Chris's father, took 6 days, because his body was flown from brazil, than a wake took place, than a funeral.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
HW 46 - Initial Thoughts on the Care of the Dead
Many things come to mind when I hear the word death, or think about death. Death to me is probably the most mysterious events next to if earth is the only planet that has human beings. One of the reasons I believe people analyze death so much is because we don't know what happens when someone dies, we have many ideas. Some think that we reincarnate, some think we go places that dont exist in the real world, such as heaven or hell, and some think we become non existent and life is blank. I personally don't have a specific belief, mainly because my argument against those theories is "where were we before we were babies?". All these theories are based off the idea of existence, which basically means something that we can see or know is there means it exist, but what about the unknown existence. Every now and then we hear things such as "a new discovery" in the media or etc. But if it was discovered than that means it was all ready there, so it always existed but we just never knew.
The reason I think understanding the idea of existence is important when talking about death, is because as human beings we are so fascinated with life and don't like when things we're used to disappear or die, but if we look at history so much has changed and died, in a way death is good, and for many reasons. If people and things constantly existed than their wouldn't be room for anything new, and there'd probably be less discoveries. I always think about these type of things mainly because I haven't dealt with much death in my life, I think one if the reasons is because my family is so broken up, so I have a lot of "distant relatives". Which makes it seem like a have a small family and less news goes around, which is why when I hear such and such had a baby, or died it's like hearing a stranger had a child or died, and I feel good or bad depending on the news. If a baby is born great, a new person in the family, someone died that's tragic, then again the way someone dies makes a difference as well. For example if someone died of natural causes at an age of 97, it's sad to hear, but we make ourselves feel better, by thinking they had a long life, but if someone died at 10 or 20 we'd be devastated, because they didn't live a long life. I could go even deeper with the idea o what a good life is, but to get you (the reader) thinking what if the person who was 20 lived a life that the 97 year old wish they had and considered that a good life or vice versa? Also as we get older we forget certain things that occurred early in our lives, what if someone who died young remembered happier moments in their life, while it was still fresh in their memories? Never the less, like anyone else I think it's devastating to lose a love one, and I don't know what I'd do in that situation. But I think we should all enjoy our lives, because we never know what's to come.
The reason I think understanding the idea of existence is important when talking about death, is because as human beings we are so fascinated with life and don't like when things we're used to disappear or die, but if we look at history so much has changed and died, in a way death is good, and for many reasons. If people and things constantly existed than their wouldn't be room for anything new, and there'd probably be less discoveries. I always think about these type of things mainly because I haven't dealt with much death in my life, I think one if the reasons is because my family is so broken up, so I have a lot of "distant relatives". Which makes it seem like a have a small family and less news goes around, which is why when I hear such and such had a baby, or died it's like hearing a stranger had a child or died, and I feel good or bad depending on the news. If a baby is born great, a new person in the family, someone died that's tragic, then again the way someone dies makes a difference as well. For example if someone died of natural causes at an age of 97, it's sad to hear, but we make ourselves feel better, by thinking they had a long life, but if someone died at 10 or 20 we'd be devastated, because they didn't live a long life. I could go even deeper with the idea o what a good life is, but to get you (the reader) thinking what if the person who was 20 lived a life that the 97 year old wish they had and considered that a good life or vice versa? Also as we get older we forget certain things that occurred early in our lives, what if someone who died young remembered happier moments in their life, while it was still fresh in their memories? Never the less, like anyone else I think it's devastating to lose a love one, and I don't know what I'd do in that situation. But I think we should all enjoy our lives, because we never know what's to come.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
HW 45 - Reply to Other Peoples' Comments
My response to Matts comment:
Thanks Matt, and I completely agree with your comment about me focusing on single mothers more. When I did this blog I sort of lost tract on what I was talking about, and didn't have one main idea, because i had a few. This whole unit alone is pretty interesting to me, so i tried to cram as many things that i researched into it. Thanks so much for reading my blog, and be on the look out for more to come.
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My response to Javons comment:
Thanks Javon, you're right about that part of my blog not elaborating more about what i meant about men today lacking responsibility, and i regret that, like i told Matt I tried to cram a lot of information and my thoughts in my blog, but I also rushed it a bit. I appreciate your feedback, and have taken it to mind, and will apply your tips to my next blog. Thanks again, and I hope you read my next blog.
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My response to Jessicas comment:
Thanks Jessica, as I can see everyone who's read my blog wants me to give more personal examples on my blog. you got it. I'll elaborate more on the examples i give, because I admit that i didn't give enough detail which is a crucial part in any paper. Thanks so much for reading my blog, and I hope you read my future blogs to come.
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My response to Deans comment:
Thanks Dean, I'm glad you enjoyed my blog, and found parts of it to be interesting. Since you have such a positive comment, I hope you'll read my next blog, also if you have any feedback on what you'd like to see on my next blog that i didn't put on this one, let me know. Thanks again, and stay posted for more blogs to come.
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My response to Stephens comment:
Thanks Stephen, I re-read my blog after i had done it and thought the same thing as your feedback, but was figured "eh, it's late it's not too off topic, where it'll throw a reader off, so f-it". But trust me my next blog, i'll be on point throughout the whole thing, but I hope you read my next blog, and tell me what you think about that one to come. Thanks again for reading my blog.
Thanks Matt, and I completely agree with your comment about me focusing on single mothers more. When I did this blog I sort of lost tract on what I was talking about, and didn't have one main idea, because i had a few. This whole unit alone is pretty interesting to me, so i tried to cram as many things that i researched into it. Thanks so much for reading my blog, and be on the look out for more to come.
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My response to Javons comment:
Thanks Javon, you're right about that part of my blog not elaborating more about what i meant about men today lacking responsibility, and i regret that, like i told Matt I tried to cram a lot of information and my thoughts in my blog, but I also rushed it a bit. I appreciate your feedback, and have taken it to mind, and will apply your tips to my next blog. Thanks again, and I hope you read my next blog.
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My response to Jessicas comment:
Thanks Jessica, as I can see everyone who's read my blog wants me to give more personal examples on my blog. you got it. I'll elaborate more on the examples i give, because I admit that i didn't give enough detail which is a crucial part in any paper. Thanks so much for reading my blog, and I hope you read my future blogs to come.
-------------------------------------------------
My response to Deans comment:
Thanks Dean, I'm glad you enjoyed my blog, and found parts of it to be interesting. Since you have such a positive comment, I hope you'll read my next blog, also if you have any feedback on what you'd like to see on my next blog that i didn't put on this one, let me know. Thanks again, and stay posted for more blogs to come.
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My response to Stephens comment:
Thanks Stephen, I re-read my blog after i had done it and thought the same thing as your feedback, but was figured "eh, it's late it's not too off topic, where it'll throw a reader off, so f-it". But trust me my next blog, i'll be on point throughout the whole thing, but I hope you read my next blog, and tell me what you think about that one to come. Thanks again for reading my blog.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
HW 44 - Comments on Other People's Projects
My comment on Matthew S. Blog:
Hey Matt, I'd like to start out by saying great blog. Now to your blog, I think what you did really well on your blog that most people, including myself didn't do as much is give a cultural thought process women go through, for example yours was the lack of birth knowledge Latina women have. Which I wasn't aware of, because of the many stereotypes and experiences I've seen, such as summer school as you know. Was that, because many Latina women have children at early ages they were the most knowledgable, when it came of birth. The other great point you made was the lack of birth knowledge in Americans in general, because since childhood we've been taught sex, baby shower, hospital birth. Most Americans probably think that home births, is prehistoric. You also filled in a gap I never asked myself, which was the way Latina american have children, which is basically the same way all americans have their children, the hospital. Besides that you're blog was superb, besides a few typos, and I would of liked to see you're personal conclusion about birth, all in all again, great blog.
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My comment on Jessica C. Blog:
One of the main reasons I choose to read your blog Jessica, is because your topic of choice was abortion, which we didn't talk much about in class. One of the things you did really well in your blog, is getting me to understand, and leave after reading your blog know a lot more about it. For example I thought abortions was free checkup as long as you had health insurance, the other is that I didn't know that abortion rate was so high, 25% of the world, that's about 1.8 billion women, crazy. The other good thing you did in your blog was addressing what we learned in class, to show why you're blog is an important topic. I only have two things of feedback I'd like you to take into mind, one is that before reading your blogI didn't expect much, because the first thing I noticed was the lack of uppercase letters. Which isn't a big deal, but formatting, does so much to the appearance, making readers more interested to read anything, and I feel that your blog is too important to not appear revealing. All in all great blog, and i look forward to reading more of your blogs to come.
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My comment on Chris M. blog:
What made your project unique was that it wasn't an essay throughout out the whole thing, but an interview. Which to me is more interactive, especially after reading 3 other blogs, which don't get me wrong, were good. But it was nice to see something a bit different. To start off I think you had a really lucky interviewee, to have both home and hospital birth is pretty unique, i'm surprised she even did a home birth with the lack of knowledge of home births. Based on what we've learn in class and my knowledge from research, I can see why the mother wanted to have a feel of both births. Which also doesn't surprise me that she liked the home birth more. I never wrote or said this on neither my blog or in class, but I believe that the reason many women who have hospital births don't feel automatically connected to the baby as soon as it's born is because hospital births are made to tire the mothers out. It only makes sense, because they're on the spot and are constantly being sub textually rushed. But in a home birth since it's in the comfortable familiar environment of their home, and they're not rushed, it gives the mothers more time to focus on herself and the baby than other people, and after the baby is born they're more connected, because of the focus and will power she had to deliver it. Besides that you had a superb blog, and congratulations.
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My Comment on Deans Blog:
Hey Dean, I saw you left me a comment on my blog, so I thought I should return the favor. To start off you're blog thought me a lot about OB/GYNs every time i heard that word, I always thought "What the hell is that?". You gave clear and thorough examples and statistics about OB/GYN's, and the reasons people become OB/GYN's. Another thing you did great on, were your sources, which i thought were pretty interesting. One thing I think you could of done a bit better on, was making your blog a bit longer, because you have so many good sources which could of helped expand it. Also in the beginning of your blog to stall time, you should of given and example about what an OB/GYN is and the definition, I feel like you focussed too much on statistics more than their jobs. Other than that, great blog, and I'll look out for more of your blogs, great work again.
Hey Matt, I'd like to start out by saying great blog. Now to your blog, I think what you did really well on your blog that most people, including myself didn't do as much is give a cultural thought process women go through, for example yours was the lack of birth knowledge Latina women have. Which I wasn't aware of, because of the many stereotypes and experiences I've seen, such as summer school as you know. Was that, because many Latina women have children at early ages they were the most knowledgable, when it came of birth. The other great point you made was the lack of birth knowledge in Americans in general, because since childhood we've been taught sex, baby shower, hospital birth. Most Americans probably think that home births, is prehistoric. You also filled in a gap I never asked myself, which was the way Latina american have children, which is basically the same way all americans have their children, the hospital. Besides that you're blog was superb, besides a few typos, and I would of liked to see you're personal conclusion about birth, all in all again, great blog.
---------------------------------------------------------
My comment on Jessica C. Blog:
One of the main reasons I choose to read your blog Jessica, is because your topic of choice was abortion, which we didn't talk much about in class. One of the things you did really well in your blog, is getting me to understand, and leave after reading your blog know a lot more about it. For example I thought abortions was free checkup as long as you had health insurance, the other is that I didn't know that abortion rate was so high, 25% of the world, that's about 1.8 billion women, crazy. The other good thing you did in your blog was addressing what we learned in class, to show why you're blog is an important topic. I only have two things of feedback I'd like you to take into mind, one is that before reading your blogI didn't expect much, because the first thing I noticed was the lack of uppercase letters. Which isn't a big deal, but formatting, does so much to the appearance, making readers more interested to read anything, and I feel that your blog is too important to not appear revealing. All in all great blog, and i look forward to reading more of your blogs to come.
----------------------------------------------------------
My comment on Chris M. blog:
What made your project unique was that it wasn't an essay throughout out the whole thing, but an interview. Which to me is more interactive, especially after reading 3 other blogs, which don't get me wrong, were good. But it was nice to see something a bit different. To start off I think you had a really lucky interviewee, to have both home and hospital birth is pretty unique, i'm surprised she even did a home birth with the lack of knowledge of home births. Based on what we've learn in class and my knowledge from research, I can see why the mother wanted to have a feel of both births. Which also doesn't surprise me that she liked the home birth more. I never wrote or said this on neither my blog or in class, but I believe that the reason many women who have hospital births don't feel automatically connected to the baby as soon as it's born is because hospital births are made to tire the mothers out. It only makes sense, because they're on the spot and are constantly being sub textually rushed. But in a home birth since it's in the comfortable familiar environment of their home, and they're not rushed, it gives the mothers more time to focus on herself and the baby than other people, and after the baby is born they're more connected, because of the focus and will power she had to deliver it. Besides that you had a superb blog, and congratulations.
-----------------------------------------------------------
My Comment on Deans Blog:
Hey Dean, I saw you left me a comment on my blog, so I thought I should return the favor. To start off you're blog thought me a lot about OB/GYNs every time i heard that word, I always thought "What the hell is that?". You gave clear and thorough examples and statistics about OB/GYN's, and the reasons people become OB/GYN's. Another thing you did great on, were your sources, which i thought were pretty interesting. One thing I think you could of done a bit better on, was making your blog a bit longer, because you have so many good sources which could of helped expand it. Also in the beginning of your blog to stall time, you should of given and example about what an OB/GYN is and the definition, I feel like you focussed too much on statistics more than their jobs. Other than that, great blog, and I'll look out for more of your blogs, great work again.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
HW 42 - Pregnancy & birth culminating project
Birth and pregnancy is the act which a woman, adds another member to their family and life. Throughout the years birth and pregnancy has evolved much like the way we live. The way we celebrate birth, they way a baby is born, how the child is going to be raised all that has changed and is still changing. Because of the many cultures, and practices every woman has their own way of having a birth. When pregnant women have different experiences, and situations, such as baby showers, friends and family helping them out, working throughout their pregnancy, etc. One of the main focuses throughout this unit has been the way women give birth in the United States, such as homebirths and midwives versus hospital births and doctors. In my previous blog I did some research about the experiences the average single mother goes through, and the role the United States government plays. The other topic I was interested in was the father’s role during birth.
I was particularly curious on doing a project based on single mothers birth experience, because my mother raised me being a single mother. So i choose to go more in depth to understanding, the experiences and process single mothers go through. Years ago being a single mother was rare, and when it happened it was because of a tragedy of some sort. Today single mother parenting is very common; according to statistics 3.5 percent of women in the United States are single mothers. One of the reasons is the lack of married couples, in the past couples who were married didn’t divorce as much as couples today. Which is why in the past if a couple had children the father was in their lives. The other reason is lack of responsibility in men today, in the past men were brought up to work, get married and start a family. Today that ambition isn’t as popular; with so many distractions and new things in today’s culture it only makes sense why the value of family isn’t as high. Some single mothers have it easier than others, such as mothers who were once married, and later on got divorced, because it’s easier to have the father by law take care of the child. Another reasons in the past couples stayed together much longer than they do today, is because the amount of children they had. Today the average amount of children per household in the United States is roughly 2, compared to the early 1900’s, which was 4. One of the reasons that is because of finance, the price of living is much more than in the past, which is why less people have children. “The post-1960's expansion of college education and professional opportunities for middle-class women, and the growth of jobs (especially part-time jobs) in the new service industries and in light manufacturing for their working class sisters gradually transformed the post marriage career paths of the average woman. So did the greater effectiveness of birth control and the new, more tolerant norms surrounding its use.” – (Garland 83) Because of the cultural changes that gave women the opportunity to focus more on education and working, and not focus on getting married and having children, set new paths and views on how children would start being raised.
Every culture has their own ways of handling a birth, the most common in the past were home births, which always involved a midwife. In the beginning of the unit we had a few visitors who spoke to us about their birth and pregnancy experiences. Jeanette Plaza, one of our guest speakers spoke about how in the past traditional Puerto Rican families the woman after giving birth, would rest for 40 days while her family took care of her and the newborn letting her rest and not have to do a thing, which was common in many cultures in many parts of the world. Ms. Plaza, also spoke about how most jobs only give women 6 weeks off after giving birth, which to her felt like it wasn’t enough. I asked different women if they thought 6 weeks was very little, and if they felt that having a limit to recover a bit morally wrong, and they all said yes. Which relates back to the illness and dying unit, when we watched the film Sicko. In it a French person spoke about their illness story and explained how in France you’ll get paid for all the days you’re gone for, until you feel well again, and he said “I don’t understand how any country allow someone to have a limited amount of sick days, you can’t put a date on an illness”, which one can agree for birth as well. One of the many other things that has changed in birth is how a baby is born, the delivery. When having a natural birth there are many positions that can be used to do so lithotomy, squatting, kneeling and all fours. Almost all these positions are normally used with midwives, except for lithotomy, which is mostly common in hospitals. One of the reasons midwives, allow women to use any position is because midwives or mostly all for natural births, so they allow the mother to do anything that makes her more comfortable to deliver the baby as safely and natural as possible. In hospitals the reasons lithotomy is more common is because the doctors, want to ensure that the baby is well, so it’s easier for the doctors to see what’s going on. The other method of birth is caesarean section, which is when the baby is delivered through the woman’s stomach. One of the reasons this method is use is when the mother’s health or babies is at risk in order to safely deliver the baby. In the past caesarean was rarely used, but today it’s risen. In this unit we studied about the rise of caesarean, and tried to understand why it’s becoming more popular. One of the reasons is that it’s faster, the other is that it’s safer, according to some doctors, and women who’s had a successful caesarean. One of the other reasons is because of the nightmarish and industrial way we live, because pain is something many people in society try to avoid because of medication when a woman is giving birth, mainly at a hospital they’re asked if they want an epidural. Which is a shot that numbs the woman to feel less pain, which is injected near the spinal cord, one of the disadvantages is the fact that the woman is numb and can’t feel anything so it’s hard to push. So later their asked if they’d like pitocin, which helps the woman push the baby out, but gives them more pain, and than they’re injected with more epidural, and after too much time in later they’re asked if they’d like a caesarean, which again is rare, but in those cases a caesarean is most likely.
In the end how a woman chooses to have a child or raise it is entirely up to them, and their situation, because everyone’s life is different. Whether a parent chooses to feed their child breast milk or formula, get married or stay single, hospital birth or home birth. What really matters is the fact that they had a child, and they’re taking care of it, and as long as the decision they make is at least a safe bet than, they’re doing their job as a mother.
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Citations:
Garland, David. The culture of control: crime and social order in contemporary society. New York: Oxford University Press Inc., 2001. 83. Print.
Gilbert, Virgina. "Preparing for Motherhood." Pregnancy Today 29 December 2009: n. pag. Web. 5 Apr 2011.
"The fathers role during pregnancy." The father's place in the family. mustele.com, Web..
Hughes, Pattie. "The Pregnant Single Parent." Pregnancy Advice 25 May 2007: n. pag. Web. 8 Apr 2011..
M, Jay. "Pregnancy and tradition in Kampala." n. pag. Web. 10 Apr 2010..
Deonmme, Sara. "Let's Talk About the Cultures of Childbearing." Pregnancy Advice (2007): n. pag. Web. 6 Apr 2011..
"How Many Single Mothers are in America?." answers.ask.com. N.p., 08 October 2010. Web. 6 Apr 2011..
I was particularly curious on doing a project based on single mothers birth experience, because my mother raised me being a single mother. So i choose to go more in depth to understanding, the experiences and process single mothers go through. Years ago being a single mother was rare, and when it happened it was because of a tragedy of some sort. Today single mother parenting is very common; according to statistics 3.5 percent of women in the United States are single mothers. One of the reasons is the lack of married couples, in the past couples who were married didn’t divorce as much as couples today. Which is why in the past if a couple had children the father was in their lives. The other reason is lack of responsibility in men today, in the past men were brought up to work, get married and start a family. Today that ambition isn’t as popular; with so many distractions and new things in today’s culture it only makes sense why the value of family isn’t as high. Some single mothers have it easier than others, such as mothers who were once married, and later on got divorced, because it’s easier to have the father by law take care of the child. Another reasons in the past couples stayed together much longer than they do today, is because the amount of children they had. Today the average amount of children per household in the United States is roughly 2, compared to the early 1900’s, which was 4. One of the reasons that is because of finance, the price of living is much more than in the past, which is why less people have children. “The post-1960's expansion of college education and professional opportunities for middle-class women, and the growth of jobs (especially part-time jobs) in the new service industries and in light manufacturing for their working class sisters gradually transformed the post marriage career paths of the average woman. So did the greater effectiveness of birth control and the new, more tolerant norms surrounding its use.” – (Garland 83) Because of the cultural changes that gave women the opportunity to focus more on education and working, and not focus on getting married and having children, set new paths and views on how children would start being raised.
Every culture has their own ways of handling a birth, the most common in the past were home births, which always involved a midwife. In the beginning of the unit we had a few visitors who spoke to us about their birth and pregnancy experiences. Jeanette Plaza, one of our guest speakers spoke about how in the past traditional Puerto Rican families the woman after giving birth, would rest for 40 days while her family took care of her and the newborn letting her rest and not have to do a thing, which was common in many cultures in many parts of the world. Ms. Plaza, also spoke about how most jobs only give women 6 weeks off after giving birth, which to her felt like it wasn’t enough. I asked different women if they thought 6 weeks was very little, and if they felt that having a limit to recover a bit morally wrong, and they all said yes. Which relates back to the illness and dying unit, when we watched the film Sicko. In it a French person spoke about their illness story and explained how in France you’ll get paid for all the days you’re gone for, until you feel well again, and he said “I don’t understand how any country allow someone to have a limited amount of sick days, you can’t put a date on an illness”, which one can agree for birth as well. One of the many other things that has changed in birth is how a baby is born, the delivery. When having a natural birth there are many positions that can be used to do so lithotomy, squatting, kneeling and all fours. Almost all these positions are normally used with midwives, except for lithotomy, which is mostly common in hospitals. One of the reasons midwives, allow women to use any position is because midwives or mostly all for natural births, so they allow the mother to do anything that makes her more comfortable to deliver the baby as safely and natural as possible. In hospitals the reasons lithotomy is more common is because the doctors, want to ensure that the baby is well, so it’s easier for the doctors to see what’s going on. The other method of birth is caesarean section, which is when the baby is delivered through the woman’s stomach. One of the reasons this method is use is when the mother’s health or babies is at risk in order to safely deliver the baby. In the past caesarean was rarely used, but today it’s risen. In this unit we studied about the rise of caesarean, and tried to understand why it’s becoming more popular. One of the reasons is that it’s faster, the other is that it’s safer, according to some doctors, and women who’s had a successful caesarean. One of the other reasons is because of the nightmarish and industrial way we live, because pain is something many people in society try to avoid because of medication when a woman is giving birth, mainly at a hospital they’re asked if they want an epidural. Which is a shot that numbs the woman to feel less pain, which is injected near the spinal cord, one of the disadvantages is the fact that the woman is numb and can’t feel anything so it’s hard to push. So later their asked if they’d like pitocin, which helps the woman push the baby out, but gives them more pain, and than they’re injected with more epidural, and after too much time in later they’re asked if they’d like a caesarean, which again is rare, but in those cases a caesarean is most likely.
In the end how a woman chooses to have a child or raise it is entirely up to them, and their situation, because everyone’s life is different. Whether a parent chooses to feed their child breast milk or formula, get married or stay single, hospital birth or home birth. What really matters is the fact that they had a child, and they’re taking care of it, and as long as the decision they make is at least a safe bet than, they’re doing their job as a mother.
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Citations:
Garland, David. The culture of control: crime and social order in contemporary society. New York: Oxford University Press Inc., 2001. 83. Print.
Gilbert, Virgina. "Preparing for Motherhood." Pregnancy Today 29 December 2009: n. pag. Web. 5 Apr 2011.
"The fathers role during pregnancy." The father's place in the family. mustele.com, Web.
Hughes, Pattie. "The Pregnant Single Parent." Pregnancy Advice 25 May 2007: n. pag. Web. 8 Apr 2011.
M, Jay. "Pregnancy and tradition in Kampala." n. pag. Web. 10 Apr 2010.
Deonmme, Sara. "Let's Talk About the Cultures of Childbearing." Pregnancy Advice (2007): n. pag. Web. 6 Apr 2011.
"How Many Single Mothers are in America?." answers.ask.com. N.p., 08 October 2010. Web. 6 Apr 2011.
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