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Adapted from p. 99 of Exploring Lifespan Development (2nd. Ed) by Laura Berk (2010).

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My Thoughts/Perspective on Breastfeeding and Co-Sleeping

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My Thoughts/Perspective on Breastfeeding and Co-Sleeping

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As a Filipino-American young woman in a stable relationship expecting to be a mother for the first time within the next 10 years, I have started to give thought on how I might care for my baby. I plan to breastfeed due to the nutritional benefits of breastfeeding that I have heard about through social media and my research this week. In the textbook, Berk (2010) explains that breastfeeding can ensure that babies get all the nutrients necessary with a good balance between proteins and fats, grow healthily, and develop good immune systems.

As for co-sleeping, I plan on co-sleeping with my children because my mother co-slept with all three of hers. We all grew up to be very independent, and since my sibling’s father worked the graveyard shift at the time, it was easier to be in the same room as her children when they needed adjustment or feeding throughout the night. My mom grew up in the Philippines, where co-sleeping with little ones was extremely common. After learning about the risk factors for SIDS, I plan on co-sleeping with my child using extreme caution. I will not use soft pillows or blankets and possibly will use a bedside bassinet with a tight, firm mattress. Since risk factors of SIDS and co-sleeping are more likely to be associated with other factors such as inattentiveness or alcohol/drug abuse, I will feel comfortable co-sleeping with my baby (McKenna & McDade, 2005).

These are only my own opinions, however, and perhaps these thoughts will change when I do become a parent and learn what works best for me. I believe solely in not judging other parents’ choices unless abuse or neglect is involved. No one is a perfect parent.

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LCP Applications to Breastfeeding and Co-Sleeping

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LCP Applications to Breastfeeding and Co-Sleeping

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Cultures located in Asia and Africa are more likely to breastfeed and co-sleep with children, so geographical location can influence a parent’s decision to breastfeed (Berk, 2010). The development of research on SIDS and technologies that assist in sleeping with or feeding a baby across history can also affect these choices (McKenna & McDade, 2005). Other life events or timing that can affect breastfeeding or co-sleeping is the amount of financial stability the parent has, whether the parent is a single parent or the loss of a previous child due to malnutrition or SIDS.

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Examples of Historical, Social and Environmental Impact on Prenatal Development

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Examples of Historical, Social and Environmental Impact on Prenatal Development

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COVID-19:

The COVID-19 pandemic is one of the largest historical events within the past 20 years. During the pandemic, many expecting mothers were nervous to go to the doctor’s office at the time due to possible exposure to the virus. With so little known about its effects on pregnancy, multiple countries saw a small but significant decrease in antenatal care and a small but significant increase in at-home births ((Naqvi et al., 2022). Here we see how the historical event of a pandemic can shape the transition of pregnancy to motherhood by changing the plans that mothers had before the start of it.

The Formula Shortage:

Access to healthcare based on socioeconomic status and geographical location can make or break the well-being of expecting or new mothers. With quality health insurance and proximity to the newest technology in prenatal care, mothers in developed countries with a high socioeconomic status worry less about not being able to breast feed. On the other hand, parents with health issues and lack of time and resources face the fear of not being able to provide for their children (Sandoval et al., 2022). This inequity can be even more unsettling for parents that do not have access to formula or baby food alternatives. For mothers who did not have this privilege due to lack of resources, the formula shortage hit hard as mothers scrambled to figure out how to feed their children (Sandoval et al., 2022).

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LCP On Prenatal Environmental Influences

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LCP On Prenatal Environmental Influences