Dear All and especially Simone, First off, I think we all owe an apology. I believe that the original question posted here was one not of opinions regarding a decision to take a baby into the field, or not, but one on advice in terms of actual gear and helpful things to make that decision more safe, comfortable, and workable.
I think this conversation is interesting and as someone pointed out would make for excellent research. That said, I think we all could offer Simone some more practical advice and help, even those of us who have yet to take our own children into the field. In terms of gear--you might try contacting a couple of places such as Patagonia and Columbia Sports Wear. I had great success getting sponsored by Patagonia while I was doing my Ph.D., to the point that not only did they outfit me at cost, but they sent me a box of gear for free to outfit all the local Amazonian's who worked with me. They might be quite into (and have some great gear) for your little one. Columbia has recently sponsored the entirely outdoor school my nieces attend on Vashon Island, in Wa. My nieces started there at 2.5 yrs old. Rain, snow, or shine, they spend literally no time indoors. http://www.cedarsongnatureschool.org. It has been a weird transition for the older one who just started public elementary school. Both Patagonia and Columbia have lots of active people working for them who probably have great experience and tips as well. I don't have a lot of tips, but I wish you lots of luck. I was swimming before I could walk. I went sailing before I was three weeks old, and my parents (who were journalists) swear that traveling and working with your baby(ies) while difficult is/was also a blessing. I certainly am grateful. And if it makes you feel any better, my father was certainly of another generation--he would be turning 99 today (the 10th). He would be wooping it up in your support. Best of luck Nancy D Nancy M. Dammann, Ph.D. Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology Assistant Professor Adjunct of Anthropology University of Colorado, Boulder Cell Phone (231) 675 8242 Numero Celular 011 (231) 675 8242 On Mon, Apr 9, 2012 at 4:24 PM, Claudia Ford <cf...@antioch.edu> wrote: > Good one Todd, thanks for nimbly addressing that heavy dose of sexist > thinking. > > To the issue of "child safety." We throw around that phrase as if it is a > neutral, objective term, and we are all in assumed agreement on what that > means. Not so in a society where schools are requiring children to wear > bike helmets on the school jungle gym. Our tolerance for and perception of > risk is cultural. Cesarean Rates US 32 percent, Netherlands 14 percent. > There is no one standard of safety. That is why we attempt to leave some > decisions to the judgment of the person making the decision on their own or > their dependent's behalf. > > What if we privileged communities of trained and in-training > scientists/academics, that supported all sorts of work/life balance, for > all stages of a "normal" professional lifespan, gender, age, and disability > issues notwithstanding, and it became the norm for us to commit to each > other and not just to our data collection. We would just get on with it > when women or men needed to rearrange their schedules, and our labs and > fields and classrooms would be richer for such a commitment. > Claudia > > On Mon, Apr 9, 2012 at 5:37 PM, Todd Doherty <todddohe...@gmail.com> > wrote: > > > So we should just PLAN a life dedicated solely to the pursuit of > > uninterrupted data? Our guiding principle as scientists should be to > > compromise LIFE or anything else that might get in the way of the most > > prolific output of pure science? Eh, no thanks, I didn't sign up for > > that...what next, vows of celibacy and self-flagellation ? > > > > Personally, I think the people who live an active and rich life outside > of > > the academic/science construct tend to be the ones who have the most to > > offer science and society as a whole - we should all be more than the sum > > of the questions we seek to answer in our scientific lives. > > > > "This could happen for both sexes but have seen it almost exclusively > with > > women in the US" - the deck is stacked against women in the > > academic/science construct and is continually perpetuated by comments > like > > this. Here is a pretty fundamental idea, and I think we all got it in > intro > > Biology - parental investment is inherently skewed in human > reproduction, > > so how is it surprising that women tend to be affected by it more? > > Socially, we have further expanded the expectation of a mother's role > while > > simultaneously discriminating them for fulfilling that role. > > > > We can start to address the gap by not jumping at every chance to say how > > "women/kids/marriage are problematic to science". Sounds like the Good > Ol' > > Boy's club using the same tagline under a different banner. Some of our > > enlightened colleagues are using the same ill-logic that Good Ol' Boys > have > > been using for centuries to keep women from.....voting, having any sort > of > > job other than housewife, having equal rights, serving in the clergy, > > owning land etc. > > > > my .02, FWIW > > > > Sincerely, > > A single, childless, adult male who is amazed by the emotional and mental > > tenacity and fortitude of women/mothers who keep jumping in the snake pit > > and proving the Good Ol' Boys wrong > > > > P.S. - a big shout out to any man or woman taking their kids in the > field!! > > i was on skis about the same time i learned to walk, and I was a > backpacker > > baby turned wilderness nut for life - thanks Mom and Dad! How can anyone > > criticize or even question others for fostering a love for nature and > > science in kids at every opportunity possible? Isn't that the whole > point? > > (at least it is for me) Science should not be a selfish undertaking; it's > > meant to be shared and augment life, not replace it. > > > > > > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > From: Ecological Society of America: grants, jobs, news [mailto: > > > ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU] On Behalf Of Michael E. Welker > > > Sent: Monday, April 09, 2012 11:39 AM > > > To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU > > > Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] Backpacking with an infant? > > > > > > I think that the issue is PLANNING. So science should be compromised > > > because of your desire to have children? Slightly different twist to > the > > > discussion but ..... if you are doing a field project you should plan > on > > > being there for your committed time frame i.e. don't get pregnant. I > have > > > taken over work on a couple of field projects because the woman had to > > > leave for similar reasons i.e. getting married and/or pregnant. That is > > > problematic in terms of down time to get a new field tech = missed > data. > > > Also field techniques maybe altered due to new person thus data could > be > > > compromised. There are other issues here that need to be considered as > > > well. For instance, taking a position from others and then backing out > > for > > > personal reasons midway through the project. This could happen for both > > > sexes but have seen it almost exclusively with women in the US. Just > > > another thought. > > > > > > Mike Welker > > > El Paso, TX > > > > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > > From: Silvia Secchi > > > To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU > > > Sent: Monday, April 09, 2012 8:44 AM > > > Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] Backpacking with an infant? > > > > > > > > > Actually, I think the real issue is who is advising Simone to do this > > > and thinks it is a good idea. My PhD and postodoctoral advisers had > > > kids and were realistic in terms of their expectations. Now that I am > > > on the other side, I try to do the same with my students and postdocs. > > > At three months, you could have a colicky baby or still be recovering > > > from a c-section. Advisers who do not make room for the needs of a new > > > mother and baby are problematic in my view - then again, I am probably > > > biased because I am Italian, and in Europe maternity leaves are > > > serious business. > > > > > > Silvia > > > -- > > > Silvia Secchi > > > Assistant Professor, Energy and Environmental Policy, Department of > > > Agribusiness Economics > > > Co-Director, Environmental Resources & Policy Ph.D. Program > > > Agriculture Building - Mailcode 4410 > > > Southern Illinois University > > > 1205 Lincoln Drive > > > Carbondale, Illinois 62901 > > > Phone:(618)453-1714 > > > Fax: (618)453-1708 > > > > > > Vous avez beau ne pas vous occuper de politique, la politique s'occupe > > > de vous tout de même. > > > Charles Forbes de Montalembert > > > > > > The way we organize the modern American university fragments our > > > knowledge badly. Not only are we divided by discipline, but we are > > > divided by the methods that scholars use. > > > Elinor Ostrom > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > This electronic message contains information generated by the USDA > solely > > > for the intended recipients. Any unauthorized interception of this > > message > > > or the use or disclosure of the information it contains may violate the > > law > > > and subject the violator to civil or criminal penalties. If you believe > > you > > > have received this message in error, please notify the sender and > delete > > > the email immediately. > > > > > > > > > -- > Claudia J. Ford > cf...@antioch.edu <claudiajf...@gmail.com> > > 401-215-4774 > > *"If you want to walk fast - walk alone; if you want to walk far - walk > together." African Proverb* > ** >
