Re: [ozmidwifery] more baby stuff

[Denise Hynd]

Dear Jackie I found your comment I must say when I am out and feeding or holding Ena I have ready helpers. People, both male and female, get you your food, drinks, make sure you have a seat etc, and sit near you to talk and entertain you. These things are so helpful to a new mum and make you feel part of the scene not something that should be hiding in the corner. Very interesting!!   I spent a year on an anglican mission station in PNG and I remember no baby being left to cry in fact I rarely heard a crying baby or toddler same in non european parts of Sth America and Asia. Children are always with someone as babies they are carried around by their extended family if not their mothers!! In PNG the village supports a woman to be with her baby, looking after her garden when she has a baby and latter the baby like everyone is part of the village family . They are included in everything, go to the gardens with thier mothers... and though shy at first with outsiders they are very confident and capable members of their villages as they grow up, I was taught to cut down tree branches and make a fence around our air strip by children at the local school who walked miles ofver valleys and hills to go home to their villages on the weekends. The nursing students may not have had a high level of western education but they knew so much more about looking after themselves and teir wontalks!!    They traditionally have no orphans in PNG,  even after the surnami. The children are so happy and have such beaming smiles they are on the tourist posters   I say to mother's it is a sad endictment of our culture that their is more concern that I an adult sleep on my own than that a baby should !!   Denise   ----- Original Message ----- From: Jackie Kitschke To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, May 18, 2004 2:57 AM Subject: [ozmidwifery] more baby stuff Taking up Marilyn's point of looking back and wishing for more hugs I had a woman in her 80's look at me with Ena in her sling and tell me how lucky we mothers are today because we are allowed to cuddle our babies. She said she wasn't allowed to do that with her babies instead feed 4/24 and put into the cot crying till the next feed. No wonder women get stressed. I can't bear to hear Ena cry and I would get no sleep if I tried to put her in her cot when she wasn't ready. She is as determined as me. Sometimes I do put her there when I think she is asleep and she gives me a look as if to say "what do you think you're doing?" I must say when I am out and feeding or holding Ena I have ready helpers. People, both male and female, get you your food, drinks, make sure you have a seat etc, and sit near you to talk and entertain you. These things are so helpful to a new mum and make you feel part of the scene not something that should be hiding in the corner. It is also great to hear all of the stories of parenting from different times, backgrounds and environments that pop up on this list. It adds depth to all of the theoretical stuff written about babies, parenting etc. Thank you for the positive feedback from my rave yesterday. It is certainly a learn as you go job. I think working 21 years of shiftwork certainly helps you be a bit accustomed to lack of sleep but what I had never factored in was that unquestioning desire to attend to your baby even when you are tired or whatever. Nature was wise to include this in the package!! Jackie