Written Assignment: Baby How-to Manual

Subject and Section Professor’s name Date Part 1: How to Raise a Baby: A Manual Indexed for African American and Mexican-American Heritage Introduction This “How to Raise a Baby, “ patterned to Gottlieb and DeLoache’s writings, provides information on culturally appropriate information on pregnancy, newborn, and infancy care among African American and Mexican families. The manual emulates its historical context and gives advice based on cultural and traditional beliefs in addition to family support. Its purpose is to offer suggestions that acknowledge traditional techniques and the various factors that may currently shape parenting. Pregnancy Traditions African American Practices In African American culture, pregnancy is explained by both folk and scientific practices. Earlier, spirituality, community, and traditional healers with herbs are known to have provided much emphasis on having a healthy pregnancy. Examples include taking herbal teas like raspberry leaf to tone the uterus or ginger tea in order to reduce nausea. Cultural support encompasses prayer meetings or blessings by knowledgeable people over the mother and child asking for protection (Gottlieb and Loache). Current issues involve equality in maternity care, where a doula and midwife speak on the mother's behalf. The community also supports the pregnant woman to keep off any stress since it is deemed to harm the unborn child. Other religious measures include taking protective amulets or undertaking some religious ceremonies to protect the baby’s health. Mexican Practices Mexican pregnancy traditions remain soaked with folk beliefs and Catholic Church teachings and practices. Chaste women carry images of the Virgin of Guadalupe on their persons or seek its blessings in pregnancy for factors such as company. These are traditional birth attendants, known as 'partners,' who advise pregnant women on what to eat, what herbs to use, and how to rest. Consequently, religious practices play a significant role in childbirth, with families often offering prayers of thanks to the Virgin of Guadalupe. The "bendición" (blessing) protects the newborn from harm, ensuring spiritual safety. Herbal baths made with soothing plants like chamomile may aid the mother's postpartum recovery. At the same time, traditional remedies and rituals continue to be integrated into modern practices. Childbirth Practices African American Traditions In the past, African American women's labor and delivery has involved the assistance of midwives and other community members. Having a midwife or a doula during labor involves physical touch and Nonverbal communication in their procedures. Specific rituals regarding birth may address prayer for protection and strength and singing simple, unsophisticated songs to make the environment soothing. Therefore, woolly spinach may used after birth to help the mother recover by healing her body and promoting the regain of her form. Furthermore, baptizing the infant through a family affair or blessing covenants the baby spiritually. To this level, these practices can be seen as respecting the cultural and medical needs for childbirth; they consider a woman's physical, spiritual, and emotional aspects during childbirth. Mexican Traditions “Cuartenario” is a traditional 40-day confinement period that is very common in Mexican families where the kids take care of their mother as the woman, and the babies regain their figure and strength in four weeks. Extended family members take up household chores. During this period, the mother is expected to eat warm foods considered rich in nutrients, like soups and stews. It is also acceptable for the patient not to go out in cold weather to avoid “getting a cold” when recovering. Blessing ceremonies are evident in child...