Dr. Lori Gore-Green | Women's Health Professional

Dr. Lori Gore-Green's Portfolio of Experience as a Women's Health Professional

3 Great TED Talks About Pregnancy and Childbirth

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When you’re looking to learn about something as an adult, you probably default to reading a book, or going online and reading articles and the like. If you’re having a baby or recently had one though, reading a book can be tough. You’re likely exhausted and might struggle to focus on it, or perhaps you just don’t have the time since reading can be time-consuming depending on your level. A great alternative to reading if you want to learn more about pregnancy and childbirth is to watch a few TED Talks on the subject. TED Talks are a great way to learn more about a subject in a concise manner from experts on that topic. Here are a few great TED Talks on childbirth and pregnancy worth checking out.

 

What We Learn Before We’re Born – Annie Paul Murphy

Annie Paul Murphy is an acclaimed science writer whose work includes the book Origins, which explores how the nine months before birth can shape the rest of one’s life. In her TED Talk, she discusses the importance of an environment that’s healthy for both the mother and the baby. Murphy explores the various aspects of fetal origins, which is a complex study that’s still in its early stages. She also talks about what babies learn in their first few months, such as the sound of their mother’s voice and the taste of food. Outside of discussing the scientific side of pregnancy, Murphy also talks about the responsibility that parents have to teach their kids.

 

Why It Matters How We Are Born – Bettina Breunig

In her TED Talk, Bettina Breunig discusses the importance surrounding how we enter the world through childbirth. Bruenig discusses scheduled births, such as cesarean sections and induction to the idea of scheduling death. The short but powerful talk (only 6 minutes!) she delivers adds to our understanding of why people schedule births and how important it is to have a healthy environment for both the mother and the baby.

 

Breaking the Silence of Pregnancy Loss – Tanika Dillard

Author and motivational speaker Tanika Dillard talks about her experiences with miscarriages and losing multiple children. She says that she always wanted to be a mother, and when she was eight years old, she had already decided on the names of nine potential children. She and her husband were thrilled when she got pregnant for the first time, and she shared the good news with everyone. Unfortunately, her water broke at only 16 weeks and she lost the baby. Over the next few years, Dillard and her husband conceived several children but lost them all. She tells these stories not because she looks for pity, but because she wants to break the silence on pregnancy loss. This is an inspiring talk that aims to normalize these difficult conversations and instill hope in women who might be afraid of trying to conceive a child.

3 Things To Expect In The First Year Of Parenthood

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Even if parents think they’re prepared, there will still be something that they will not be able to anticipate during the first year of parenthood. This is, if not the most challenging job in the world. There are tons of books, articles, and advice that will help parents get through their first year, but chances are they’ll never truly be prepared. Of course, that doesn’t mean it hurts to try. Here are a few things you can expect in the first year of parenthood.

 

It’s More Expensive Than You Think

One of the biggest factors that parents face when it comes to dealing with kids is their unpredictable behavior. For instance, they may love a certain type of food you give them one day, but refuse to eat it the next. Chances are they’ll outgrow their clothes quicker than you anticipated, or destroy the clothes that do fit, and you’ll have to go and get new clothes almost regularly. And let’s not forget about diapers. All of these things can lead to unexpected expenses that are hard to anticipate. While we usually assume our children will be expensive, it’s safe to assume they’ll be even more expensive than that, so it’s a good idea to have an emergency fund for when you have to make purchases you never would have imagined.

 

You’re Going To Lose A Lot Of Sleep

Similar to baby expenses, most parents assume that they’re going to lose out on a lot of sleep in the first year of raising their baby. The fact of the matter though is that these things tend to be far worse in practice than our brains thought they would be. You thought you wouldn’t get much sleep? You’re somehow going to get even less than that. As kids get older, this doesn’t change much. They’ll still have issues falling asleep, wetting the bed, causing noise, or staying up late. Expecting parents should try to get as much sleep as they can now, as they’re not likely to get much more for a long time.

 

Mistakes Will Happen

Most parents struggle with the fear of making mistakes during the first year of parenting. There are many obvious errors that parents make, such as forgetting to feed or dropping the baby, but chances are there will be someone in your life who may try to micromanage all of your parenting decisions. This can make it easy to feel like you’re doing something wrong. Although it’s always possible to make mistakes, it’s also important to remember that these are learning experiences and that they should not happen again. Accept that you won’t always get things right and that you will grow from those experiences, and everything will turn out fine.

Attachment Or Gentle Parenting?

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Attachment parenting, commonly referred to as AP, is a form of parenting whose aim is to maximize the bond between the infant and the parent through physical touch by either feeding or sharing a bed with the infant. On the other hand, we can sum up general parenting in empathy, understanding, and respect. The relationship between the parent and the infant is based on the three terms. While the two forms of parenting can be confused easily, they have significant differences, as stated below:

 

Gentle parenting focuses on teaching children that it is okay to make mistakes, and as a result, the parents do not punish the children. Any error is a learning opportunity for the child. Attachment parenting, on the other hand, children are punished for any wrongdoing. The punishment does not cause harm to the children but corrects and disciplines them.

 

Parents who settle on gentle parenting recognize that it is essential to take care of themselves by taking some time out and getting assistance to raise the child. The space they get by being away from the child aims to make them better parents. On the other hand, parents who settle on attachment parenting have a hard time separating their feelings from those of the child. They choose to be fully present with no assistance without realizing its impact on their mental and physical health.

 

Parents who practice attachment parenting tend to reward their children for good behavior. For instance, when a child is given a chore and follows through with the given instructions, the parents reward them with sweets or toys. With gentle parenting, though, children are not rewarded for any reason, the parent’s term rewards as unnecessary and superficial.

 

For gentle parenting, parents acknowledge that the child has an immature but growing brain. As a result, behavioral expectations are lowered. They understand that children will react in childish ways, and it is okay. Parents that believe in attachment parenting view children as little adults. They expect the children to reason and behave as they do. In attachment parenting, children are expected to have the same social mannerisms as parents.

 

Both forms of parenting are socially acceptable. Back in the day, what parents said was considered law, and the children were expected to follow instructions given to the latter. In the modern-day, however, children question authority, and society is slowly learning to embrace this new generation and new forms of parenting. Times change, and we evolve.