I read an article of Danish women who had given birth in different countries, and how thing are done differently everywhere. Like in Denmark we put our babies to sleep in their pram outside during the day, we believe the fresh air is good for them... but I didn't know that we are pretty much the only country in the world who does that.
Here is just some of the things that are done differently from what we do in Denmark...
One girl living north of Los Angeles gave birth in the hospital, and shortly after they put an alarm around the baby's leg. They even practised what to do in case a baby was stolen, just like you have fire drills. That would never happen in Denmark... well hopefully that will never be necessary.
One girl gave birth mid summer in Brasil, but the people at the hospital looked at her and her husband as if they were bad parents because the only put the baby in a body stocking and wrap her in a blanket... Brazilian mothers put their babies in wool body stocking, sweaters, hats and gloves.
Another girl gave birth in Honduras, and after showing the baby to the guard at their house he spit on his fingers and rubbed it around the baby's face, because he said he had bad eyes and the baby could get sick from him looking at it.
One girl, who lived in Belgium and married to a German man got really confused... because in Belgium she was told one thing, her in laws told her something else, and her own family a third way to do things... she said the thing she learned from it was to trust her own intuition.
I guess the last girl is right, because who says what we in Denmark think is right is really the right way to do it? The way they do it on the other side of world must work as well... they have survived for years! Besides it's funny how thing changes over time, what was right when I was a baby is not always what they recommend now... 15-20 years ago the recommended than newborns slept on their belly, today they have to sleep on their back etc.
In the end I think you just have to listen to yourself and do what you feel is right... you get a lot of advice from everyone after having a kid, and I have come to the conclusion that some of them is worth listening to and others should just be blocked out.
This is really interesting...and it also explains a picture you posted of Jonas sleeping in his pram outside, and you taking the picture from inside whilst cooking! It's the same in Fiji, we get old so many different things from the grandmothers. I've decided we're just going to go with what's right for us and as you said filter the information!
ReplyDeleteThis is all so interesting. I love that you guys think babies need the fresh air, I agree. There are too many people that keep their kids locked up in doors...fresh air is good guys!
ReplyDeleteIn regards to the Los Angeles story, it's true. Many, if not all of our hospitals in CA put these alarms on the babies. My SIL & brother just had a baby last month & he had an ankle bracelet on. They had to scan it & the parents wrist bands every time they came into the room with the baby as there have been way too many child abductions.