Week 3. Montante. Ch. 3, 4, and 5 Lifespan

Week 3. Montante. Ch. 3, 4, and 5 Lifespan

 

In chapter 3, we are focusing on fertilization occur, the stages of the parental period, the types of test and precautions.

Once we see a baby automatically we see tiny toes and chubby cheeks. However, what we do not see is how exactly mom and dad came out to make this beautiful creation. Of course we know how it happen, but what is amazing is the biology behind it. We first are introduced with chromosomes, DNA, and genes. Each three of these play a very significant role in making a human life. Chromosomes are a strand of DNA that is encrypted with genes. Most of the cells have 22 pairs and also the two sex chromosomes (XX females & XY males) which brings out our total of 46. Then we have our DNA which contains our genetic information. Genes are a piece of heredity that is transferred from a parent to their child and that is held on to define some characteristics of the child.

Alternatively, hereditary abnormalities can occur that can affect the entire process. There are a couple of chromosomal disorders that we have come to notice such as Down syndrome, Klinefelter syndrome, XYY syndrome, fragile X syndrome, and Turner syndrome. Then we have genetic disorders such as Tay-Sachs disease, Sickle cell disease, cystic fibrosis, Phenylketonuria, and spina bifida.

                Following we have the Fertilization process which starts off with the female menstrual cycle. As we know the process of ovulation happens once in every menstrual cycle when hormone changes produce an ovary to release and egg. During the first part of each menstrual cycle, one of the eggs is being grown and matured. You can only become pregnant if sperm fertilizes an egg. BUT if fertilization does not happen then it is shed in menstruation and the entire process begins again.  Knowing this knowledge can help you to become pregnant if you were to plan out a pregnancy. Or it can leads us in some fertility challenges and hope we all have been aware off.

Infertility is “defined as the inability to conceive a child after 1 year of unprotected sex”. However, there is hope to become a parent. One of the most popular happens to be IVF treatments, which is where an egg is combined with sperm outside of the body, in vitro. An example would be what Kim Kardashian used to have her third child. She used a combo of IVF and a surrogate mother who she used to carry her child. IUI is mostly used because it can be covered by most insurances policies. This process is when a perm is injected into a woman’s uterus. An example would be the hit show, Jane the Virgin; Jane who happens to be a virgin accidently got intrauterine insemination without having any knowledge that she was. Some people even opt for adoption as well.

In chapter 4 describes the typical flow of the birth process and what problems could occur during it. It also discusses the different types of childbirth

During the birth process usually if you have been pregnant (like I have) one thing that you can expect to happen are Braxton hick contractions. In short term it is basically fake labor pains. Many women do confused them as real labor pains, but it is just a prep for your body. For me, since I have gone through it, you will definitely be able to tell when real labor kicks in. Next we move on to the stages of labor and there are signs that your doctor will tell you after the 37^th week of pregnancy to make you alert when you should come into the hospital. Some of the signs include, blood and or mucus from the vagina, your water braking, or uterine contractions accompanied by significant discomfort.

Stage 1 is dilation. This stage takes a while before moving on to the next stage because everyone in stage 1 has a different time frame. Some people spend 2-5hours in this stage or even 10+ hours. A mother’s cervix must reach in diameter in order for the baby to pass through and enter the world. 10 centimeters which is 4 inches. Does not seem big, but it does take a huge toll on your body which is painfully to say the least. The second stage is the expulsion. This is where the “crowing” takes places and once it does it only a matter of minutes before baby is out. This stage does vary from mother to mother. And the final stage is marked by the delivery of the placenta.

There are different methods of childbirth, natural childbirth (no drugs to the mother to ease the pain), midwives and doulas, home delivery, use of medications (epidural), cesarean section and induction of labor. There are also some complications that can occur too which can also prolong the stages such as breech birth and fetal monitoring to the baby’s heartbeat. There are instruments used to help the baby come out such as forceps and a vacuum extractor in delivery.

Chapter 5 explains Infancy.

What I found the most interesting about this chapter compared to the other two is the differences between Piaget’s view of cognitive development in infancy and that of information processing. On Page 112 it highlights Piaget’s sensorimotor period. In my blog post in chapter 2 I talked a little about Piaget’s six stages of his cognitive development. He believed that the first few years of life are marked by mental growth and influence the whole growth of development. Each of these stages causes important changes in the way a child thinks, feels, and acts. However, Gelman and Baillargeon saw that children can do these tasks at even earlier ages that Piaget believe and I agree. To challenge that, I read through the stages and saw that in stage 4 from 8-12 months the infant coordinate’s previously learned actions to carry out the anticipated goal. An example that they used was hiding an object under the blanket and the infant removing the blanket to find the object. I agree with Gelman and Baillargeon because my daughter was finding objects (her pacifier) I would hide under my pillow at 6-7 months. She was doing this task at an earlier age.