Awareness of and Comfort with Cultural Diversity (Greene, 2007)
- The educator should examine the current and emergent demographic and economic trends for the geographic area served to determine the needs of the pregnant woman. The educator will discover information regarding culture, religion, and socioeconomic status, which need to be respected in order to develop cultural awareness and sensitivity.
- Prior to the first session, it is critical for the childbirth educator to assess the demographic profile of the participants.
- The educator should determine the need for interpreters and should make arrangements for these services to be available.
- Educators should also prearrange to distribute lists of community resources where available eg web sites, translated information and other literature appropriate to the cultural diversity of the group.
- The educator will be well prepared for the teaching session, if the curriculum is tailored to address pregnancy, childbirth and postnatal practices in the culturally diverse population served
- The first class provides an excellent opportunity for the childbirth educator to create an environment of open communication, in which parents can comfortably share if they wish their cultural beliefs and practices in regard to pregnancy and childbirth.
Diet and nutrition (Greene, 2007)
- Discussion of prenatal diet and nutrition provides another opportunity for incorporating cultural concepts. For example, Asian cultures practice a system of ‘hot/cold’ body balance. Pregnancy is believed to be a hot condition and, therefore, foods that are considered hot are restricted.
- From a health-care perspective and based on dietary recommendations, these beliefs may present a dilemma for educators. Many foods that are high in protein are considered to be hot and are avoided by clients from Asian cultures.
- It is important for the childbirth educator to carefully assess culturally diverse diets to ensure that women receive adequate nutrition. For example, the educator can suggest foods that are rich in protein and not considered ‘hot’, selecting the foods which families are accustomed to (Galanti, 2004; Ottani, 2002).
The topic of pain in childbirth (Greene, 2007)
- The childbirth educator needs to be aware of her personal beliefs regarding pain and pain management.
- Be aware that there are cultural differences and cultural practices in response to labour pain. For example, Japanese women value stoicism.
- It is very important for the childbirth educator to emphasise the fact that there is no one right way to deal with labour pain and that pain is a personal experience.
- There are cultural differences and attitudes toward the use of pain-relief strategies. Childbirth educators can ask participants how they handle pain and if they use specific rituals, treatments, or methods when in pain.
- Participants may choose to share with the group how their culture views pain management and how they plan on dealing with their pain.
- Meanwhile, the educator is responsible for presenting the group with evidence-based information on pain-management strategies without personal bias.
Breastfeeding and postnatal care (Greene, 2007)
- It is crucial for the educator to be aware of common assumptions and beliefs with regard to the postnatal period. For example, the practice of a postnatal rest period for many Asian cultures.
- Breastfeeding is a practice where cultural differences become apparent. For example, Chinese women may perceive colostrum, to be bad and to be discarded (Pak-Gorstein, Haq & Graham, 2009).
- Women from cultures where modesty is highly valued may be embarrassed to expose their breasts while in the hospital and their privacy will need to be protected.
