Symbiotic Period Montessori Essay Example

Symbiotic Period Montessori Paper Symbiotic Period: The First 8 weeks of Life â€Å"The first weeks after birth have a special significance for the child’s development and are referred to as â€Å"symbiotic life†. The word symbiosis means â€Å"a life together† and it describes the special situation of two living beings who need each other because each of them gives and receives something absolutely necessary for the continuation and the quality of each of their lives. † – Understanding the Human Being ch. 3 The symbiotic period is a period of time which starts in conception and ends eight weeks after the childs birth. This paper will point out the importance of the prenatal life, and the care that the mother should have since she becomes aware of that pregnancy. She has to know that a lot has been going on by that developing human being, from the moment that egg was fertilized. It will also explain how the nervous system develops and starts creating memory from experiences from inside and outside womb environment. How the unicellular creature reaches the complexity of becoming a human being. It will also explain the different phases of evolution the human brain goes through, and how each of them contains special characteristics of the developing human personalities, and the interesting relationship between the child and the mother during pregnancy. This paper will also point out the phase of birth, and the separation and attachment that both the mother and the child face. How the mother becomes a point of reference from the old environment, (the womb) and how she will be able to help the child adapt to its new environment, the world, which will be the childs home for the rest of his life. We will write a custom essay sample on Symbiotic Period Montessori specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Symbiotic Period Montessori specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Symbiotic Period Montessori specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer It will also explain the term used for external pregnancy, â€Å"exterogestation† which is considered to be during the nine months after birth. And finally, the symbiotic life, the relationship between the mother and the child in their separated environment, who each of them help each other, the importance of maternal food, (breast milk) and how this â€Å"natural act† will lead the way for establishing a long life relationship with the mother and the environment the child is introduced in. how the newborn experiences two births, a biological and a psychological one. And the importance of the fathers presence in the life of the child. â€Å"Conception and pregnancy constitute the first chapter of our personal history, a chapter that lasts around 280 days, in an environment totally different to that which we experience after birth. † (UHB. Pg. 2) Ever since the mother becomes aware of her pregnancy, a lot has been going on inside of her body, the developing fertilized egg has been traveling through the fallopian tube and into the uterus for about four days. (Dr. Salguero) Waiting to be implanted into the uterine walls, where the relationship with the mother will start, the egg will look for a special place inside the uterus and will let the mothers body know that its ready and will allow the placenta to start developing. This first phase of pregnancy is known as â€Å"zygotic period†. It will take eight to ten weeks for the zygote to become an embryo, and enter the â€Å"embryonic period†. And is until this period when all of the mental development starts. The child starts having â€Å"mental activity† which is described by Silvana Q. Montanaro as â€Å"any capacity to receive information, give answers, accumulate experiences and respond appropriately to them. † (UHB. pg3) And it is through this mental activity (information received) that the nervous system is developed. The nervous system is so important that develops fastest during pregnancy, which is why in ultrasounds the head is always as big or bigger as the rest of the body. Silvana explains the â€Å"Triune Brain Theory† by Paul Mclean, which demonstrate that all humans recapitulate the whole process of evolution in the brain. Humans first start with a reptilian brain, which provide the instinct of self preservation, a sense of individuality, the defense of territory and the need for privacy. The second phase of development of the human brain is known as the paleomammalian (limbic system), which relates to social consciousness, relationships, a sense of belonging, care for offspring, and compassion for companions. The third phase of development of the human brain is known as the neomammalian, which adds a refined sensory discrimination, attention to the external environment, rational thinking, and the ability to solve life’s problems in a creative way. UHB pg. 4-5) The mother’s womb is full of sensorial sensations and experiences that will allow the child to develop its senses. The childs brain develops rapidly, developing his sensory organs in this order: touch, smell, taste, hearing and sight. All of the senses are already being used during pregnancy. †¢The skin (touch), is completed a fter seven to eight weeks of pregnancy. Touching the mothers belly with a light pressure, will allow the child to feel that it is being awaited, and will allow the child to store positive feelings of acceptance and love. The sense of smell, is ready to function during the second month of pregnancy. It is substances from the mother, that get into the amniotic fluid which will establish In the childs olfactory memory. †¢The sense of taste, is ready to function by the third month of pregnancy, as well as the sense of smell, substances get into the amniotic fluid, and as the child swallows amounts of this fluid, will lead to recognize these difference in taste. Silvana mentions an example of Indian babies that can recognize the smell of curry when they are in the weaning process. These sensorial experiences are stored in their memories, and will help them accept some foods from their environment because they already know them. †¢The ear (hearing), it is completely developed in the fifth month of pregnancy. This sense is stimulated by internal and external experiences from the environment. â€Å"research done in Japan has shown that newborns whose mothers lived near Osaka airport during pregnancy were able, after birth, to sleep through the roar of airplanes while other newborns resented such disturbing sounds. (UHB pg. 8) †¢The eye (vision), is ready by the fourth month of pregnancy. The child can know the difference between night and day. In order to have a normal birth, both the mother and the child need to prepare for birth. The mother needs to acquire knowledge regarding what to expect, information about the baby and its special care and attention. Both need to prepare themselves with time, so that at the end of pregnancy the mother just has to sit unstressfully for the baby to arrive. The child start preparing his departure from the mother’s womb by the end of the seventh month. The child starts protecting his body from external viruses and microbes by accumulating antibodies from the mother. Also he starts absorbing extra iron, because he knows that the mother’s milk lacks iron needed for the production of red blood cells. The child rotates his body, locating his head towards the birth canal. And the baby starts accumulating fat under his skin, preparing his body for life in the external environment. (Dr. Salguero) The child inside the mother’s womb has established points of references, memories of experiences during pregnancy. Some of these memories are maternal such as the mothers heart beat and her voice. Other memories are fetal, which include touch of mouth and face, movements of the limbs and body. These memories allow the child to establish different centers on the brain that will allow him to orient and adapt to his new environment when he is born. Help him be aware that the only thing that has change is the environment. At the time of the birth, the mother and child need to stay together, after nine months together the fact of being out of the mother’s womb, does not mean that the child is ready for an independent life. The child needs a guide to adapt and establish his independence, this guidance is performed by the mother, and it is done in a period of nine months, and it is known as external pregnancy or â€Å"exterogestation†. In this external pregnancy, the womb environment related and often compared with the mother’s arms as a container that holds the baby and the mother’s breast as placenta and umbilical cord, that provide nutrients and food. The mother will guide the child to its development providing him with opportunities, an environment rich in stimuli, in order for the child to develop his intelligence through the use of his senses and constructing itself. The mother needs to be aware of the newborns needs, and be able to respect his necessities. The most important basic need of the child is to have direct contact with the mother. With this the child will be able to rediscover the points of reference of prenatal life, and to know that he is accepted and awaited. Also the childs â€Å"biological rhythms† need to be respected, the child needs to eat when hungry and sleep when sleepy. Another very important need of the child is order, order in which things are done, and consistency in the people surrounding him, since the child need to establish points of references for his new life and be able to pass from one environment to another without any trauma. Different care areas must be established before the introduction of this child to this environment so, at the time he is introduced to this environment, he knows what areas are for what and know what to expect. The child also needs unlimited space for unobstructed vision and movement, and to be allowed to explore his new environment with all his senses. This is possible with a low bed instead of a crib and a movement mat for his times when he is not sleeping. The symbiotic life lasts six to eight weeks, a relationship is established and both the mother and the child help each other to adapt. The mother provides the child with her special food (breast milk) and with her presence will allow the child to establish points of reference in order for him to adapt to his new environment (home). The child offers the mother reassurance that what left her body is not lost, just relocated, and by the child suckling the mother’s breast, helps the mother contract the uterus and shrink back to its normal size and position. (Dr. Salguero) The symbiotic life offers ways of being in contact with the child, in order to establish a special unique relationship between them. The newborn needs to feel the mother’s arms and the mother needs the newborn in her arms to compensate the sudden loss of what was in her abdomen. A close relationship with the mother will give an important feeling of security to both the mother and the child. How the mother holds the baby tells the child about her acceptance and her feelings towards him. How the mother feeds the baby implies a special relationship which is seen as they are back to be a single person. The connection between the mother and the child is so strong that the mother will only produce milk until the placenta is out (signifying that the baby has been born). It is very important for the mother to breast feed the child, as soon as the baby is born, since the first milk production is special and very nutritious kind of milk called colostrum, which is specially designed for the beginning of life. There are no fats in colostrums, just proteins and a low amount of carbohydrates, which will establish the functions of the digestive system of the baby. The mother also provides the child with antibodies through her breast milk, which will protect the child from the external environment. Natural attachment of the child to the nipple is very important, to ensure the freedom of choosing when to eat. â€Å"This is the fundamental characteristic of the relationship with food. It should always be offered with love and placed in front of, but never inside, a person. (UHB pg. 35) As well as the need of the mother’s collaboration, the father has to be present since the prenatal life; he needs to be present during pregnancy, supporting the mother, and learning from the mother’s experiences and acquiring information about pregnancy and the baby. They both need to be prepared. Both parents must attend to birth classes so that the father can assist the mother once she is in labor . Researchers have concluded that the father’s presence during birth, have a positive influence towards the mother. Pain is felt less intensely, and they are satisfied with this shared experience. (UHM pg. 53) Also, once the child and the mother are together, the father has to become a protective barrier of the symbiotic life. A prepared father knows the importance of the relationship the mother and the baby need. â€Å"Active presence of the father from the beginning can facilitate the childs natural evolution towards independence, since this can prevent too strong an attachment to the mother which can arise when she is the only source of human contact and pleasure. † (UHB pg. 6) This is why the father has to establish a relationship with the child, establish certain activities that will be done by and with the father. Such activities could be bathing, changing, playing, and later on eating. In conclusion, the symbiotic period is a period of time designated to allow the child have a positive transition from the environment where he was created to the environment where he will be spending t he rest of his life. â€Å"At the end of the symbiotic period, the child has acquired (absorbed) fundamental knowledge of the new environment that will always influence his vision of the world. If the vision is positive, the child will have a â€Å"basic trust† in the world and will think of it as a place where his needs can be fulfilled. † (UHB pg. 29) This period of time has to be given the all of the importance it deserves, because the childs future would be at risk. REFERENCES: †¢Silvana Quattrocchi Montanaro Understanding the Human Being: The importance of the First Three Years of Life, 6th edition (2007) †¢Dr. Mario Salguero Obstetrics Class Notes. (2010)