Читать книгу Infants and Children in Context - Tara L. Kuther - Страница 188

Best friends since first grade, Charmayne and Latisha were inseparable throughout childhood, adolescence, and now adulthood. Shortly after Charmayne discovered she was pregnant, Latisha revealed that she too was expecting. Together they learned about their developing babies, brainstormed baby names, and planned how to fit an infant into their cramped homes.

Charmayne and Latisha also commiserated about the challenges of pregnancy. Charmayne worked as a nail technician at a busy nail and hair salon. It’s not uncommon for her customers to complain about the chemical odors, but she usually doesn’t notice the smell. Charmayne’s boss suggests that she wear a surgical mask and sometimes Charmayne complies but it’s hard to converse with her customers from behind a mask. Charmayne has always found it uncomfortable to sit at the manicurist table all day, but now her rapidly expanding pregnancy “bump” makes sitting and leaning over the table very difficult. Most days she takes an over-the-counter painkiller to ease the discomfort. In the past, her doctor has prescribed medical cannabis for her symptoms. Charmayne still has some and consumes it occasionally when the pain is overpowering. She figures that once in a while can’t hurt, especially if it helps her do her job.

Latisha works as a server and bartender at a popular local restaurant. She loves her job, but most shifts leave her exhausted because she’s on her feet all day. Large tables of customers mean that she often carries heavy platters of food. Her pregnant body is changing so quickly that Latisha often finds herself off-balance, straining her back to compensate for her growing belly. After Latisha nearly dropped a heavy tray, her boss suggested that she work at the bar instead of serving food. Latisha happily complied, as she enjoys interacting with customers at the bar. Most of her customers are friendly. Sometimes regular customers will order alcoholic drinks for a big group of friends and ask her to share one with them. Sometimes the idea of an alcoholic drink makes her nauseous, but she usually agrees because happy customers mean big tips and she has a new baby to support. Usually the drink makes her feel better. Most nights Latisha stands outside during her breaks. She used to smoke during breaks, but she gave up cigarettes when she learned she was pregnant. Giving up nicotine was difficult, and Latisha missed the habit of smoking, so she tried vaping instead. Electronic cigarettes don’t give off smoke, so they can’t be that bad, she reasoned.

One spring morning several weeks before her due date, Latisha gave birth to a baby girl. She seemed healthy, but tiny. Charmayne carried her daughter to term, giving birth a few days before her due date. Several months later, the best friends visited, placing their babies on the floor together for tummy time.

1 Most women are exposed to some teratogens during pregnancy. Generally speaking, what are some examples of teratogens and other environmental influences on prenatal development?

2 What teratogens and environmental influences on prenatal development did Charmayne and Latisha encounter?

3 Suppose that Charmayne and Latisha give birth to full-term newborns, but one had a defect that was visible at birth. How might the principles of teratology account for variability in outcomes such as these?

4 Latisha’s daughter is a low-birthweight infant. What are characteristics of low-birthweight infants and what can Latisha expect? How can she best care for her daughter?