College students today have a lot to contend with in their journey as young adults. The college years are often a transitional time for students, and as such there is a vulnerability to mental health declines. Financial, academic, and social strain are some of the factors that can contribute to...
In this article, I examine the clinical practices engaged in by U.S. homebirth midwives and their clients from the beginning of pregnancy through to the immediate postpartum period, deconstructing them for their symbolic and ritual content. Using data collected from open-ended, semistructured interviews and intensive participant-observation, I describe the roles...
Chronic disease is costly to treat and burdensome for those living with its impacts. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2017), 117 million Americans currently live with chronic disease, and one in four adults live with two or more chronic diseases. The burden placed on the U.S....
Midwives in the Unites States frequently prescribe herbs and other complementary and alternative therapies for the common complaints of pregnancy, labor, and the postpartum period. Although many studies have reported quantitative data on midwives utilization of herbs, this research aims to convey ethnographic information on midwives use, beliefs, and perceptions...
Beginning in 2020, the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic contributed to an increase in housing insecurity among college students. As awareness around homelessness has increased, so has research aimed at better understanding the causes of homelessness and housing insecurity among college students, as well as opportunities to better support economic access to higher...
The purpose of this project was to examine how trauma can be manifested during birth, as well as the tools non-clinical labor support professionals called doulas can provide. I aimed to analyze the first-hand experiences of two mothers with a history of trauma, taking note of the perceived benefits of...
Despite apparently supportive national policies, including nation-wide legalization of home birth and coverage by the national health care system of the costs associated with that option, these births account for less than 1% of all births in the Republic of Ireland. Using data collected during participant observation, both in person...
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Melissa
J.
Cheyney
Despite
apparently
supportive
national
The purpose of this project is to write a children’s book that promotes breastfeeding to
acculturating Latin@s. María’s Mamá’s Milk or La leche de la mamá de María is about a little
girl named María whose mother is about to give birth. María wonders what the new baby will
eat,...
This creative writing project employs the use of ethnographic fiction to position the voices of newly mothering women within the literature surrounding gender inequality, access to social services, and pregnancy while being situated during the global COVID-19 pandemic. The voices of four women are brought to life within a broader...
The purpose of this study was to examine pregnant Puerto Rican women’s perspectives on the Zika virus threat. Using data collected from open-ended, semi-structured interviews and observational field notes, we aimed to understand the degree to which Zika contributes to maternal stress. How concerned are pregnant women in Puerto Rico...