During breastfeeding, several parental ethnotheories concerning feeding of a baby are very important to apply since from the birth of a child because it will help them to grow up with certain thoughts and manners that he or she will used in the future. In America, parental ethnotheories concerning eating are largely applied and practised among most families. Why is breastfeeding so important for a baby and her mother, and why is it important for a baby to learn what and how to eat certain types of food? ethnotheories are, by Meredith Small's definition, "parental belief systems that have complex cultural, psychological, and personal histories." (Small 1998: 56) These beliefs are generally learned from one generation to another and are essential for the baby's growth. The issue is that during the first months of a baby's life, he or she cannot chew or consume any type of food besides the breastfeed given by their mother. This is made commonly for the first several days of the baby, and by then, he or she will start to give a much wider variety of food.
If the breastfeeding extends for a longer period than the most common one which tends to be six months, this can later harm the baby because as he becomes more dependent of the mother's milk, it also makes more difficult for him or her to leave it. This is why breastfeeding is highly recommended just for the necessary time for babies to develop themselves and get ready for growth. American mothers tend to feed on a schedule, meaning that they withhold milk from their baby and keep to a set feeding schedule throughout the day. Feeding with breast milk used to improve baby health and even IQ, but the benefits of breastfeeding also to stay with the mother for years to come, lowering risks of cardiovascular disease and cancer (Harmon 2010: 1.)
After the breastfeeding period has finished, it is time for the parents to stop their babies from their mother milk. According to Meredith Small, babies fed on demand are happier and receive fattier, healthier milk, called the "hindmilk:" "...left to their own devices, babies will self-regulate and get what they need ." (Small 1998: 189) It is usual for the first days, the parent should prepare the food themselves before they can't feel very sure that the food they buy from the grocery store will be healthy or proper. It might be pretty difficult for the first days to feed the babies until they get used to it.
The next step important for the baby is the way parents teach them how to eat. Here is where the video that I chose takes place. This video was taken from the Howcast Channel and is about an American mother trying to teach her baby to eat by himself. Therefore, we can say that it tries to impart a Western mode of parenting onto the children, and it tries to broadcast a parental ethnotheory because it is showing the way American mothers tend to start teaching their babies to eat taking several steps and to provide them with a new manner.
Firstly, according to the video clip, parents should put their babies to the most comfortable and adequate ambience. By then, they must be really careful about what kind of food they choose for their babies. This is primary according to their baby's ages. Soft solid food is the best in these cases. After that, is time to start to teach the baby to eat. At the start, it will be very difficult for the babies and even a bit stressful for the parents because the food may be dispersed or thrown everywhere in the kitchen. With a few minutes of trying and practice, there is a moment where the baby gets the sp0on in his or her mouth. A lot of patience may be needed for this. This is how a baby may be taught to eat. Furthermore, atter a few months later, parents should give their babies a bigger variety of food. It might be not good to keep your babies eating the same food or the food that they cry for during a long period. However, parents should be really careful with certain kinds of food as someones may cause harm in their babies without noticing it after some time. This is why baby feeding is considered for many people as a critical period and demands high attention, carefulness, and activity of both parents.
In conclusion, breastfeeding is healthy for the baby and also for the mother. It is crucial and vital for the baby for the first six months of life, by then it is quite recommendable to stop it and start feeding the baby with other several kinds of food. Also, is important and fundamental for a baby to learn what and how to eat. All of this will guide for optimal growth and a desirable physical and biological developmental.