Something very strange has been happening to many of my female (and a few male) friends. Out of nowhere it seems, everyone has intense baby fever. At 27, I guess this is to be expected. But it still feels out of left field- just a couple of years ago the idea of being responsible for another human being terrified my friends.
Last woman standing, I declared my immunity to the fever as recently as a year ago. Sure, I want a family one day, but to have a baby officially makes me a grown up. Call it Peter Pan syndrome, but I’m so not ready for that.
Moving on. Last Friday I found myself at Moms & Social Good, an event dedicated to the power of mothers and families to create a better future for their communities.The adorable Jennifer Garner would be speaking, and they promised free lunch and coffee. There was no way I would miss this.
But something strange happened. As I watched panel discussions between world leaders, and world-renowned journalists, heard from celebrities and activists, and listened to mommy bloggers and “real life moms and dads”, I began experiencing what I must assume are the first symptoms of baby fever- excitement, inspiration, and hope.
As I reread that last sentence I want to vomit. But it’s true! I left feeling completely inspired, to which my boyfriend can attest to (I couldn’t shut up about it for several hours).
Now back to the point. I learned A LOT on Friday. And, generous thing that I am, I’d like to share that knowledge. So here are my takeaways on all things motherhood and babies, just in time for Mother’s Day.
1. All mothers want the best for their children.
Unfortunately, millions of mothers are trapped in poverty, a cycle that is then passed along to their children. Jennifer Garner, an Ambassador for Save the Children, spoke to that, explaining that when parents are raising their kids in poverty, “the oppression, depression, desperation, and daily struggles” make it difficult to dedicate adequate time towards the development of one’s child.
“It’s up to all of us to break this cycle,” she said.
2. “Every newborn represents our eternal chance at new beginnings.”- Anne Geddes
I was pretty stoked when Anne Geddes took the stage (in case you don’t know, she’s a world famous photographer known for her ADORABLE photos of babies).
While her iconic photographs flashed before our eyes, she shared stories of the different children she's photographed over the years. She showed us a photograph of the world's teeniest miracle, sleeping in the palm of a man's hand. She shared a series she did of children who had lost their limbs because they contracted Miningococcal Disease (which she explained can be prevented by vaccines). And she explained why she's so passionate about her work: "The sight of a newborn baby always leaves me in awe," she said.
Then Geddes left us with this thought: “Our children today represent the promise of tomorrow.” Goosebumps!! I think this may have been my turning point.
3. 85% of a child’s brain is wired by age 3. That means parents are the real “Brain Builders”.
I learned that outside of school, parents have an enormous opportunity to help their children develop physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Earlier, Jennifer Garner talked about how fortunate she was that her mother was able to find time to read to her and her siblings when she was growing up. But experts explained that parents who are unable to find time for these types of activities shouldn’t feel discouraged. Everyday moments, they explained, are just as important developmentally for children. Using all of the senses, parents can create meaningful moments by simply looking into their child’s eyes, talking to them about their surroundings using real words (not gibberish), and introducing them to new smells (chocolate cookies!)
4. For many moms around the world, childbirth is extremely dangerous.
The thought of giving birth has always terrified me, primarily because of the way it’s portrayed in shows like Friends (you know, when Rachel gives birth to Ross’ baby?) But it’s time for a reality check, because while watching Rachel scream and cry is definitely scary, the fact is she’s lying in a hospital bed, inside of a clean hospital, with trained professionals by her side. Not all women are so lucky.
Her Excellency Toyin Saraki of Nigeria shared that in her country, 14% of women give birth completely alone. No doctor, no partner present.
Nana Kuo of Every Woman Every Child gave us another shocking statistic: in South Sudan, one in seven mothers dies in childbirth. One in seven!
5. But here’s the good news: simple interventions can prevent deaths related to childbirth.
Nana Kuo explained that interventions including vaccines, breastfeeding, treating health conditions like diarrhea, and healthcare during pregnancy can all reduce mother and child mortality.
Toyin Saraki agreed. “This is a universal message. There are simple things we can do….We need to make it clear that we value mothers.”
6. Addressing maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) doesn’t need to be costly.
Jeffrey Sachs of the Earth Institute made a bold claim: “If you’re focused and do the things that count it doesn’t have to cost a lot of money.”
He elaborated, saying that rather than investing in the military, we should invest in saving lives. This, he argued, will make us safer. He also added that the “biggest game changer” is ensuring that ALL girls (and boys, obvs) receive secondary education. Second that!
7. Don’t forget the teens! Addressing adolescent issues is vital for development.
The world has seen reduced rates of HIV in every demographic except for one- teens. Giving adolescents access to sexuality education is the best way to address this, and it’s also the best way to ensure fewer unplanned, unsafe, teen pregnancies.
It’s also essential that parents listen to their children. You see mom and dad?
8. There are three dangerous days for the girl-child, according to UNFPA’s Kate Gilmore.
First, the day she is born. In some cultures, she will be cast aside, or seen as a burden rather than a gift.
Second, the day she hits puberty. Obtaining an education will be difficult if her school doesn’t offer safe, private toilets for her to take care of business when she gets her period. Now regarded as a woman, she is also at risk of becoming a child bride.
Third, the day she marries- Now the property of her husband, she’s at risk of domestic violence, interrupted education, and teen pregnancy.
9. We need more moms in positions of power.
Leith Greenslade, the Millennium Development Goal Health Envoy, introduced us to the Motherhood + Public Power Index, a tool that demonstrates the proportion of mothers in positions of power.
Until now, I’ve heard a lot of talk about why we need more female CEOs, world leaders, etc. But I’d never considered whether or not they were mothers, or whether or not that mattered. Leith suggested it might.
According to the Index, “among the 160 most powerful public leaders in the US just 23, or 14.37 percent, are also mothers”, in comparison to the 122 fathers, or 76.2 percent, who were represented.
“When approximately 40 percent of the US population are mothers, how can we be satisfied with just 14 percent representation in the halls of power? And with more than 3 out of every 4 of the most powerful roles held by fathers, clearly having children need not act as a barrier to public influence,” Greenslade said.
It’s great we’ve been pushing to have more women in positions of power, but it’s not enough. We also need to encourage and support more mothers to hold positions of power.
10. Being a global citizen isn’t about acting on every issue or news story that comes our way.
I loved this advice. With the news being what it is, we’re constantly learning about new crisis, and new issues. When asked if it’s possible that overexposure to these issues is leading to desensitivity, social activist Morra Aarons-Mele came back with the perfect response. Instead of becoming overwhelmed and feeling the need to confront every issue the world is faced with, it’s better to find the issues that you’re passionate about and act on their behalf.
“Listen to your heart and act with authenticity,” she said. I couldn’t agree more.
For me, something clicked on Friday. Listening to all of the amazing speakers really cemented what an incredible gift it is to be able to create a life. I’m sure we can all agree that that’s something worth fighting for.
If you have the time, I encourage you to check out this page to watch the entire event as I couldn’t do it justice in this short article. Even the grouchiest grinch would be inspired by these incredible people.
And, being true to that last point,if you feel passionate about promoting maternal and newborn health, take action by signing the petition on this page!