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VOA慢速英语--美国一些男性帮助照顾女性生育

时间:2019-03-30 23:55:14

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In the U.S., Some Men Are Helping1 Women Give Birth

An increasing number of pregnant women in the United States choose to work with a doula. A doula is not an official nurse or doctor, but a professional who is trained to help ease a mother’s mind and body during birth.

The great majority of doulas are women, says CAPPA, one of the leading groups that train doulas internationally. CAPPA is also one of the supporters of World Doula Week, which is celebrated2 each year from March 22 to 28.

But there are some male doulas in the United States. Their involvement in childbirth is part of a growing movement in the U.S. to welcome men as caregivers for mothers and new babies.

“Now we are met with open arms”

Doula training organizations like CAPPA and DONA International do not record how many men complete their training programs. CAPPA says “a few.” DONA International says “a handful.”

Brian Salmon3 has been a doula for more than 10 years. He says he has seen a change related to men attending childbirth.

“Where we were once met with hesitation4 and resistance, now we’re met with open arms.”

Salmon lives and works in San Antonio, Texas. He says he understands that childbirth has traditionally been an experience women share. When he first starting coming to the hospital with pregnant women he worked for, the medical staff and other doulas did not always want him there. He thinks they worried he was taking away some of the power that women can feel as mothers and caregivers.

But now, he says, he has a friendly, positive relationship with the hospital workers. It’s a “cool thing to see some other energy in the room that’s different,” he says.

Salmon says he can also show fathers how to support a woman giving birth. He teaches men to give massages6 and help the mother with exercises to ease pain, among other things.

“My job is to make it Mom and her partner interacting so they have an experience that they look back and remember as what a strong team they were.”

What do women say?

Of course, not all women feel at ease talking about childbirth with men – or having one present while giving birth.

Nancy Goodman is a doula in Washington, D.C. She notes that childbirth is a very personal, intense experience. If a woman would not feel at ease having a male doctor, for example, she also would probably not want to have a male doula.

Tatjana Sanluis says she had to think about it before agreeing to a male doula. But doula Adam Miramon helped at the birth of her baby last year in Washington, D.C.

Sanluis says her husband met Miramon at a professional event while she was pregnant. The two men had a friendly conversation.

Sanluis says she trusts her husband’s feelings about people.

When she met Miramon, she liked him, too. The couple decided7 to work with him as their doula. Sanluis says she is glad they did. Her feeling of comfort around him was more important than whether he was a man or a woman.

Miramon, her doula, says most people reach a similar opinion. He says his clients are thankful for his knowledge, skill and attention.

And, he says, he can use some of his so-called “male privilege” to make sure they have all the support they need.

Informing fathers

In another part of the country, a father is working on a different method for including men in childbirth.

Yale Nogin lives and works in the southeastern city of Atlanta, Georgia. He was trained as a chiropractor -- a doctor who helps people feel better by moving bones in the spine8.

Today, Nogin is raising his four children and leading classes to help prepare other men for fatherhood.

Nogin says he urges his students to hire a doula to help the family during childbirth. But he adds that, with or without a doula, fathers can earn their partners' trust and respect by educating themselves and learning new skills.

Nogin believes he is giving men information they rarely get anywhere else. He says few men have been taught how to be good husbands and fathers. And, he says, most childbirth classes are led by women and directed toward women.

“I do think that more men want to grow. I think again it comes down to resources and, you know, being taught by a male. A lot of them go to the birth classes and they’re not comfortable talking to a woman about these kind of topics.”

Doula Nancy Goodman agrees that it is important to involve fathers during childbirth. She says that a woman giving birth will usually feel most at ease and happy if she sees the face and hears the voice of someone she loves. For that reason, Goodman says, having the father nearby is often a good idea – especially if he is well-informed.

I’m Kelly Jean Kelly.

Words in This Story

hesitation - n. nervousness or uncertainty9

massage5 - n. rubbing or pressing someone's body in a way that helps muscles to relax or reduces pain

interact - v. to talk or do things with other people

privilege - n. a right or benefit that is given to some people and not to others

spine - n. the row of connected bones down the middle of the back: backbone10

hire - v. to use or get the services of (someone) to do a particular job

comfortable - n. feeling relaxed and happy : not worried or troubled

topic - n. someone or something that people talk or write about: subject


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点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 helping 2rGzDc     
n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的,辅助的
参考例句:
  • The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
  • By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。
2 celebrated iwLzpz     
adj.有名的,声誉卓著的
参考例句:
  • He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
  • The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。
3 salmon pClzB     
n.鲑,大马哈鱼,橙红色的
参考例句:
  • We saw a salmon jumping in the waterfall there.我们看见一条大马哈鱼在那边瀑布中跳跃。
  • Do you have any fresh salmon in at the moment?现在有新鲜大马哈鱼卖吗?
4 hesitation tdsz5     
n.犹豫,踌躇
参考例句:
  • After a long hesitation, he told the truth at last.踌躇了半天,他终于直说了。
  • There was a certain hesitation in her manner.她的态度有些犹豫不决。
5 massage 6ouz43     
n.按摩,揉;vt.按摩,揉,美化,奉承,篡改数据
参考例句:
  • He is really quite skilled in doing massage.他的按摩技术确实不错。
  • Massage helps relieve the tension in one's muscles.按摩可使僵硬的肌肉松弛。
6 massages b030e7c3b00c82eb88f73d42b2964831     
按摩,推拿( massage的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • At present the doctor is giving him daily massages to help restore the function of his limbs. 目前医生每天在给他按摩,帮助他恢复腿臂的功能。
  • His father massages his nose and chin. 他爸爸揉了揉鼻子和下巴。
7 decided lvqzZd     
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的
参考例句:
  • This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
  • There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。
8 spine lFQzT     
n.脊柱,脊椎;(动植物的)刺;书脊
参考例句:
  • He broke his spine in a fall from a horse.他从马上跌下摔断了脊梁骨。
  • His spine developed a slight curve.他的脊柱有点弯曲。
9 uncertainty NlFwK     
n.易变,靠不住,不确知,不确定的事物
参考例句:
  • Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
  • After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后,压力开始产生影响了。
10 backbone ty0z9B     
n.脊骨,脊柱,骨干;刚毅,骨气
参考例句:
  • The Chinese people have backbone.中国人民有骨气。
  • The backbone is an articulate structure.脊椎骨是一种关节相连的结构。

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