03/07/2024
“Did you know that Mayan families in Guatemala, consider bedsharing to be the only way to parent through the night?
Did you know that in Japan, breastfeeding and shared sleep (soine) is seen as a means to sustain connection through touch or ‘skinship’ between mother and child?
Did you know that In Bali, babies’ feet don’t touch the ground until 3 months of age?
Yet, we’re told in western culture that our babies need to sleep on their own, that we need to get our babies on a schedule and that we can ‘spoil’ them if we pick them up ‘too much’.
One of my favourite cross-cultural pieces of research to share to help us challenge the mainstream parenting narrative, comes from Dr. Charlotte Peterson. She spent forty years traveling the globe to live with local families and witness parenting practices in peaceful cultures. She observed that in Bali, babies are seen as a blessing.
At three months of age, there is a ceremony called Tiga Bulan or “three moons”. It is not until the celebration of this ceremony that a new baby’s feet touch the earth. Until that point, the baby is considered “of the heavens” and is constantly held in someone’s arms.
After the ceremony, the baby is considered “of the earth”. Although a baby can be put down and “out of arms” at this point, Charlotte has rarely seen a Balinese infant or toddler not being held or closely watched, by her parents or family members, within those first three months.
For me, it feels validating to gain a different perspective, reminding us that our instincts to hold our babies close are ancient, wise and innately human. I seek out research like this as it allows me to better understand the difference between social norms & what’s best for our babies.”
words: ❤️
📷: ❤️
