Cultural Differences In Caring For
Babies Under 1 Years

Across the world many cultures and religions exist each with their own way of parenting the children of the culture and their own reasons why. As long as a baby is brought up with love, security, safety and care there is no right way or wrong way of parenting children. What seems alien to some cultures is normal in others. 

The main thing here is to be respectful, tolerant, non-judgemental and accepting of another’s way of doing things. No one should be made to feel ashamed of the choices they make that are influenced by their culture to care for their baby.

Some cultural differences in caring for a baby are:

Feeding solids with hand

Many parents in the eastern culture will generally feed solids to their children under 1 years with their hand. This is because the whole community eat food with their hands so it is only right that this practice extends to their children.  Parents in the European and western culture will generally not feed solids to a baby less than a year old with their hand. They will use a spoon or another utensil.

It has been known that some in the European and western culture regard feeding solids to a baby by hand as force feeding a baby.

Eating with ones hands and feeding a baby solids from the parents hands originated in the ancient ayurvedic culture of India. 

The reasons why people of some cultures feed themselves and their babies with their hands are:

1. Ayurvedic teachings state that we should eat using our 5 fingers. As humans we relate to the five elements of nature and each of our 5 fingers represent one of these 5 elements.  By bringing our 5 fingers together to eat or feed babies food you are bringing the 5 elements together.
2. It is generally considered the food tastes better when one eats or feeds a baby using the hand.
3. It is generally considered a loving and intimate way of eating or feeding a baby. 
4. It is generally considered that eating and feeding a baby with the hand is a spiritual act.
5. Eating and feeding a baby with the hand allows the food to be eaten more slowly.
6. Eating and feeding a  baby with the hand creates more awareness of texture, temperature, taste and smell of food.
7. Eating and feeding a baby with the hand is considered more hygienic as people will wash their hands before and after eating or feeding.

Co-sleeping with the parents

Many eastern cultures, native American cultures and ancient cultures co-sleep with their babies and children in the same room with a separate cot, crib, basket, or in the same bed. Generally this is not normal practice in European and western cultures.  

The reason why some cultures co-sleep with their baby is because:

1. It is convenient for breastfeeding a baby.
2. It allows the parents to bond with the baby.
3. The baby feels comforted and secure at night with the presence of its parents nearby.
4. The baby’s needs are met quicker so they cry less.
5. Sharing the same bedroom decreases the risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) by a high percentage.
6. It is generally accepted that co-sleeping results in more confident and independent children. 

Vaccinations

Cultural and religious beliefs as well as suspicion and mistrust of the government amongst communities can affect a parents decisions about whether or not their baby should get vaccinations. 

Some cultures and religions do not believe in vaccinations because of the following reasons:

1. The body should not be given preparations made from animals.
2. The body should not be given preparations derived from cell lines from foetuses. 
3. The body should be allowed to heal by itself.
4. We should not play God.