We finished today the interview with the psychologist Ruth Giménez, and this time we will deepen the concept of primary health and the role that parents and health professionals have in their promotion and protection.
Tell us a little more about the concept of primary health
The primary period is that which includes fetal life, the course of birth and early childhood, about two years after birth
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The word health refers to the way the primary adaptation system works as a whole. This system of primal adaptation is a whole and is formed by the subcortical brain, the immune system and the endocrine system. The different parts of this system are developed, regulated and adjusted during this primal period. By the end of early childhood the system of primal adaptation has already reached maturity. Thus, Michel Odent calls the equilibrium levels achieved by that system at the end of this primal period, at the end of early childhood, as primary health.
How is primal health built?
Primal health is built throughout the perinatal period, which is the mother's close dependence, first in the womb, then during childbirth and then during the period of breastfeeding. All the events that take place during this period of dependence on the mother influence that state of basic health that we call primary health.
What can families do before birth to take care of it and take care of it?
Well, working in the line of respect for the physiology of the woman's body, for this it is important to correctly inform yourself about everything related to pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding. Go to support groups or professionals "experts" in the field. Nowadays there is a lot of information, but you have to make sure you are getting the right information. Working this and going to groups of mothers whether pregnant, breastfeeding, yoga, singing or whatever we like, helps to increase the confidence of women in their body and their abilities, know their strengths and also their limitations, and in Those cases know how to seek the necessary support. All this is necessary not only for the mother, but also for the father and the family, of course, who will form the network that the mother will need when the baby has arrived, and for that they must also be informed and "worked".
Another important thing, as we have seen before, is to take care of the emotional state of the mother, by the influence she has on the baby. And to be able to take care of the mother one must take care of herself, the "care of the caregiver" is also fundamental. In addition, if all this is worked, we are already working on the link with the baby that begins in pregnancy.
How do you focus your work in these areas?
I work in a very personalized way, each mother, each couple, each nuclear family and each extended family is a totally different world and nothing can be generalized. What serves one and works for another does not. Above all, you have to listen a lot and understand individual and group needs. As I always say, I accompany moms and families on their way to their unique and genuine way of living their motherhood. The basis is always the recommendations of large institutions in the field, with the support of scientific evidence, respect for the physiology of pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum lactation. As a psychologist I do not follow any concrete current, I like to work from an integrative and personalized vision, using very different work techniques. I also work in private practice in Valencia and now via online, to make it easier for my mothers to access my services and make my family and professional life compatible. When working with pregnant mothers or with babies and young children, this option makes things much easier for them, in addition to crossing borders
You are also a certified international lactation consultant, to what extent do you think it is important to explain the value of breastfeeding?
Well, as things are still today, I think it is never enough, there is still much to do.
It is the “gold standard” of infant feeding, in developed countries the difference between children fed with breast milk and artificial milk may not be as obvious, but in developing countries the difference is sometimes life or death .
The importance of explaining the value of breastfeeding is that it is a matter of health, not only of the child but also of the future adult and of the mother, of the entire society, and it is about physical, mental and emotional health.
Together with pregnancy and childbirth, breastfeeding lays the foundation of human development in all its facets.
The problem is that all this is known, there is bibliography, scientific evidence that demonstrates again and again what should not be necessary.
The news of a reform of the law of protection, promotion and support of breastfeeding in Venezuela has jumped in El País, with the malicious and sensational title of "The Venezuelan Government wants to force mothers to breastfeed." All they do is take measures that the WHO through the Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes has been recommending for many years. At no time do they talk about forcing anyone.
To get an idea, artificial milk is a chemical compound, it should be administered with a prescription, such as medicines, because in the end it is a solution to a "real problem" where breastfeeding is truly unfeasible.
When our children get sick we give them medicines, we know they have side effects and the doctor warns us, just as the prospect warns, the mother is informed, she knows it and she gives the medicine to her son because she knows what the Child needs at that time and is the best for him. With artificial milk it should be the same, when breastfeeding has been diagnosed as "real" unfeasible, artificial milk is prescribed (ideally it would be bank milk, but there is little and there are priorities), the professional warns of side effects and the mother is informed, decides and gives her son what he knows that in those moments is the best for him, so no mother can feel guilty, at all times he is being given what is best for the child in those moments The road is still long, there are many interests created around the upbringing of our children, but if we treat these early stages of the human being with more respect, attending to our physiology and what nature has prepared for us (pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding), we would live in a very different society.
If I'm honest, I think breastfeeding should never have become an option.
Anything else you would like to add for our readers?
It seems to me that today it is very important to convey the message that there is care and care for these moments in life. It seems that in recent times the tendency has been to show that women can with everything, that although we are pregnant we can continue at the same rate, that nothing happens because "you are pregnant, do not get sick." Indeed, pregnancy is not a disease, quite the opposite, it is perhaps the state of greatest health in women, but that does not mean that we have to appear anything, we must be responsible and aware that the life of our future child depends on us . The same goes for childbirth and breastfeeding, we know they are important, so we must take responsibility and take action, spend the time of pregnancy, if not before, to inform ourselves "well" and prepare the arrival of our baby. Just as we take all the time and inconvenience of the world when we want to buy a house, a car, or if we are going to undergo some intervention we ask for several opinions. Why don't we do the same when it comes to the most important thing in our life? ?
We must ensure that our children have the best welcome in the world.
We thank the psychologist, doula and international lactation consultant Ruth Giménez for the attention she has had with us in granting us this interview that we hope has made the concept of primary health more understandable. We will continue to delve into this topic.
