Hi Simone, I took my daughter to a workshop/fieldwork in Guatemala (she was five months), and then Florida (eight months) - while doing my PhD, it requires a bit of organization but as long as you have plenty of fluids, formula, diapers, sun screen, repellent (and some other small things - in my daghter's case a couple of pacifiers), I think it's totally doable.
What you need to think is that you want to reduce the weight somehow, because I'm assuming you're taking her in some kind of baby bjorn thing... therefore, think that you'll have a backpack (on your back) and your kid (in front of you)... - I'm assuming here and in my case I really liked having her in front of me so I could control whatever could happen to her... The problem there is basically the water, which really increases the difficulty in any type of movement (going up/down), and when hiking, you need plenty of fluids so you might want to have someone helping you carry stuff around, maybe you can involve someone else in your project? Regarding the rest I will say just this... A few days ago, I showed my four year old a picture of her sleeping on me (she was like 16 months old), while I was reading a paper (I was writing one of the chapters of my dissertation), I explained to her what I was doing and while I was thinking how exhausted (and honestly horrible) I looked in that picture, she said: "I'm very proud of you mommy" - that was priceless. Good luck Simone! Eimy On Mon, Apr 9, 2012 at 12:19 AM, Liz Pryde <elizabethpr...@gmail.com> wrote: > Hi Simone, > > The choice here is yours but, you know, if you were able to wait even a few > more months before taking the little one into the field it would be a > better/easier scenario for all involved. The time goes by very very > quickly. Perhaps this season, if you absolutely HAVE to collect your data, > you could have a family member take care of junior, or put her in child > care with bottles of formula/breastmilk. I'm not sure about the US, but > child care in Australia has been fantastic for my little one (she's now 18 > months) and very reasonably priced. > > Like I said, it's your decision, but it does 'seem' from the outside that > it may be good for you to take a little more time thinking about where your > priorities lie (I'm sorry if that's the wrong assumption). Again, I'm not > sure about the situation in the US, but you really shouldn't feel pressured > to get your work done at such extremes just to move forward in your career. > I know there are a lot of older female scientists out there with these > kinds of 'hard core' stories but most of them I find very unbalanced (with > great careers) and with kids who have grown up with a fair bit of > resentment (and other issues). > > It's really up to our generation of mothers (and fathers) to change this > type of impossible and sub-standard expectation of parents. Who is > expecting you to go out and do this work with a 3-month-old? i had to make > a few small sideways shifts, but I have managed to find an exceptional lab > who is at the cutting-edge of their field, yet because the lab is run by > young-ish parents they have realistic expectations of their staff - and we > produce excellent work. Is there no such support for you or for any > colleagues you know? After all, it won't be long before you and your cohort > will be the ones running labs and making the rules. > > Finally, have you thought about your physical health here? Weight bearing > and hiking for long periods of time so soon after giving birth can leave > you with incontinence/prolapse as young as 45 (if you had a natural birth > and especially if you decide to have another child). And can compromise the > repair of your abdominal muscles. Have a look at the stats for these types > of complications. They have rapidly been on the increase in younger women > since the Eigthies. > > Perhaps I am projecting my own experiences onto you here - and if so, just > ignore the above. It may be that you feel that this is how you are happiest > - and the pressure is coming from you. > If so, I hope you can find a way to keep everyone happy and healthy (and > dry) and I wish you lots of luck. > > All the best, > Liz > > > > > > > On Mon, Apr 9, 2012 at 2:03 AM, Simone S. Whitecloud < > simone.s.whitecl...@dartmouth.edu> wrote: > > > I'd love to pick up some pointers on how to bring my 3 month old into the > > field. I work in the alpine zone, so cool temperatures, wind and rain are > > the issue. Any favorite gear items you found helpful? I'm already finding > > she is totally soaked by the time we get to the peak from my own sweat. > > Know > > where to buy wool onesies? Tips on packing out dirty diapers? > > > > Thanks for your input, > > Simone Whitecloud > > PhD Candidate, McPeek Lab > > Dartmouth College > > > > > > -- > Liz Pryde > PhD Candidate (off-campus) > School of Earth and Environmental Sciences > James Cook University > > Thornbury, Melbourne >
