HEALTH

TEACHING
FOR
MOTHERS
AND FOR
NEWBORN
 01

MOTHER
 Introduction
Focus on health issues concerning women, children
and families, such as access to recommended prenatal and
well-child care, infant and maternal mortality prevention,
maternal and child mental health, newborn screening, child
immunizations, child nutrition and services for children with
special health care needs.
IMPORTANT ISSUES TO DISCUSS:
● The importance of having someone nearby for the
first 24 hours.
● The importance and recommended timing of
postnatal visits.
● The importance of the new mother eating more and
healthier foods – discuss in the context of local
practices and taboos to ensure women have access to
good nutrition. The new mother should also drink
plenty of clean, safe water.
● The importance of rest and sleep and the need to
avoid hard physical labor.
IMPORTANT ISSUES TO DISCUSS:
● Discussion of normal postpartum bleeding and lochia
– discuss with women how much blood loss they can
expect, for how long. When bleeding is more than
normal, they should seek care urgently.
● Discuss the danger signs for the woman and baby and
the importance of seeking help quickly.
● Personal hygiene in the context of local practices and
the environment. Discuss with women the type of
pads they will use and their disposal, and care of
episiotomy in the context of home conditions. Hand
washing is particularly important to prevent
infections. It is also important not to insert anything
into the vagina.
IMPORTANT ISSUES TO DISCUSS:
● Discuss infant feeding and breast care and the importance
of only taking prescribed medicines when breastfeeding.
● Discuss the importance of the home environment for
promoting the health of the baby and recovery of the
mother.
● In an area with malaria, discuss the importance of mother
and baby sleeping under an insecticide-treated bed net.
● Talk to them about when they can resume sexual relations
and the importance of condom use to prevent STI and HIV
transmission. Sexual intercourse should be avoided until
the perineal wound heals. Discuss the importance of birth
spacing and counsel on the use of a family planning
method.
 NUTRITION:
• Advise the woman to eat a greater amount and variety of healthy foods,
such as meat, fish, oils, nuts, seeds, cereals, beans, vegetables, cheese
and milk to help her feel strong and well (give examples of how much to
eat).

• Reassure the mother that she can eat any normal foods - these will not
harm the breastfeeding baby.

• Discuss any taboos that exist about foods which are nutritionally
healthy.

• Talk to her partner or other family members to encourage them to

ensure that the woman eats enough and avoids hard physical work.
 ACTIVITY AND REST:
• Do not pick up anything that causes strain or discomfort in your stomach.

• Limit your daily activities to caring for the baby and light housework.

• Do not strain your stomach. Your skin will heal quickly, but the muscle underneath takes
longer.

• If you have received stitches as part of an episiotomy, that area may be uncomfortable.

• Apply ice packs in the first 24 hours.

• Sit in a sitz bath for 20 minutes, three times a day.

• Take pain medication as recommended by your physician or midwife. Each time you
urinate, make a bowel movement, or change your sanitary pad, use a peri bottle to squirt
warm water from front to back and pat dry.
 BREAST CARE:
• Take a warm shower or apply a warm face cloth to your breasts.
The heat may help milk flow.

• Pump or hand express milk before nursing to soften the breast if

your baby is having trouble latching on because your breasts are
engorged.

• Apply a cold compress after feeding. It may help relieve

swelling.
 IMPORTANCE OF BREAST FEEDING:
• Breast milk provides all the nutrients that a baby needs for the
first six months of life to grow and develop.

• Breast milk continues to provide high-quality nutrients and helps

protect against infection up to two years of age or more.

• Breast milk protects babies from infections and illnesses.

• Babies find breast milk easy to digest.

• The baby's body uses breast milk efficiently.

 IMPORTANCE OF BREAST FEEDING:
• Breastfeeding can contribute to birth spacing.

• Breastfeeding helps the mother's uterus to contract reducing the risk of

bleeding after birth.

• Breastfeeding lowers the rate of breast and ovarian cancer in the mother.

• Breastfeeding promotes a faster return to mother's pre-pregnancy

weight.

• Breastfeeding promotes the emotional relationship, or bonding, between

mother and infant.
POSTNATAL VISITS:
1st Visit w/in 1 week, preferably on day 3

2nd Visit 7-14 days after birth

3rd Visit 4-6 weeks after birth

 DANGER SIGNS:
• vaginal bleeding has increased

• Fits

• fast or difficult breathing

• fever and too weak to get out of bed

• severe headaches with blurred vision

• calf pain, redness or swelling; shortness of breath or chest pain.

 DANGER SIGNS:
• swollen, red or tender breasts or nipples

• problems urinating, or leaking

• increased pain or infection in the perineum

• infection in the area of the wound (redness, swelling, pain, or pus

in wound site)

• smelly vaginal discharge

• severe depression or suicidal behavior (ideas, plan or attempt)

 01
NEWBORN
 REMINDER:
• Keep the baby warm - a baby should wear 1-2 layers more than an adult. If cold, put a hat
on the baby's head.

• Care for the umbilical cord. Do not put anything on the stump.

• Keep the baby clean. It is not necessary to wash the baby every day, but wash baby's face
and bottom when needed. Make sure the room is warm when undressing baby.

• Provide nothing but breast milk day and night.

• You should see a health worker on day 3 and between 7 and 14 days and 4-6 weeks after
birth. At the 6 week visit the baby will be immunized.

• Let the baby sleep on his/her back or side.

• It is not recommended to expose the baby to direct sun.

 DANGER SIGNS:
• difficulty in breathing

• Fits

• Fever and colds

• Bleeding

• not feeding

• yellow palms and soles of feet

• difficulty feeding (taking less than 8 feeds in 24 hours)