SAFE MOTHERHOOD AND NEWBORN HEALTH (FINAL PART)

A healthy mother, a safe birth, essential newborn care and attention, a loving family and a clean home environment contribute greatly to newborn health and survival.

Newborns need to be carefully cared for around the clock, loved, kept clean and warm, and fed. Mothers and fathers or other primary caregivers who meet their basic needs contribute to building the foundation of the babies’ future health, happiness, growth, learning and development

A newborn thrives when she or he is:

● kept close to and frequently held and cuddled by the mother, father or other primary caregiver 

● exclusively breastfed from birth through the first six months on demand and at least eight times in a 24-hour period, contributing to bonding between the infant and the mother and giving the baby immunity against infections 

● loved and given affection, attention, encouragement and stimulation from her or his family members, helping the baby to grow and learn rapidly

● kept warm, clean, comfortable and safe, and changed regularly and burped after feeding

● cared for in a clean environment that helps to prevent infections 

● provided with quality health care, including regular check-ups with timely immunizations and weighing to monitor growth.

A skilled birth attendant will:

● respond to new parents’ questions on caring for their newborn that may relate to breastfeeding, formula feeding, immunizations, bathing the baby, interacting with the baby, language development, sleeping patterns and more

● inform the new parents of danger signs in an infant that require immediate medical attention 

● help mothers and fathers develop their emergency plan in case complications should arise with their baby

● provide the mother and father with a record of essential information about the baby at birth (weight, height, time of birth)

● issue the baby’s birth certificate for parents to report the birth to the civil registrar.

Babies born early or with low birth weight or babies with other special needs require special care, love and attention to ensure their survival and optimal growth and development. A skilled birth attendant can play a critical role in instructing the mother and father on how to care for their baby with special needs.

Some babies may need extra care at a special care unit of a hospital until they are sufficiently developed or well enough to go home with the parents. If a baby is not yet able to breastfeed, the mother can express her milk and safely store it so it can be fed to the baby using a sterilized feeding tube, spoon or cup.

Caring for a newborn brings joy to the mother and father as well as anxiety and fatigue as they adjust to having full-time care of the new baby in their lives. Since newborns are generally dependent on their parents to provide for their every need, mothers and fathers need to take good care of themselves. 

Breastfeeding mothers especially need to eat more nutritious food, and all mothers should get more rest. A father can support the mother while she breastfeeds by caring for the household and other children or by caring for the newborn while she rests.

Violence against women is a serious public health problem in most communities. When a woman is pregnant, violence is very dangerous to both the woman and her pregnancy. It increases the risk of miscarriage, premature labour and having a low-birth weight baby.

Violence and abuse are unacceptable at any time. Women who are abused during pregnancy may suffer from early labour and could lose their babies as a result. Babies can be born with low birth weight, which can affect their health and survival. Health workers, families and communities should be aware of these dangers, provide protection, and work to prevent and eliminate violence against women. Local authorities, with support from organizations and community leaders, have the responsibility to: (1) take action to prevent violence against women and challenge social norms that increase women’s risk for violence and abuse; (2) enforce laws protecting women from violence and abuse; and (3) provide accessible protection and support services for abused women.

In the workplace, pregnant women and mothers should be protected from discrimination and exposure to health risks and granted time to breastfeed or express breastmilk. They should be entitled to maternity leave, employment protection, medical benefits and, where applicable, cash support.

Worldwide, nearly 60 per cent of women of childbearing age were in the labour force as of 2006. Many women work in the informal economy, where their work is not recorded, regulated or protected by public authorities. Whether women work in the formal or informal economy, it is important that protective measures are put in place in communities, with support from the government and civil society, to safeguard the health and economic security of women, children and families.

Protective measures can include:

Maternity leave:A mother has the right to a period of rest when her child is born, means to support herself and her family, and a guarantee that she can return to work when her leave is finished. Employment protection: This is a guarantee that pregnant women and new mothers will not be discriminated against and lose their job or job entitlements (pension, paid holiday leave, etc.) due to pregnancy, maternity leave or time off for childbirth.

Cash (income) support and medical benefits:Working pregnant women and mothers and their newborns and families generally need cash support and medical care benefits. Cash support replaces a portion of lost income caused by the interruption of the women’s work due to pregnancy, childbirth and newborn care. Medical benefits are needed by pregnant women, new mothers and newborns for prenatal, childbirth and post-natal services, and hospitalization when necessary. 

Health protection:The pregnant or nursing woman should not be obliged to perform work that can affect her health or that of her child. Where there is a risk, changes in her work conditions should be made to reduce workplace health risks. The woman should return to her job when it is safe for her to do so, or she should be provided with an equivalent job with the same remuneration.

Breastfeeding:Mothers should have the right to breastfeed a child after returning to work, because breastfeeding has major benefits for the health of the mother and her child. Mothers should be entitled to take one or more breaks, or a reduction in work hours for breastfeeding, which should not be subtracted from her paid work time.

OUR THANKS TO UNICEF