Original Research Article
Year: 2017 | Month: September | Volume: 7 | Issue: 9 | Pages: 126-133
Neonatal Risk: Postnatal Mothers’ Perceptions and Practices
Kamala Dhakal
Lecturer, Maharajgunj Nursing Campus, Kathmandu, Nepal
ABSTRACT
Background: Early detection of neonatal illness is an important step towards improving newborn survival and generally, reducing neonatal morbidity and mortality requires immediate caregiver’s recognition of suggestive danger signs in the neonates.
Objectives: The objective of the study was to assess perception and to identify the practices on neonatal risks among postnatal mother.
Method and Materials: Descriptive cross-sectional design was used for this study. The population of the study was postnatal mothers having baby from birth to 4 months of age, setting was immunization clinic of Narayani Sub Regional Hospital, Birgunj, Bara and the sample size was 110. Non-probability purposive sampling technique was used for the study. The instrument was semi structured questionnaires, interview schedule was used and data were analyzed as per objectives.
Results: Among 110 respondents, 78.2 % of the respondents were between 20 to 35 years of age. More than four fifth that is 81.8% of the respondents from Hindu religion, 74.5% from Madheshi ethnicity, 92.7% were house wife. Among them 49.1% were multipara; 8.2% were grand multi para, male child was 59.1% whereas female child 40.9%, 83.6% was delivered in hospital whereas 16.4% was home, 74.5% was normal delivery whereas 25.5 % was caesarean section
Regarding perception self-verbalization of neonatal risk was measured which listed in interview schedule. Three forth that is 75 % of the respondents verbalized that not feeding since birth or stop feeding is a sign of neonatal risk, 66.7% verbalized fast breathing,64.8 % verbalized difficulty in breathing. Out of them 88% verbalized fever as neonatal risk, 31.5% said vomiting after every feeding, 74% said excessive crying, 18.5 % of the them verbalized yellowish discoloration as a sign of neonatal risk. Similarly, 11.1% of the respondents said umbilicus infection, 3.7% reported eye infection and 8.3% reported cold body as a neonatal risk. Respondents also verbalized running nose, cold cough, flushed face, pain abdomen, urine stool not passes are also the sign of neonatal risk. Among them nobody cannot be verbalized all sign of neonatal risk according to world Health Organization category.
The study found that only 62.7% of the respondents had fair awareness level whereas 37.3 % of the respondents had poor awareness level. Likewise, none of the respondents had good awareness level.
Regarding practice all most all that is 90.90 % of the respondents had done postnatal dietary restriction in their postnatal period. More than one tenth that is 12.72% of the respondents had given pre-lactal feeding to their neonate.69.09 % of the respondents had exposed their neonate in morning sun immediately after delivery. 94.54% of respondents had given bath to their neonate in 6/12 days of birth. 36.36 % of the respondents had put oil on neonate’s eyes during their neonatal period. More than half that is 59.09 % of the respondents had put oil in neonate’s ear, 30 % of the respondents had put oil on neonate’s nose, 20.90% of the respondents had put oil on the umbilicus of the neonate during neonatal period. 17.27 % of respondents had already started weaning before 4 months of age of their baby.
Study concluded that perceptions and practices on neonatal risks was poor. Use of traditional harmful practices during sickness of neonate. Thus, need to increased so formal health education on postnatal care that should start from antenatal period help to being a healthy child and decrease morbidity and mortality.
Key words: Neonatal risk, Perception, Practice, Postnatal mother