Husbands must partake in caring for pregnant mothers and newborns by participating in maternity classes to equip themselves with the requisite knowledge to do so, according to an official of the Banyumas District Health Office.
“As the husbands have appropriate knowledge, they are expected to detect early risks related to the pregnant mother, maternity period, and baby to reduce the maternal and infant mortality rates,” Banyumas Health Office’s Sub-coordinator of Family Health and Community Nutrient Department Henny Sutikno stated in the reorientation class for pregnant mothers held online here Wednesday.
Some knowledge that husbands could obtain in the maternity class are the types of contraceptives and their benefits, she stated.
She pointed out that some benefits of postpartum contraceptives are to ensure that mothers have enough time to feed and care for their newborns, maintain their physical health, and manage their families before the next pregnancy.
Contraceptives could also be used to manage gap between births and prevent unplanned pregnancy, she added.
Moreover, Sutikno highlighted the need for husbands to receive knowledge on nutrition to maintain the health of pregnant and breastfeeding mothers and to remind their pregnant wives to maintain their personal hygiene and take sufficient rest.
She also said that husbands must have knowledge about actions that must be avoided while treating postpartum mothers that include spoiling the initial breast milk, cleaning the breast with chemical substances, binding the stomach too strong, and placing leaves on the women’s genital area, which can cause infection.
The official stated that to promote maternity care to husbands, her office has necessitated them to participate in at least four sessions of maternity classes organized by the Banyumas Health Office.
“Husbands are required to accompany their pregnant mothers to attend our maternity class, at least in four class sessions,” Sutikno remarked.
Source: Antara News