The first six weeks after childbirth are a critical period for the health and survival of both mothers and newborns, yet this phase is often overshadowed by the focus on labour and delivery. Health experts are now emphasising that comprehensive postnatal care is essential to prevent complications and support the physical and mental recovery of new mothers.
WHO Guidelines Highlight Postnatal Period
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the initial six weeks following birth are crucial for the wellbeing of both mother and baby. The WHO recommends that women and newborns receive information, reassurance, and support from health workers throughout this period to ensure healthy development and recovery.
Speaking with PT Health Watch, retired midwife Mary Augustine stressed that the weeks after childbirth are just as important as labour and delivery in preventing complications. She called on health workers to provide every new mother with practical guidance on caring for herself and her baby before leaving the hospital.
Essential Care Before Discharge
Mrs Augustine emphasised that mothers should be taught how to breastfeed correctly, including proper positioning and attachment for effective feeding. She also highlighted the importance of umbilical cord care, explaining that keeping the cord clean and dry can prevent infections.
Additionally, mothers should learn how to bathe their newborns safely, recognise when nappies need changing, and keep the baby's airway clear to reduce breathing difficulties. These basic practices are vital for protecting newborns from preventable illnesses.
Preventable Complications Often Ignored
Many women remain silent about postpartum challenges because they believe such experiences are normal, Mrs Augustine noted. Untreated breast pain, for instance, can discourage breastfeeding, while other complications like postpartum haemorrhage, puerperal sepsis, hypertension, anaemia, abdominal pain, and postpartum psychosis may develop within weeks without timely care.
She also drew attention to perineal wound dehiscence, where an episiotomy wound reopens instead of healing. Symptoms include persistent pain, pus, foul-smelling discharge, unexpected bleeding, or difficulty controlling gas or stool. "If a woman is bleeding, she can give up. We see them coming back emaciated and unkempt because there is no follow up. Sometimes their bodies smell and infection sets in," she said.
Why Postnatal Follow-Up Matters
The postpartum period requires continuous medical attention because serious complications can arise after discharge. Postnatal follow-up helps health workers detect and manage excessive bleeding, infections, poor nutrition, high blood pressure, and postpartum depression before they become life-threatening.
Mrs Augustine urged mothers to attend postnatal clinics even when they feel healthy, adding that strengthening postpartum care and ensuring adequate education before discharge would improve maternal and newborn health outcomes. "Postpartum care should be treated with the same urgency as labour and delivery," she concluded.
