Download Resource - Healthy Newborn Network

esponsibilities would be taken over by some
other family member, nor the family members
expect her to quit her normal roles. However
it is different if some problem is recognized by
the family itself or diagnosed by a healthcare
provider and the pregnant woman is labeled
as suffering from illness. Thus pregnancy does not
require readjustment in roles concerning the performance
of household chores.
“This (pregnancy) is a routine matter here, what
precautions should one take Deliveries take place
by God’s will and the babies grow up by themselves.
Women are pregnant every other day, what changes
should they bring about” (FGD-Sakhi Sarwar, DG
Khan).
“All the chores have to be done by the woman. No
matter how much pain one has to suffer, the chores
have to be finished on time.” (FGD-Saleh Pat, Sukkur).
“We do not bring any changes. In fact, we increase
our work load during eighth and ninth month, such
as washing clothes, so that the baby is delivered easily”
(FGD-Wasti, Haripur).
Most women usually carry out all chores by themselves and
only avoid certain work for a few hours or days
in case of any severe problem as bleeding, ache in
back or limbs, giddiness and vomiting. Some of her role may
be shifted but even then she has to bear the brunt of unfair
talk about her.
“If there is some problem such as back ache, pain
in uterus, giddiness or vomiting during the first three
months then work routine is changed for some days.
After that the woman goes back to her normal routine.
If there is no problem then the woman works from the
first month till the birth of the baby.” (FGD- Hangoro,
Sukkur).
Lack of support from the family in changing
work routine was reported by most women in
rural areas and a few in urban areas as well. Even
most husbands and mothers-in-law interviewed in-depth
in rural areas said that they did not advise or help out
pregnant women in household chores.
“My daughter-in-law kept on doing her routine work as
there is no one else to do anything. A woman is made
to do household work. I’ve also borne thirteen children
and did all the household chores. No woman dies of
doing any household chores.” (IDI, MIL- Batezai, Pishin).
There were some misperceptions also as some
mothers did not see any relationship between
work and diet during pregnancy with health of
the mother and the newborn.
“I did not bring any change in work because it is a
custom in our family that we (women) have to do a lot
of heavy work but this heavy work did not affect any of
my pregnancies” (IDI, Mo-Landiwah, Lakki Marwat).
Majority of mothers, however, emphasized that
they try to avoid heavy work and take some rest
but they also said that they were helpless in the face
of circumstances.
“One should not do heavy work like picking up a filled
bucket. One should also not do those works which
require bending like washing clothes, as these are also
included in heavy work” (FDG-Sokar, DG Khan)
“Heavy work causes a lot of pain in the back but one
has to do it as there is no other option” (FGD-Pezu).
“I am very well aware that one should not do heavy
work in pregnancy but I have no option” (IDI, Mo-
Turlanda, Charsadda).
“I kept on doing all sorts of work except the heavy
work such as picking up heavy things because it can
cause abortion” (IDI, Mo- Arain, Sukkur).
“One mother died a week ago in our villages in her 8 th
month of pregnancy due to heavy work. She fetched
water from a well and started bleeding. By the time
vehicle was arranged for her, she was dead” (FGD-
Marmandi Azim, Lakki Marwat).
“Elders say that work does not affect pregnancy. And
if the baby gets aborted because of work, they (elder
women) say it is not a big deal you will be pregnant
again. For them woman is a child-producing machine”
(IDI, Mo-Turlanda, Charsadda).
On the contrary to what mothers reported, most
decision makers interviewed in-depth, said that
they advise their wives and daughters-in-law
to stop picking up heavy things such as bundles of
grass and working in the fields, specifically in the 8 th and 9 th
month of pregnancy. They also advise them to do only those
work which can be done in sitting position like washing
SAVE THE CHILDREN l 15