Training of Roma Health Mediators in Reproductive Health

II-IV. POSTPARTUM VISITS (45 minutes)
Ask participants if they visit families or mothers with newborns and, if so, what they do
during these visits.
Likely answers: they make sure that all is going well with the mother and baby.
Ask participants:
‣ What are the needs of a woman during the postpartum period?
Woman’s needs during the postpartum period (refer to the trainer document Women’s
Needs During the Postpartum Period for additional details)
• Rest
• Work, physical activities, exercises
• Diet
• Extra iron and folic acid
• Cleanliness
• Resumption of intercourse
• Avoidance of potentially harmful practices: smoking, alcohol, drugs and
medicines
• Emotional support
‣ When you visit women during the postpartum period, what are the questions you
ask them?
• How are you feeling?
• Do you have any pain in your lower abdomen?
• Do you still have vaginal discharge?
• Are you able to breastfeed the baby properly?
• Do you have any pain, heaviness or swelling in your breasts?
• Are you eating well?
• Are you passing urine and stools without difficulty?
• Do you have any fever?
• How is the baby doing?
• Is s/he breastfeeding properly?
Ask two volunteers to conduct a role-play in front of the group as a way of
demonstrating: 1) issues a mediator should discuss with a young mother during the
postpartum period, and 2) how the mediator should talk to a young mother. One of the
volunteers will play the role of a young inexperienced mother sitting with her “baby”; the
other will play the mediator. Allow them 10 minutes to demonstrate the discussion and
then thank them.
Ask “the mother”:
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RFHI/JSI Romania Training of RHMs in Reproductive Health Session 7: Postpartum Care