The ideas for these posters have come from work carried out by Veronika Scherbaum with the Oromo people in South Ethiopia, who have many traditional beliefs concerning mother and child care. Posters can be used to help encourage discussion of what people believe and why. Together this can lead to developing a more positive understanding of healthy mother and child care. Try adapting these posters to use among your community.
Make up more questions you could use to start discussions. Encourage people to ask questions themselves. Involve older people. Make sure the important facts are brought out in the discussion. Try using drama to bring out traditional beliefs before discussion.
To copy the pictures, draw lines over them using the marks to help you. Each small square measures 10mm x 10mm. For example…
- To make a poster 5 times the size (400mm x 300mm), make each square 50mm x 50mm.
- To make a poster 10 times the size (800mm x 600mm), make each square 100mm x 100mm.
Carefully mark the same number of larger squares onto a large piece of paper.
Copy each square onto the larger sheet. Try to alter details of hair, face and clothing to make it appropriate to your culture (we have deliberately used a mixture of cultures to help you). When you have finished, go over with a dark pen. You can then trace many copies either onto paper or onto clear or coloured plastic for teaching purposes, maybe colouring in the clothes and hair.
Let us know how you get on. You can use this technique to copy many other drawings.
PREGNANCY
Q What do you think is important for pregnant women to know?
Q What types of food are important for pregnant women?
Q Why is it important for pregnant women to go to the clinic?
Important points
All good food is safe for pregnant women to eat. Pregnant women should eat lots of iron-rich food too, such as dark green vegetables, liver or beans to prevent anaemia. Women should eat more when they are pregnant, so their babies will be strong and healthy. Small babies, from mothers who do not eat well when pregnant, die more often and are more likely to be sick. Pregnant women should not smoke, nor drink much alcohol.
Pregnant women should receive regular check-ups as soon as they know they are pregnant.
LABOUR
Q What preparations should women make for the birth of their baby?
Important points
The mother should arrange for a trained birth attendant to help her with the birth – either in the clinic or at home.
Pregnant women should also prepare by being vaccinated against tetanus. This will protect their baby from dying of tetanus.
BREASTFEEDING
Q What do you think are the advantages of breastmilk?
Q How many hours after birth should the mother start breastfeeding?
Q How long should a baby drink only breastmilk?
Important points
Babies should breastfeed immediately after birth. The first milk (colostrum) is like the first vaccination for the baby. It is full of goodness to protect the baby from disease. Babies should breastfeed whenever they are hungry, or thirsty. In hot weather, mothers should drink plenty of fluid.
Breastmilk is all the food babies need for the first 4 – 6 months. Then they should be given other suitable food as well. By continuing to breastfeed for as long as possible, a woman is less likely to have another baby too soon, but she should still be encouraged to use family planning.
WEANING
Q Should a mother continue to breastfeed if she becomes pregnant again?
Q If the child becomes ill – for example with measles of diarrhoea – should the mother stop breastfeeding?
Important points
Breastfeeding should not be stopped suddenly – it is painful for the mother, and very upsetting for a child suddenly to be taken away from its mother. If the mother is eating well, breastfeeding will not harm the foetus.
Breastmilk is the best food for a sick child. Breastfeeding should never be stopped suddenly because of illness of any sort.
POWDERED MILK
Q Why do you think some mothers use bottle-feeding?
Q What can happen to our babies if we bottle-feed them?
Important points
Breastmilk is the best, natural food for babies. It is always clean and protects the baby from diseases. Even if the mother is sick, it is still good to breastfeed the baby.
Bottles are hard to clean properly. Powdered milk must be measured very carefully and clean, boiled water must be used each time. Bottle-fed babies are more likely to get diarrhoea and other illnesses. This can lead to serious illness and death. Use a spoon or gourd – not a bottle – if the baby must be given any milk other than breastmilk.
Don’t be misled by advertisements which tell you that bottle-feeding is fashionable and better than breastmilk.
SOLID FOOD
Q When should a baby start eating other foods?
Q How can a mother help her baby to start eating other foods?
Q What foods are good for babies?
Q How often should young children eat?
Important points
After 5-6 months babies need extra food to grow well. These should be traditional foods grown or bought locally. Mashed fruit (uncooked) and porridge are good foods to start feeding. At first, babies are not used to the taste but this does not mean they are not ready – be patient!
Babies and young children should eat several times a day – up to six times if possible. Small amounts of oil or fat should be added to their food to give more energy, especially if the child is underweight or recovering from illness.
DIARRHOEA
Q What do you think are the causes of diarrhoea?
Q How should you treat it?
Q How can we try to prevent diarrhoea from beginning?
Important points
Always continue to give food and especially liquid if a child has diarrhoea. Breast milk is the best. Prepare oral rehydration solution (ORS) – see page 3. Do not give any medicines unless the diarrhoea contains mucus or blood. If the child is very ill and can’t take ORS consult a doctor or health worker urgently.
Prevent other people from getting the diarrhoea by always washing hands before touching food and keeping food and water clean.