Maternal matters

Special training sessions allay fears for first-time expectant mothers

For first-time mothers, the joy of having a newborn is accompanied by doubts about her ability to bring up the child properly.

How should the baby be held in hands, how should he or she be nursed, bathed and taken care of; doubts like these and many more torment the mother's mind leaving her confused and even frightened at times.

To allay such fears among women during pregnancy and after child birth, health officials at Mother and Child Care Centre, Sharjah, have been holding special antenatal classes for first-time expectant mothers every two weeks. There are separate classes for Arabic and English-speaking patients.

"Through these classes, we are trying to educate women so that they are capable of taking good care of themselves and the newborn. Various aspects of childcare such as feeding, bathing, clothing and comforting the infant are looked into.

"Often young mums feel edgy about bathing the baby themselves or dealing with similar things. We teach them to do things independently," explained Jumana Hussain Mubarak, in charge of the Antenatal Department at the centre.

"During antenatal visits, we register mothers for these classes that usually commence at 5.30pm. The group is always limited to around 25 women to ensure proper attention is given to all.

"Occasionally, a case or two from the paediatric section is also included in these classes. These are second-time expectant mothers who have previously had discouraging breastfeeding experiences.

"These classes are helpful because they help women understand and solve the problems they faced previously.

"Regardless of the number of friends and family that a woman may have around her to offer support, it is her trial and she must be prepared for it. Here we are primarily trying to help first time mothers so that they can be self-assured for future pregnancies as well," she added.

These classes have helped working mothers realise that even they can successfully continue to nurse babies in spite of long work hours.

"Attending these classes has taught me a lot about the dietary disciplines and hygiene routine that one must follow during nursing. I strongly believe in the benefits of breastfeeding and will try hard to maintain it even after I have resumed my job," said Sabah Ameen, holding her newborn baby in her arms.