Efficacy of Skilled Based Teaching Program on Kangaroo Mother Care among Postnatal Mothers in a Rural Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital of Central India

INTRODUCTION: Worldwide 25 million low birth weight infants are born each year, the great majority, and 96% of them in developing countries (WHO 1998). About 2/3 of all infant deaths in developed countries occur in this group of infants (Guyer 1998). In developing countries, financial and human resources for neonatal care are limited and hospital wards for low weight infants are often overcrowded. Kangaroo Mother Care is a natural way of caring of newborns especially premature and low birth Weight baby. It is proved that the newborn thrives best in its original "right place" on its be and for prospective mother's and explains why Kangaroo mother care works.

METHODS: It was a Quasi Experimental study conducted among 50 mothers from maternal ward of a tertiary rural hospital. Baseline data was collected using pre-designed and pre-tested questionnaire followed by skilled based teaching program.

RESULT: Skilled based teaching was effective; as there was a 8 point increase in the post -test score (mean pretest score - 11.46 and mean post- test score - 19.54).

CONCLUSION: Periodic skilled based teaching program is necessary to educate the postnatal mothers in maternal area viz. kangaroo mother care to prevent mortality and morbidity rate among newborns.

TAKE HOME MESSAGE: Mother is the best caretaker for a child.