Postpartum recovery is often overshadowed by labour and childbirth, yet the period immediately after delivery is critical to the health and survival of both mother and baby.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the first six weeks after childbirth are a critical period for the survival and wellbeing of both mothers and newborns, as well as for supporting the baby’s healthy development and the mother’s physical and mental recovery.
The WHO also recommends that women and newborns receive information, reassurance and support from health workers throughout the postnatal period.
Speaking with PT Health Watch, a retired midwife, Mary Augustine, said the weeks following childbirth are as important as labour and delivery in preventing complications and supporting the physical and mental wellbeing of mothers and their newborns.
She stressed the need for health workers to provide every new mother with practical guidance on caring for herself and her baby before discharge from the hospital.
