This month, we have conducted the first two ‘Happy Pregnancy Class’ for this year. Those classes were running at two villages: Fenun and Kualeu. Both are small villages located in Amanatun Selatan sub-district, Timo Tengah Selatan regency, Nusa Tenggara Timur province. The street access to these two villages is very challenging. You will find a slippery cobblestone road, specifically in the rainy season like this January. But this obstacle is a challenge for us and our assisted midwives. In a fact, it becomes a motivation for us to continue our services to the community.
There were 13 Pregnant Moms
Thirteen is a total number of pregnant moms who are involved in this happy pregnancy class at Fenun village. Happy pregnancy class is a session designed by FMCH Indonesia to campaign a happy pregnancy for our beneficiaries. We made a module as the manual book based on what our beneficiaries need. This module consists of 5 class sessions. The first and second sessions have been administered in November and December 2020. This January we were running the third session.
However, the main facilitator of the class is our trained midwives. Our Regional Coordinator of NTT also assists the facilitator to maximize the session. In this third session, the theme is A Safe Birth and A Comfort Puerperium. They started the class with a pre-test so the facilitator has basic data about the participants’ knowledge. After that, the facilitator started the class with a story of myth related to pregnancy. The most widely heard is, (1) after giving birth, the mother should not eating fish, it will make mom’s blood smell fishy, (2) postpartum mothers and babies within 40 days are not allowed to leave the house. Have you ever heard of a similar myth?
In a fact, that’s not true at all. First, consuming fish is highly recommended. As a source of protein, fish is good for maternal health as well as to improve the quality of breast milk. Second, related to going outside. In a fact, no worries about that. We have to bring ourselves and the newborn out, especially to get the vitamin D from the Sun. Besides, the mom and the baby are need to getting out of the home to get a health service including the vaccination from the newborn.
Back to the class. The participants also get an ante-natal check-up, doing pregnancy work out, and had a cooking class together. They were happy because they get new information to make themselves better. “I love the class. I’ve got a lot of information, especially related to myth things. I heard a lot about it and sometimes it made me scared,” said Yuliana Out, one of the participants.
At the end of the class, we distributed one of our booklet called, “Aku Bisa Hadapi Ini!”; a special series produced by us during this pandemic. Meanwhile, the midwife gave a biscuit and milk to some mothers, particularly for some of them who detected have chronic energy deficiency (CED).
Took a Place at Pustu Kualeu
As same as the theme at Fenun village, the class in Kualeu village also at the third session. At Kualeu, there were 12 pregnant moms, a nurse, and a midwife as a facilitator. The class was took a place at Kualeu Pustu. Pustu or in Indonesia, Puskesmas Pembantu is an integral part of the health service center in the village.
The Happy Pregnancy Class at Kualeu village held on Wednesday, January 20, 2021, starting from 09.00 AM-02.00 PM (Indonesian Central Time). Even though on that day heavy rain flushed the village, it didn’t decrease the enthusiasm of the participants. Quite in contrast with Fenun, at Kualeu the class, has started with an ante-natal check-up: measuring body weight and height, and the blood pressure, as well as control and consultation. After the check-up, the class began.
Our midwife explained the material based on the third session module designed by the Pregnancy Care team, FMCH Indonesia. Not only talking about myth, but the midwife also emphasizes the 3 important points related to safe birth and a comfort puerperium There are,
- Childbirth will be safer and more comfortable if it is prepared as early as possible, including the important parts: physical, mental, and material preparation
- The postpartum period is the most critical. But a mother can be passed comfortably if you do self-care and empowerment, also get a supportive environment
- The myth of pregnancy is one of the obstacles to get a speed recovery. Because in a fact, there are no special restrictions during the period, as long as you keep your physical and mental health. Also, make sure to always consult a health worker
The pregnancy class at Kualeu village was closed with a cooking class. They made moringa tofu balls filled with meat, then at Fenun village, they were made healthy chicken noodles. After cook and had lunch, they were doing a pregnancy workout as their last activity to close the class on that cloudy day. Ah almost forget! We also distributed the same booklet we gave before, ‘Aku Bisa Hadapi Ini!’ for the mothers. The workout session makes their bodies more relaxed, so they can go home better. But importantly, they can back home brings new knowledge to prepare their safe birth and a comfort puerperium. (Brg/Comms)
Contributor: Regional Coordinator of NTT, Meti Kamlasi
