Forwarded from the Healthy Newborn Network
'Families are at the center of new WHO guidelines for care of preterm or low-birth-weight infants
Read about reflections and insights on the recommendations in a blog from one of our newborn experts, Steve Wall, Lead Advisor Newborn Health at Save the Children. This blog includes highlights from the new WHO guidelines for care of preterm and low-birth-weight babies and associated implications for practitioners. Read the blog here.'
https://www.healthynewbornnetwork.org/blog/families-are-at-the-center-of...
Extracts from the blog:
A few highlights or themes resonated as critical issues for countries committed to helping newborns survive and thrive. The most significant is the overriding importance of centering the care of preterm or LBW newborns with their mothers, fathers, and families. For too long, mothers and fathers have been treated as visitors in neonatal units – marginal actors in the care provided to their newborns. In the new guidelines, there is a notable shift in focus to empower families to care for their preterm or LBW newborns...
The new guidelines recommend Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) be used routinely for all preterm and LBW newborns, stipulating that KMC should be provided for as many hours as possible per day, aspiring to achieve at least 8-24 hours...
The guidelines also address care at home after discharge...
Dr Neil Pakenham-Walsh, HIFA Coordinator
Healthcare Information For All
Global Healthcare Information Network
Working in Official Relations with the World Health Organization
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www.hifa.org neil@hifa.org
