Safety Pregnancy

Being safe in pregnancy means being safe for the pregnant woman and the fetus beared. To ensure safety pregnancy, there are some steps to do before conception, during pregnancy and after delivery. In other words, woman who want to be pregnant should undergo preconceptional care, antenatal care and postnatal care.

The principal for preconceptional care is assesing medical and psychosocial condition of a woman before pregnancy because health during pregnancy depends on it. Then a plan can be initiated for continuing obstetrical care.

The same thing happens for antenatal care and postnatal care. Except that additonal health assesment is needed for the fetus or baby. All the care provided by medical health team is important to prevent complication in pregnancy. Thus, morbidity and mortality related to pregnancy can be reduced.

Dwi Notosusanto, September 2009

Kangaroo Care

By Elora Yushi, Dwi Yulita, Rena Novrin, Ruth Caroline
Nursing Academy of Jakarta Hospital

Kangaroo care is a way of holding a preterm or full term infant so that there is skin to skin contact between the infant and the person holding it.

Originally babies who were eligible for kangaroo care were pre term infants, less then 1500 grams and breathing on their own.

The method of managing kangaroo care is

• The baby wears only a diaper and tied in a head u position to the mother's bare chest with a strip of cloth in a wanner that extends the baby's head and neck to revent apnea
• The tight bundling is enough for mother's breathing and chest movement to stimulate the baby's breathing. Because of the close confines being attached to his or her mother's chest, the baby is enclosed in a high carbondioxide environment which also stimulates breathing. Fathers can also use the skin to skin contact method

Beginning kangaroo care withing the first 2 hours after birth seems to be the most effective time period for succesful breastfeeding. Babies must be kept warm and dry.