Integrated Maternal and Newborn Care Basic Skills Course ...

peripheral health center and later at home. Mothers and family members must be provided with
appropriate counseling and support.
Knowing the exact gestational age is not important in peripheral centers. In practical terms, what
is more important is to determine the status of an individual baby to decide what actions need to
be taken. Thus, the health worker should verify if the baby:
• Can maintain temperature with simple aids such as extra clothing or skin-to-skin contact
(kangaroo mother care, see further details below).
• Can accept frequent breast feeds or expressed breast milk fed with alternate methods of
feeding, such as the use of a cup, spoon, or an appropriate traditional feeding device
(see chapter 11 on breastfeeding).
• Is free of problems or danger signs (see chapter 9 on physical examination).
Babies who fulfill the above criteria can be managed in peripheral centers and at home; ideally,
however, if access to a suitable center is easy, they should be taken there for an assessment
and counseling. Newborns not meeting the above criteria need to be referred to appropriate
facilities that have the competence, equipment, and supplies to manage them.
Fig. 12.1. Basic evaluation of LBW babies to determine need for referral.
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Integrated maternal and newborn care
Basic skills course