Enhancement of Mother’s Self-Care Practices for Relieving Minor Discomforts during Postpartum Period

Background: The post-natal period is a crucial time for adaptation, during which minor discomforts can significantly impact a woman's life. These challenges can be effectively addressed through nursing education to improve women's knowledge and self-care practices. Enhancing mothers' self-care practices to relieve minor discomforts during the postpartum period was the purpose of the study. Design: This quasi-experimental study design features one-group pre/post-tests and follow-ups. Setting: The study was conducted at the Obstetric Department of Shebin El-Kom Teaching Hospital. Sample: The sample consisted of 123 conveniently selected primiparous postpartum women who had normal deliveries. Instruments: An interview questionnaire was used, including the general characteristics of the study sample and women’s self-care practices during the postnatal period. Results: The study findings revealed that postpartum self-care practices among mothers were very low before health education. However, receiving health education about self-care significantly increased their knowledge and practices for relieving their minor discomforts during the postpartum period more than before. Conclusion: This study highlights the importance of health education for postpartum women, demonstrating its positive impact on their self-care abilities. Recommendations: Provide health education to postpartum mothers about common discomforts and how to manage them by implementing a training-oriented program to increase women's understanding of the postpartum phase.