Module 4

Taking Care of Your Baby

Objectives are to provide and develop practical parenting advice, to enhance discussion and peer support, to enhance critical approach to information gathering, and to promote self-care and compassion.

GROUP ACTIVITIES

Activity 1 – Keep your baby alive
Activity 2 – Fun and play with your baby
Activity 3 – Self-care and compassion

SELF-LEARNING

PDF – Child Cognitive Development
Further Reading – Nutrition, first aid, cognitive development, self-care

HOMEWORK

Activity 1 – First aid for your child
Activity 2 – Cognitive development and play

Group Activities

Activity 1 – Keep your baby alive

Total duration face-to-face (ex. 30-40 min)

Total duration online (ex. 30-40 min)

MATERIALS

Sticky notes to write down statements and dots or pent to vote.

Zoom, Teams or other online meeting facilities for online training and Miro board for developing statements and voting.

Objectives

  • Open discussion and sharing of experience
  • Reliable sources of information on children nutrition
  • Reliable sources of information on mother and children health
  • Survival skills of mothers in a demanding role

Preparation: Before starting the facilitation, read through the learning materials for this module and send a reminder to the group of where they can be found.

Description for face-to-face training

Shortly present module objectives, learning and reference material and underline that the training is built on full confidence within the group, that this is a safe space for discussion and creativity.

Create groups of 3-4 mothers that discuss the following question (20 minutes):

“What is the most important thing you need to do to keep your baby alive for the first 12 months of its life?”

They then create a top 3 list of actions needed for favourable results. This is supposed to be fun and humorous, there are no wrong answers or statements. Members can exchange roles in writing up the ideas for self-care or nominate a secretary for the group.

They then present and discuss the results with the group.

The group then votes for the best statements resulting in a top 10 list of necessary actions to keep your baby alive for the first year.

Description for online training

The exercise is similar online, online rooms are used for group work and Miro board can be used for developing statements and voting.

Activity 2 – Fun and play with your baby

Total duration face-to-face (ex. 30-40 min)

Total duration online (ex. 30 – 40 min)

MATERIALS

No materials are needed for this exercise. Examples of Fun and games are provided in module slides.

Objectives

  • Provide and develop practical parenting advice
  • Enhance discussion and peer support
  • Enhance creativity and playfulness

Preparation: In most cases mothers attend the training with their young child, this activity includes both mothers and their children and calls for everyone’s involvement “fun and play”

Description for face-to-face training

Shortly refer to training material on this topic and activity objectives.

Create groups of 3-4 mothers that discuss the following question (20 minutes):

“How do we motivate and activate our child during the first two years – games and fun, how to engage others etc.”

Come up with 1-3 activities that are fun, playful and motivate your child and yourself. This can include song, play… anything under the sun. Members can exchange roles in writing up the ideas for self-care or nominate a secretary for the group.

Demonstrate these activities to the group.

Description for online training

This activity is more challenging online but mothers can communicate through online rooms using the same organization. The plus is that the activity can be recorded and perhaps used (if allowed by participants) for demonstration purposes.

Activity 3 – Self-care

Total duration face-to-face (ex. 30– 40 min)

Total duration online (ex. 20 – 40 min)

MATERIALS

No materials are needed for this exercise except pen and paper or computer if participants prefer to use computers.

Objectives

  • Promote optimism and self-efficacy
  • Share experiences and self-care practices
  • Attitude of self-compassion

Preparation: Read through materials available on the topic and homework exercises.

Description for face-to-face training

Refer to the materials and exercise available online and start the discussion on self-care and compassion, the meaning of the term self-care and compassion and objectives of this activity.

Create groups of 3-4 mothers that discuss the following question (20 minutes):

“How do we find time and place for self-care with a young child or a big family?”

Come up with 1-3 self-care activities and ways to find time for them. Write a short description of the activity and solution (how to find time and place). Members can exchange roles in writing up the ideas for self-care or nominate a secretary for the group.

Demonstrate these activities to the group. (20 minutes)

Facilitator gathers activities.

Description for online training

Similar approach can be used for online implementation, the facilitator can ask the group if they can use recording during the introduction session to gather ways for self-care.

SELF-LEARNING

PDF – Child Cognitive Development

Further Reading – Nutrition / First aid / Cognitive development / Self-care

Homework

The following activities can be done as a homework to apply the learned content in practice and daily life.

Activity 1 – First aid for your child

Objectives: to know main methodologies in first aid for children, to enhance self-confidence in caring for your child, enhance optimistic and pragmatic approach.

Activity 2 – Cognitive development and play

Objectives: enhance playfulness and happiness, try new things, enhance self-confidence in parenting