Four ESEnfC students (Mónica Henriques, Sofia Rodrigues, Aura Lourenço and Giselda Domingues) organised a birth preparation course according to the psychoprophylactic method, in articulation with the Health Centre S. Martinho do Bispo, where they completed the clinical teaching in Pregnancy Vigilance.
Under the supervision of Professor Rosa Moreira, the first-year students of the III Post-Licentiate Specialisation Degree course in Maternal Health and Obstetric Nursing used the knowledge acquired to prepare the couples for delivery and parenthood.
During 15 sessions of one hour each - twice a week -, with a theoretical and a practical component, the couples attended the training sessions on anatomy and physiology of pregnancy, sexuality and diet during pregnancy, preparation for breastfeeding, the baby's and mother's layette for the hospital stay or labour.
Also the reception of the newborn in the family environment, the role of the father, the care of the newborn (bath, clothes, transportation, and accident prevention), the exercises of postnatal recovery and the baby massage were topics included in this training.
The pregnant women learned the breathing technique and its relation to pregnancy and delivery, the importance of oxygen for the foetus and the mother and its role in the triggering of the pain.
The course also focused on neuromuscular education - by means of notions and training of the relaxing techniques in different muscle groups -, notions on the birth mechanisms and training of the breathing techniques and explanation of the complex fear-tension-pain.
On 26th June the pregnant women/ couples visited the practice laboratory of the school, where they attended a training session on labour and delivery. On that occasion, they had the opportunity of being present at a vaginal birth (by means of a computer-controlled dummy).
According to the ESEnfC students involved in this course, «many women become pregnant without knowing their body, and not knowing what is going on with them», and that is a «factor that leads to uncertainty, anxiety and fear».
As these participants believe that «pregnancy is not a period of waiting but of preparation», they decided to implement this project, which they hope will have continuity among the nursing team of the Health Centre after completion of the clinical teaching.
