Table 2 Newborn care practices included in the essential newborn care score for each study site
Hand washing | Birth attendant washed hands before delivery |
|---|---|
Clean delivery kit | A clean delivery kit (CDK) was used during the delivery. A CDK usually contains a small bar of soap for washing hands, a plastic sheet to serve as the delivery surface, clean string for tying the umbilical cord, a new razor blade for cutting the cord, and pictorial instructions that illustrate the sequence of delivery events and hand-washing. |
Clean instrument | The umbilical cord was cut with a sterilized instrument (new or boiled razor blade, surgical blade or scissors). |
Appropriate cord care | After cutting the cord either dry cord care was practised or an antiseptic was applied to the stump. |
Wrapped within 5 mins | The baby was wrapped in clean cloth within 5 mins after delivery or placed skin-to-skin on the breast of the mother. |
Bathing after 6 h | Bathing of the baby was delayed until at least 6 h after the delivery |
Breast feeding within 1 h | The mother initiated breastfeeding within the first hour of delivery. |
No prelacteal feeding | The baby was exclusively fed with breast milk during the first 24 h of life and not fed any other fluid or prelacteal food. |
Postnatal care | The mother and her baby were seen for a postnatal check-up by a health care worker (doctor, nurse or nurse-midwife) 24 h after delivery |