Former nurse helping young women become 'perfect' moms
Published:Friday | February 17, 2012 | 12:00 AM
Nadisha Hunter, Staff Reporter
Shakara Lopez could be considered an experienced mother, having given birth to her third child on Sunday, but the 29-year-old believes she could do with more information on how to care for her baby so she can become a perfect mom.
That is why when June Zitman, a former nurse of the University Hospital of the West Indies, presented a newborn guide to her just days after she gave birth to baby Anthony Johnson, Shakira was anxious to begin reading.
She said she wanted to be familiar with the content by the time she is released from the hospital.
Others to benefit
Lopez is just one of a number of mothers who will be given a handbook with step-by-step instructions about caring for their children.
An optimistic Lopez said she was grateful for the assistance, which will make life easier as she will be able to consult her book whenever she could do with a little help.
"The handbook will assist me in taking care of the baby as it will provide information on how I should treat the baby so that he will be in good condition at all times," said the mother, who gave birth on Monday.
Zitman explained that the project was just a way to give back to the institution in a way that would be beneficial.
She said with sponsorship from the Central Florida Chapter of the University of the West Indies Medical Alumni Association, she was able to present 100 booklets to the hospital in the first phase of the project.
"From the responses that I am getting, I know that it is something that is appreciated because it covers all aspect of afterbirth (care) and so I think it will be useful for especially new mothers who don't know what to expect, so they will use it as a referral," she said.
Timely gift
Zitman said the handbook was timely, given the prevalence of teenage pregnancy in the island.
"The need is great because teenagers are themselves children. They don't have the experience, so we have to help them and this is a good way to do so," she added.
She said she would be expanding the initiative to Bustamante Hospital for Children and the Victoria Jubilee Hospital soon.
Carol Nash, director of nursing in the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department, welcomed the initiative, saying the books would be helpful, especially to the new mothers.
"The patients should find it easy to read as the information is not long and the information will be useful. This will concretise what we teach them in the clinic because even though they are taught these things in the clinic, sometimes they don't remember so we are happy for it," she said.