Limited access to, and knowledge of, antenatal care (ANC) makes pregnancy a fatal journey for so many women and their babies in Nigeria, which now has the second highest rate of maternal mortality in the world. WBFA is committed to transforming the care given to expectant mothers and their children. Two years ago WBFA launched the Mamacare clinics. Our ANC classes are led by a qualified midwife, trained to a global standard, with partners and family members welcome to attend. Practical information, advice and support is given to pregnant women to ensure that they are prepared to give birth safely and care for their newborn child. A woman’s chance of dying from pregnancy and childbirth in Nigeria over her lifetime is 1 in 23. Yet over 200,000 women have taken part in our Mamacare classes, and we have not lost a single mother to death in childbirth.

How will I know I am in labour?

Going into labour is exciting, but you may also feel apprehensive, therefore it helps to be prepared well in advance.
Knowing all about the stages of labour and what to expect can help you to feel more in control when the time comes.

There are three stages of labour.

The signs of labour

You are unlikely to mistake the signs of labour when the time really comes but if in doubt don’t hesitate to go to the hospital
and be checked. There are three stages of labour In this session
we talk about:

First Stage: The cervix gradually opens up (dilates) Second Stage: The baby is pushed down the birth canal and is born

Third Stage: The placenta comes way from the uterus and is also pushed out

Coping with Pain

Learning about labour can help make you feel more in control and less anxious about what is going on.

If this is your first pregnancy, you can’t know how painful your contractions will be, or how you will naturally cope with them, so it’s hard to
know which pain relief options you will need.

Finding out about pain relief options can be very reassuring. In this session you will learn about different pain relief options, how to relax, stay calm,
breathe deeply and try different positions.

  • Relaxation techniques, breathing and massage
  • Different positions
  • Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve
  • Stimulation (TENS) machine
  • Gas and Air (Entonox)
  • Epidural
When to Seek Medical Help
  •  Malaria in pregnancy
  •  Headache
  •  Bleeding or spotting
  •  Itching 
Your Baby - Your health

  • There is nothing like the feeling of holding your new-born in your arms for the first time.  In this session we talk about:

  • Care of the new-born- what to look out for.
  • The importance of Skin to skin
  • Breastfeeding: How the body makes milk
  • The first feed
  • Positioning and Attachment
  • Common breastfeeding problems
  • WBFA Ten Steps for successful breastfeeding Break
  • Pelvic Floor Exercise
  • Immunisation
  • Family planning
  • Emotional changes following Childbirth
Twins, Triplets and More

  • Twins often arrive a little a bit early.
    If you are expecting twins start your classes early when you are around 24 weeks pregnant because babies are more likely to be born early. 

Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding

Every facility providing maternity services and care for newborn infants should:

Have a written breastfeeding policy that is routinely communicated to all health care staff.
Train all health care staff in skills necessary to implement this policy.
Inform all pregnant women about the benefits and management of breastfeeding.
Help mothers initiate breastfeeding within half an hour of birth.
Show mothers how to breastfeed, and how to maintain lactation even if they should be separated from their infants.
Give newborn infants no food or drink other than breast milk, unless medically indicated.
Practise rooming-in - that is, allow mothers and infants to remain together - 24 hours a day.
Encourage breastfeeding on demand.
Give no artificial teats or pacifiers (also called dummies or soothers) to breastfeeding infants.
Foster the establishment of breastfeeding support groups and refer mothers to them on discharge from the hospital or clinic.

Source: Protecting, Promoting and Supporting Breastfeeding: The Special Role of Maternity Services, a joint WHO/UNICEF statement published by the World Health Organization.