• Elsy (Sr. Prabha)

ABSTRACT The newborn health is a bigger challenge faced by India than that experienced by any other country. In this vast and diverse country, 20% of the world's infants i.e., about 26 million babies born with low birth weight because of either pre-term birth or impaired prenatal growth each year. Low birth weight neonates are prone to long-term disorders like infection, malnutrition, and neurodevelopmental disabilities. Thus, it is essential that home-based care of low-birth babies is made known to mothers so that they can be prepared for home care of their low-birth-weight babies. Low birth weight babies are more prone to morbidity and long-term developmental problems among those who survive. The care of low-weight babies comes under the category of high-risk a neonate does not end at discharge. Thus, it becomes the responsibility of the mother and family members to provide ongoing follow-up and home-based care to the low-birth-weight babies. A descriptive survey was done to assess the knowledge of 60 post-natal mothers having low birth weight babies with the help of a structured knowledge questionnaire having 50 questions. The aim of the study was to assess the level of knowledge of postnatal mothers regarding the care of low-birth-weight babies and the objective of the study was to develop and distribute pamphlet related to the care of low-birth-weight babies. Among the participants, the majority of 38(63.3%) of postnatal mothers had an average level of knowledge and 22(36.7%) of post-natal mothers had a poor level of knowledge regarding the care of low-birth-weight babies. Based on the survey results a pamphlet was prepared and distributed to mothers. The study concluded that mothers had an average level of knowledge regarding the care of low-birth-weight babies.

Keywords: Care of Low-birth-weight babies, knowledge, postnatal mothers

"KNOWLEDGE OF POSTNATAL MOTHERS REGARDING THE CARE OF LOW-BIRTH-WEIGHT BABIES IN SELECTED HOSPITALS AT HARYANA: - A DESCRIPTIVE STUDY.", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.10, Issue 9, page no.e601-e607, September-2023, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2309472.pdf

"KNOWLEDGE OF POSTNATAL MOTHERS REGARDING THE CARE OF LOW-BIRTH-WEIGHT BABIES IN SELECTED HOSPITALS AT HARYANA: - A DESCRIPTIVE STUDY.", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.10, Issue 9, page no. ppe601-e607, September-2023, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2309472.pdf