# Community-based postnatal care model: Catalyst for management of mothers and neonates

## TL;DR

This paper introduces a community-based postnatal care model to improve the health of mothers and newborns after early hospital discharge.

## Contribution

The novel contribution is the development of a community-based postnatal care model specifically for neonate management.

## Key findings

- No existing community-based postnatal care model was found for neonate management.
- The model uses practice theory elements like agents, recipients, and outcomes in a community context.
- The model provides a reference guide for postnatal women to manage neonates after discharge.

## Abstract

Early postnatal discharge is perceived as a factor that contributes to the possibilities of the maternal, neonatal complications and deaths. The implementation of the community-based postnatal care model is crucial to mitigate the morbidity and mortality of postnatal women and neonates during the first weeks of delivery. A community-based postnatal care model was developed for the management of neonates during the postnatal care period in the community.

The study aims to share the developed community-based postnatal care model that could assist postnatal women in the management of neonates.

Empirical findings from the main study formed the basis for model development. The model development in this study was informed by the work of Walker and Avant; Chinn and Kramer Dickoff, James and Wiedenbach; and Chinn and Jacobs.

The results indicated that there was no community-based postnatal care model developed to manage neonates. The model is described using the practice theory of Dickoff, James and Wiedenbach elements of agents, recipients, context, process, dynamics and outcomes within the community context of the postnatal care period. The model was further described by Chinn and Krammer following the assumptions of the model, concept definition, relation statement and nature of structure.

The utilisation of the model is critical and facilitates the provision of an enabling and supportive community-based context by primary caregivers for the effective management of neonates.

This study provides a reference guide in the provision of community-based postnatal care by postnatal women after discharge from healthcare facilities.