IOSR Journal of Nursing and Health Science (IOSR-JNHS) e-ISSN: 2320–1959.p- ISSN: 2320–1940 Volume 4, Issue 4 Ver. VII (Jul. - Aug. 2015), PP 71-77 www.iosrjournals.org DOI: 10.9790/1959-04477177 www.iosrjournals.org 71 | Page Enhancing maternal knowledge in improving life of low birth weight babies. Mrs. Harshita Prabhakaran Lecturer, Dept. of Maternity and Child Health Nursing, Sultan Qaboos College of Nursing, Oman Abstract: Low birth weight neonates are the special group which requires extra attention and care; they need continuous warmth and tender care, as they are in the womb. A pre-experimental research approach was utilized to evaluate the effectiveness of the structured teaching programme regarding care of low birth weight babies in terms of knowledge of postnatal mothers in Choithram Hospital & Research Centre & Mission hospital, Indore. Total 30 postnatal mothers were selected by purposive sampling technique who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. A pre-test was administered by structured interview schedule for knowledge of mothers followed by structured teaching programme through the pamphlet. Posttest was conducted after 7 days. The findings revealed that the mean post-test knowledge score (17.6) is significantly higher than the mean pretest knowledge score (10.8) with SD of 1.33 and the t -test value was 67.6*** which is statistically significant at p<0.001 level of significance. The findings of the study imply that the structured teaching programme is an effective strategy in enhancing the knowledge of mothers regarding care of low birth weight babies. Key words: knowledge, low birth weight babies, postnatal mothers, pamphlet, structured teaching programme I. Introduction No joy on earth can bring greater pleasure than the little feet of a healthy baby brings in a mother‟s life. Globally the low birth weight infant is a significant public health problem which is associated with short and long term consequences. Worldwide, it is estimated that 15% to 20% of all births are LBW. 1 In low income countries premature babies continue to die due to the absence of resources and cost effective care, like keeping the newborn babies warm, early initiation of breast feeding, basic care for infections and breathing difficulties 2 . India is one of the countries with the highest incidence of LBW, which has nearly 7.5-million low birth weight babies annually- the highest among countries 3 Low birth weight infants are more vulnerable to hypothermia; they are lethargic, suck poorly and are prone to morbidity 4 . With low cost intervention that focus on prevention of hypothermia, maintaining good hygiene, breast feeding, early recognition and management of illness during the first golden weeks of life, could reduce the number of deaths among LBW. 5 Lack of maternal knowledge regarding care of their tiny babies can harm them and increase the risk of morbidity and mortality, therefore the high risk LBW babies need to be recognized early and be given the appropriate care to enhance their survival 6 . WHO (2009) focused on the importance of caring for LBW infants, including feeding, kangaroo mother care, hygiene, cord & skin care, early detection and treatment of infections and complications which can remarkably reduce mortality of LBW infants 7 . Mother as a close caregiver and other caretakers perform a main role in the care of newborns, and therefore should have the proper knowledge to deliver appropriate care and identify the warning signs in LBW babies. 1.1 Background The World Health Organization defined the term "Low birth weight" as birth weight less than 2500 kilograms. It defines as the weight of an infant at birth less than 2.5 kilograms irrespective of gestational age of infant. 8 This special group require extra care and positive interaction (mother-infant interaction) to minimize the risk of developmental delay and to enhance their survival. WHO strongly supports that at every birth skilled care is the foundation for preterm babies. Studies on newborn health reflect that morbidity and mortality among LBW depends on recognition of LBW, appropriate home care and facility for the LBW newborns, surveillance for infections. 9 . During the first years of children effective intervention can cushion them from the negative effects of preterm birth. The most common types of interventions for low birth weight infants are parent-based interventions and early education programs. 10 Parent-based interventions are effective strategy to increase the response and warmth, which promote children‟s development and well-being. In one broadly studied program, the mothers who were participating in the study received 10 home visits from the trained facilitators for their children who were in their first year of course. The study was intended to counsel mothers about positive parenting behaviors; increase awareness of their baby‟s needs, and help them incorporate effective strategies into their daily routines. It was concluded that