Postnatal Practices Among Bajau Mothers: Basis for a Culturally-Responsive Health Care Program

Abstract

 This study determined the postnatal practices of Bajau mothers. A descriptive-correlational research design was used. Eighty postpartum Bajau women served as respondents selected through the purposive sampling technique. Results showed that most of the respondents were ritually married and illiterate which deprived them of availing of modern health care services. Many are engaged in begging for livelihood and their combined daily income is far below the poverty threshold. Bajau mothers were found to have inadequate postnatal practices relative to birth spacing, postnatal check-up and infant immunization. They have less knowledge of the importance of visiting health centers after giving birth, thus, depriving their infants of free vaccination and receiving vitamins and supplements. Most of them adhere to traditional postnatal practices and rely onBajau elders as their birth attendants. This elucidates the high risk of maternal and infant complications. It is recommended that healthcare providers outline appropriate strategies for the integration of traditional beriefs and modern approaches to postnatal care.