Skip to 0 minutes and 1 second Giving birth, becoming a mother is an amazing, life-changing experience. Every year throughout the world, 140 million women give birth and become mothers. And each woman’s experience of pregnancy, giving birth, and motherhood will be different. Hello. My name is Deirdre Daly. I’m an Assistant Professor in Midwifery and researcher in Trinity College Dublin. Eight years ago, myself and colleagues in Trinity started a study looking at the health and the health problems experienced by women before, during, and after their first pregnancy. And we followed these women up for one year after the birth. The study is called the Maternal Health and Maternal Morbidity in Ireland study, the MAMMI study. Over 3,000 women have joined us. They shared their experience with us.
Skip to 0 minutes and 56 seconds They told us about their health, their health problems, and what they did and all too often did not do about these health problems. Now we want to help women– women who are pregnant now and want to know what to expect after childbirth, and women who may have become mothers recently or even in the last few years– what we have learned from the women. In this free online course, our goal is to tell women some of the common health problems that women might experience after giving birth. Importantly, we want to give women reliable, trustworthy, evidence-based information.
Skip to 1 minute and 38 seconds Created with women, mothers, midwives, women’s health physiotherapists, mental health experts, and researchers, the course presents trustworthy, evidence-based strategies to help you think about your health and well-being following birth. The course will show you that some of these health problems are common, but they are not normal, help you understand what is and is not normal after motherhood, and importantly, give you tips to help you help yourself. It’ll help you understand when you should ask for professional help, and again, give you tips on how you can ask for this help. Our focus is very much on women’s health as they become mothers.
Skip to 2 minutes and 23 seconds We know many women may have concerns about caring for their baby, but we also know that women’s health after childbirth is neglected in Ireland, in Spain, and in many countries throughout the world. In fact, in many countries, postnatal care focuses on the baby’s well-being, not the woman’s. This is what women have told us, and this is why this course is designed with and for women. It’s all about asking women and women asking themselves the question. How are you? The information is also really relevant to your partner, and we hope it will be a great source of information for them too and help them help you thrive.
Skip to 3 minutes and 8 seconds Based on research with more than 3,000 mothers in Ireland, 3,000 mothers in Spain, the course is designed for and with women to help you take care of yourself as you care for your baby. Through videos, articles, and discussions, you will join a community of learners. So by the end of this course, you will have tips, strategies, and resources to chart your pathway to optimal well-being after having your baby.