UNICEF Moldova Supporting Parents
Care Since Birth!
More than 16,000 families in Ungheni and Cahul districts will receive a specially designed diary for young parents, to guide them through the first years of their children’s lives. This project is part of the ‘EU4Moldova: Focal Regions’ regional development program, funded by the European Union and implemented by UNICEF Moldova.
The ‘Child Development Diary’ is an extension for parents, developed on the basis of the child growth and development standards from 0 to 18 years of age, that contains all the relevant information on child growth and development, including immunization and nutrition.
The diary is a place for parents to put down notes and keep track of hereditary or chronic illnesses. It will also allow them to easily keep track of each visit to the family doctor or specialist doctor.
‘This will keep mothers much more informed. The diary was designed in such a way that it is extremely easy for parents to use. They can even make their own notes and follow the dynamics of their child’s development every day. Since the medical records often remain in hospitals, this diary is to be kept at home and even used later at some point during the child’s adolescence or adulthood’, Natalia Bargan stated, family doctor and acting director of the Ungheni Primary Healthcare Centre.
Natalia Bargan emphasised the importance of monitoring the baby’s health in the first months of life. Therefore, Child Development Diary has a table where mothers can write down when children had allergies and under what circumstances. This way, parents will quickly know what exactly to remove form their baby’s diet.
‘This will keep mothers much more informed. The diary was designed in such a way that it is extremely easy for parents to use.
Elena, 43, from Ungheni, gave birth earlier this year, to her third child – a girl! She got pregnant while she was abroad for work, but decided to return home because, she explained – ‘I wanted to give birth in my country, where I feel safe’.
‘From the very first day after giving birth, I found this guiding diary quite interesting. I had forgotten some things over time because of the 18-year difference between my second pregnancy and this one. This diary helped me remember about newborn sleep patterns, breastfeeding. I think that the information in it is extremely valuable for first-time mothers before anyone else. They will find here all they need to know.’ Elena Bulat stated.
Tatiana Culeac is also one of the beneficiaries from Ungheni. At 36, she gave birth to her second baby.
‘‘This guiding diary is very interesting and useful for parents. I think it contains all one needs to know about child development and growth. We personally found it very helpful. We can keep track of all changes in our child month by month. Now we have started food diversification and we are going by the book. There’s also a food diversification chart letting you know what is the right combination on a monthly basis’, Tatiana stated.
As far as 200 kilometres away from Ungheni, parents from Cahul can also receive such a diary. It contains official, helpful information that allows them to monitor their child’s development at home.
‘The diaries are given to women in their last trimester of pregnancy, as well as to those who have already delivered their babies. They can find all the right information in one place, delivered exactly as it should be – professionally. Infant nutrition is a matter of major importance, and this diary is there to tell parents when and how they can start supplementary feeding. The information in the diary will help parents acquire a better understanding of why the baby cries, what bothers them, the importance of vitamins and when they should be given to the baby. They will also be able to check whether the senses (hearing and sight) are developing according to age.’ said Larisa Chiriac, Deputy Director of the Cahul Health Centre.
‘Being a mother for a month only and a first-time mother on top of that, I was very excited about receiving such a diary. I don't usually look for information on the internet, so this diary is truly welcome.’
The 23-year-old first-time mother – Diana Coev from Ursoaia – is also among the recipients of this specialised information.
‘Being a mother for a month only and a first-time mother on top of that, I was very excited about receiving such a diary. It’s hard when you have no experience. You’re clueless about what to do in the first days when the baby cries, maybe something hurts, maybe they want to sleep. I don't usually look for information on the internet, so this diary is truly welcome.’ Diana Coev shared with us.
Both Ungheni and Cahul districts received over eight thousand copies of the guiding diary, and medical staff have been trained to impress on young parents-to-be the importance of the information it contains.
Over the past year, 900 babies were born in the Ungheni district and more than 800 in Cahul district
In addition to the specialised information for young parents, the medical staff from both districts received specialised training.
Thus, under the project ‘Strengthening the capacity of primary healthcare care workers to provide quality maternal, child and adolescent health services in Cahul and Ungheni regions’ funded by the European Union and implemented by UNICEF and UNDP, about 100 family doctors have been trained in the health and development of children and adolescents, as well as in antenatal care for pregnant women.
Also, around 270 family medical assistants were trained regarding the norms and standards of home surveillance visits for healthy children under the age of 3.
The two districts – Cahul and Ungheni – received 250 medical kits for baby monitoring in outpatient settings. Each kit contains an electronic hand scale set with child holding sling, pedometer and centimeter-marked measuring tape.
The ‘EU4Moldova: Focal Regions’ Program is focused on strengthening child and adolescent health services, in pursuit of ensuring proper child growth and development, and on building the capacity of primary healthcare professionals.
