Discharge from the NICU marks the beginning of a new phase of care as a preterm baby transitions home. This period requires continued attention to feeding, hygiene, warmth, immunization, follow-up appointments, and other care needs that support healthy growth and development.

With our MamaCare360 NICUPlus Programme, WBFA midwives help mothers prepare for this transition by building their knowledge, confidence, and ability to provide appropriate care at home. They offer practical support, answer mothers’ questions, reinforce safe care practices, and help mothers recognize situations that require prompt medical attention.

Consistent follow-up and appropriate home care can support healthy growth, reduce preventable complications, and promote better outcomes for preterm babies after NICU discharge. A well-supported transition from hospital to home helps maintain continuity of care during this important stage of newborn development.

#ThriveThursday

1. MYTH: Hot water cleans hands better.
FACT: Water temperature matters less than proper technique. Washing hands thoroughly with soap and clean running water for at least 20 seconds helps remove germs that can contribute to infections in mothers and babies.

2. MYTH: Hand sanitiser kills all germs.
FACT: Alcohol-based hand sanitiser reduces many germs but does not eliminate every type. It is also less effective on visibly dirty or greasy hands. For mothers and caregivers, knowing when to use soap and water is essential for safer newborn and maternal care.

3. MYTH: Frequent handwashing damages the skin, so I should wash less often.
FACT: Frequent washing may cause dryness, but hand hygiene should not be skipped. Mothers, caregivers and health workers should maintain regular hand hygiene and moisturise appropriately to help protect the skin while reducing the spread of infection to themselves and their babies.

4. MYTH: Cloth towels are unhygienic.
FACT: Clean, dry and properly managed reusable towels can effectively dry hands. Regular washing and appropriate handling are important, particularly in households where mothers and newborns require frequent caregiving.

5. MYTH: Hand sanitiser is always better than soap and water.
FACT: Soap and clean running water are preferred when hands are visibly dirty or greasy. Effective hand hygiene is especially important before preparing food, feeding a baby, handling expressed breast milk, changing nappies or providing newborn care.

Through the WBFA – @Dettolnigeria Hygiene Quest Programme, the Wellbeing Foundation Africa promotes practical hygiene and infection-prevention practices that help mothers, caregivers, children and communities protect their health and wellbeing.

#Maternalmonday #Hygienequest

For preterm babies, every opportunity to support healthy growth and development matters. Mother’s own milk provides essential nutrients and protective components that support growth, development and protection from illness.

In Nigeria, only 29% of infants aged 0–5 months are exclusively breastfed, while just 36% are breastfed within the first hour of birth. These gaps reinforce the need for timely, practical and sustained support for mothers to initiate and continue breastfeeding.

For mothers of preterm babies, providing breast milk can present additional challenges, particularly when a baby is too small or medically vulnerable to breastfeed directly.

Through MamaCare360 NICUPlus, mothers of preterms receive breastfeeding counselling and practical support to express, safely store and provide their own milk when direct breastfeeding is not yet possible. The programme also supports health facilities with breast pumps and guidance to help mothers maintain milk expression throughout their baby’s neonatal care.

This enables mothers to remain actively involved in their baby’s nutrition while the baby receives the specialised care needed in the NICU. Because when mothers are supported, they are better equipped to provide the nourishment their babies need to grow, develop and thrive.

#ThriveThursday

Good hygiene at home is more than keeping things visibly clean. Some everyday habits can easily be overlooked and create opportunities for germs to spread.

Here are some common family hygiene mistakes to watch out for:

▫️Not washing hands at the right times: Wash hands before preparing or eating food, after using the toilet, handling waste, or coughing and sneezing.

▫️Sharing personal items: Towels, toothbrushes, razors and other personal items can transfer germs between family members and should not be shared.

▫️ Neglecting high-touch surfaces: Door handles, taps, light switches, remote controls and phones can collect germs and should be cleaned regularly.

▫️Leaving wet items around: Damp towels, sponges and cleaning cloths can allow germs to multiply. Wash, dry and replace them regularly.

▫️Improper food handling: Keep raw and cooked foods separate, use clean utensils, and wash hands before handling food.

▫️Overlooking water storage: Store drinking water in clean, covered containers and handle it in ways that prevent contamination.

The WBFA-Dettol Hygiene Quest Programme continues to promote everyday hygiene practices that help families make safer choices at home and in their communities. Good hygiene is built into daily routines, and when these habits are practiced consistently, they can help reduce the spread of germs and create cleaner, healthier spaces for everyone.
Good hygiene starts with the habits we practice every day.

 #WASH Wednesday

From Clean Plates to Clean Cities

As the world commemorated the World CleanupDay yesterday we are reminded that more than one billion meals are wasted globally each day, contributing to environmental pollution and the loss of valuable resources. The UNEP Food Waste Index Report 2024 estimates that 1.05 billion tonnes of food were wasted at household, food-service and retail levels in 2022.

The World Cleanup Day 2026 theme, “From Clean Plates to Clean Cities,” highlights how responsible food and waste management can contribute to healthier communities.

Through the WBFA - @dettolnigeria Hygiene Quest Programme, the Wellbeing Foundation Africa is advancing practical WASH knowledge and responsible environmental practices across communities. By engaging households, schools and community members, WBFA promotes everyday actions that help reduce environmental contamination, improve hygiene and protect community health.

From reducing avoidable food waste to disposing of refuse responsibly and keeping shared spaces clean, WBFA continues to support communities in turning practical hygiene knowledge into healthier environments.

#WorldCleanupDay2026 #WASH #Hygiene #FoodWaste #CleanCommunities

Worldwide, 1 in 5 mothers experiences a perinatal mood and anxiety disorder, while an estimated 7 in 10 women hide or downplay their symptoms. Across Nigeria and Africa, the World Health Organization @who estimates that perinatal mental health conditions affect 10–30% of mothers, with stigma, fragmented health systems and social expectations often making it harder for women to seek support.

At the Wellbeing Foundation Africa (WBFA), we are working to make maternal mental health an integral part of quality maternal care. Through #MamaCare360, WBFA-trained midwives incorporate mental health screening into maternal health engagement, creating safe spaces where women can speak openly about their emotional wellbeing and receive appropriate guidance and referral.

The WBFA Postpartum Mental Health Checklist, embedded and validated within Nigeria’s National Mother and Child Health Handbook, further supports the identification of women who may require additional care, helping to connect mothers with the right level of support at the right time.

We believe every mother deserves care that recognises not only her physical health, but her emotional and mental wellbeing too.

Strengthening maternal mental health requires action across the health system: routine screening at maternal care touchpoints, adequately supported frontline health workers, effective referral pathways, and services that respond to women with competence, dignity and compassion.

#Frontlinefriday #MaternalMHMatters #MamaCare360 #StrongerTogether