Launching continuous kangaroo mother care through participatory action research in Iran

Table 4 Key lessons from this study

Implementation issue	Lessons
Vital elements for successful implementation	• Orientation and education of mothers • Presence of the father • Orientation and training of healthcare personnel aimed at learning and behavior change
Space	The design of the physical space of a KMC ward should • take cultural issues into account • enable the involvement of fathers in C-KMC*
Homely atmosphere in the C-KMC ward	• Mothers need to be kept occupied** • A small library and a TV set can contribute to countering boredom
Ward routines	• Re-visit ward routines to consider mothers’ and babies’ needs and not only those of the physician
Health insurance	• Involve financial managers and insurance administrators in the implementation process

* In our study fathers could only enter the KMC ward if there were no other women in the ward
** The program went well when there were several mothers in the ward or the mother was used to reading or doing handwork (e.g. knitting or embroidering)

ISSN: 1472-6963