Saberes y experiencias de autocuidado durante el puerperio inmediato y mediato en madres de la comunidad Pichic de la provincia de Loja

Abstract

Abstract: The puerperium is defined as the period of six to eight weeks following childbirth and is subdivided into three distinct stages: the immediate, mid term and late phases. The stages are consideres to be of fundamental importance for the recovery of the mother and her adaptation to the postpartum period. It is evident that the practice of self care during the puerperium has the capacity to reduce postpartum pain, while concomitantly ensuring the successful initiation of breastfeeding and facilitating the process of uterine recovery. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that implementation of such practices can serve to reduce stress levels. In indigenous communities such as Pichic, cultural beliefs and traditional practices have a significant influence on self care during the postpartum period. The following activities are of particular interest: mobilization and exposure to hot or cold temperatures, consumption of drinks based on medicinal plants, warm food for physical recovery, massages to minimize bone pain, reduce hemorrhaging and improve breast milk production. The present study has a qualitative approach with a phenomenological design that seeks to interpret the knowledge and self-care experiences in the postpartum period of mothers from the Pichic community. Therefore, sampling does not apply. For data collection, interviews were conducted with 5 women aged 19 to 45, both primiparous and multiparous, all with eutocic births, until data saturation, that is, until the information provided by the participants was repeated. The research under discussion herein describes the subjects sociodemographic characteristics and includes their ancestral knowledge and experiences.