Best Practices
AMA-Angra: Birth support
1. Name of the practice
AMA-Angra
2. City
Angra do Heroísmo
3. Years in operation
Since 2022
4. Objectives
Birth preparation course, consisting of 9 modules of 2h, taught by a team of 11 professionals from several areas related to maternal and child health. Conversas de colo, which aims to promote, once a month, a meeting of mothers, with babies inside and outside the womb, where experiences and articles on childcare are shared. In 2023, for the first time, the project will include a course entitled “Healthy Neighborhoods, Happy Children”, aimed at families living in the social districts of Lameirinho, Terra-Chã and São Mateus. The course is composed of 5 modules of 4 hours, with the objectives of informing and qualifying for the purchase, preparation and storage of healthy food, promoting more informed food decisions and encouraging consumption and local production methods that reduce the impacts on the environment, reduce inequalities in the demand and access to nutritionally adequate food. Other initiatives will also be developed under the “AMA Angra” project, namely two exchange fairs for clothes and childcare materials, in articulation with the “Conceição Amiga” project and an awareness event during the World Breastfeeding Week.
5. Description - overwiew
In 2022 the Municipality of Angra do Heroísmo implemented the AMA Angra project. A project made available free of charge to all families in the municipality, with the objective of supporting them in an important stage of their lives, from pregnancy to postpartum. The project was developed, in 2022, in partnership with the association “Olhar Poente” and in 2023 will be developed with the association AMA-Aldeia da Parentalidade. AMA Angra relies on the collaboration of professionals from several areas related to maternal and child health (Nurses, pediatricians, physical therapists, osteopaths, nutritionists, and pilates instructors), Through the project, the municipality provides a set of services, including Roadshow through the 19 parishes of the municipality of Angra do Heroísmo, with individual preconception sessions, for pregnant and adoptive parents/caregivers counseling, return to work support to breastfeeding mothers, food introduction, Babywearing session, awareness about the importance of breastfeeding and other relevant parenting topics. Workshops directed to health professionals, education and parents, where several themes are approached, namely food diversification, feeding from 2 to 6 years old, infant first aid, babywearing, baby massage, exercise during pregnancy and postpartum – Babysigns, humanized childbirth, breastfeeding, non-pharmacological pain relief methods, and extraction and storage of breast milk.
6. Field of application
Services (motherhood and fatherhood support; work-life balance support; sport, leiseure, free time, training and education)
Tariffs and economic support (public tariffs and benefits)
Health (life style; social and medical support; vulnerable families)
Communication (dissemination and information of family policies; commitment)
Involvement of families and family associations
Strategy and evaluation
7. Target
Childrens and all parents and friends
8. Budget
55,000.00€
9 Evaluation - impact - outcomes
Well-being of families and children, as well as the support of a network of good children’s practices in social neighborhoods.
