We start the family planning counseling when the woman is pregnant. Our approach is this: We talk to the mother. Once we’ve established a very good rapport with these mothers, we just pose a question like, “How many more children would you like to have? If this is your first pregnancy or your second pregnancy, when again? Have you thought about it?” If they have not thought about it as individuals, as couples, of course, they’ll now start thinking. “Oh, being pregnant is not the end of everything. There is also life after pregnancy.” So then they start planning. We encourage them to start engaging their spouses or thinking if they’re single mothers they start thinking of planning to give this baby that they are carrying time to grow and be able to grow and be given the utmost standard of life before another baby is conceived.

Robina Anene, Nurse Manager, Mukuru Health Centre Nairobi, Kenya

Family Planning Voices