For the health of your baby and of your entire family, keep your home and your environment clean and free of animal faeces, open containers of water, and rubbish.
Chickens and other animals should be kept in a separate place, away from the family living area, and away from where your baby and other small children play.
Chickens and other animals should not sleep in the same house with the family.
Remember to wash your hands after handling livestock or other animals.
Create a safe space for your baby to play and to explore his or her environment. Consider placing a mat on the ground where your baby can sit and play.
Latrines should be constructed at least 10 metres from the family living area. The latrine should be kept clean and the pit should be kept covered.
Construct a hand washing station (like a tippy tap) near the latrine and next to the kitchen area.
Encourage all members of your family to use the hand washing station to wash their hands with soap and clean, running water after using the latrine and at other important times. See Counselling Card 13 for more information about washing to prevent disease.
Keep a piece of soap near your hand washing station. You can keep it safe from being eaten by animals, or from falling on the ground, by hanging it on a string next to or attached to the tippy tap.
Remember that a child’s faeces can spread illness just like adult faeces. Before a child is old enough to use the latrine, you need to throw his or her faeces into the latrine or bury it.
Wash your hands with soap and clean, running water after cleaning your baby’s bottom and disposing of the faeces in a safe way.
Notes for the community health worker:Offer advice about how to construct a latrine, tippy tap or other handwashing station if the family does not know how to do it. See your Counsellor’s Book Part 2: Technical Notes.
