“Because my Husband and I Have Never Had a Baby Before…” Results and Lessons from Interventions with First-Time Parents in Madagascar, Mozambique, and Nigeria

This technical brief presents findings and lessons learned from small-scale interventions implemented by the Maternal and Child Survival Program (MCSP) with first-time parents (FTPs) in three diverse settings. This presentation of cross-country learning is intended to help program implementers design effective interventions for FTPs and to inform future research and learning agendas. This document first describes the three intervention approaches and the data sources from which findings and lessons are drawn. Cross-country findings comprise deepened insights into FTPs and their needs, including the diverse profiles of FTPs and the FTP life course, and factors shaping health care use and non-use, including social norms and health systems factors. Cross-cutting implementation lessons include approaches and challenges in engagement of first-time mothers and their male partners through group-based and home visit approaches, and engagement of community and family. It concludes with recommendations for future program and research investments and also share additional resources for further information.