[The low-birthweight child: everyday care given within the family context]

The aim of this study was to know the care given to low birth weight newborns and the cultural context in which it occurs. The method used to gather information was participant observation and interviews of the mothers of these babies in the district they live in Porto Alegre. Through ethnographic analysis with the construction of cultural domains, according to Spradley, the study wishes to document the child care and the relations between the mothers and the professionals of health care institutions. The cultural findings point out that there is a need to discuss the practice of perinatal care, especially to low birth weight newborns and also include cultural aspects into this care.