11.1 Introduction
Learning Objectives
- Identify appropriate nursing and medical care for the postpartum client
- Identify common postpartum complications and related nursing interventions
- Determine teaching concepts related to postpartum care, including identification of community resources
- Describe pharmacological and nonpharmacological therapeutic interventions used with the postpartum client
- Determine assessment data for a healthy postpartum client, including labs and diagnostics
- Identify factors influencing client’s individual choices, such as culture, values, and religion
The postpartum period begins immediately after delivery of the newborn and placenta and lasts approximately six weeks. This period of time is sometimes referred to as “the fourth trimester.” During the postpartum period, many physiological and psychosocial changes take place. The mother’s body systems revert to a nonpregnant state, lactation is initiated if the client chooses to breastfeed, and family dynamics change as the infant is welcomed into the family.
Nursing care during the immediate postpartum period involves conducting physical and psychosocial assessments, monitoring for complications, implementing interventions to provide comfort and prevent infection, and providing health teaching about several postpartum topics as the family prepares to be discharged home. The nurse is very attuned to facilitating bonding and empowering the new family. See Figure 11.1 for an image of a postpartum mother and her newborn.
Figure 11.1 Postpartum Mother and Newborn (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Postpartum_baby2.jpg )
A:”Postpartum_baby2.jpg” by Tom Adriaenssen is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0