MOIRA MAE B.

BALITE BSN 2A

POST PARTUM CARE

Definition:
Postpartum care is the intervention after childbirth, starting within an hour after the delivery of
the placenta and extends through the following six weeks.  The care includes the prevention, early
detection and treatment of complications, and the provision of counselling on breastfeeding, birth
spacing, immunization and maternal nutrition.

Purpose:
To assist and support the woman’s recovery to the pre-pregnant state and identify deviations from
the norm; educate the mother about her own self-care, newborn feeding, and newborn care; and promote
bonding between the newborn and family.

Materials:
 Sphygmomanometer  Bath blanket
 Thermometer  Clean gloves
 Peripad  Basin with warm water at 43°C-46°C
 Weighing equipment for weighing  Soap
discharge on peripad  Wash cloth
 Bath towel

Direction: Score the following steps according to the rating scale:

3 – Excellent
2 – Satisfactory
1 – Needs Practice
0 – Not Performed

PROCEDURE RATIONALE RATING Remarks

1. Assess/describe the 
Physiologic and Psychologic
changes that occur in the
postpartal woman.
2. Review plans for post
partal care, examinations and
laboratory findings.
Assessment is vital to identify
the mother’s needs or potential
problems. It is important to
assess physiologic and
psychological changes (which
may include depression, anxiety,
and insomnia) because it might
affect the woman permanently if
not given the appropriate
attention and care.
 Assessment shows if the client is
adapting properly to her new
roles and responsibilities.
 Assessing the client will help the
care provider decide what care
plan is needed for the client.
Reviewing plan and data of the
mother is necessary to be certain that
she is recovering well and if any
procedures or additional diagnostic
MOIRA MAE B. BALITE BSN 2A

tests need to be performed. The

3. Prepare the things needed.
results of the laboratory tests may
provide hints to emerging problems.
Preparing the equipment and
supplies needed promotes
organization which saves time and
energy.

4. Identify and explain the Explaining the procedure provides

procedure to the client. the client with necessary knowledge
to alleviate fears and anxiety. It also
provides client the opportunity to ask
any clarification and builds the
nurse-patient relationship.
5. Take vital signs.  Vital signs are important in
detecting or monitoring medical
problems that may arise after
childbirth.
 Vital signs give us baseline data
when a client is healthy to
compare to the patient’s
condition when they aren’t
healthy.
 Early recognition of abnormal
vital signs, including heart rate
(HR), blood pressure (BP),
respiratory rate, oxygen
saturation and temperature can
allow for timely identification of
clinical deterioration. 
6. Check by  Assessing lochia (postpartum
counting/weighing and bleeding, containing blood,
assess the amount of lochia mucus, and uterine tissue)
with the following determines normal progress of
guidelines: the postpartum period and
a. Scant amount: blood facilitate early detection of
only on tissue when abnormalities and problems.
wiped or less that 1-  A significant amount of lochia
inch stain on the despite a firm fundus may
peripad within 1 hour. indicate a laceration in the birth
b. Light amount: less canal, which should be addressed
than 4-inch stain on immediately.
peripad within 1 hour.  Too much lochia may indicate
c. Moderate amount: less hemorrhage.
than 6-inch stain on  Bleeding is heaviest for the first
the peripad within 1 three to 10 days, then it will
hour. taper off — going from red to
d. Heavy amount: pink to brown to yellowish-
saturated peripad white.
within 1 hour.
MOIRA MAE B. BALITE BSN 2A

*Peripad can be weighed,

with 1gram = 1mL of
blood
7. Note for the odor, blood  Vaginal discharge checking may
clots if present, and color of facilitate early detection of
discharge. abnormalities and problems.
Color of lochia:  Foul-smelling lochia typically
a. Rubra: dark red, 1-4 indicates an infection and needs
days to be addressed as soon as
b. Serosa: brownish, possible.
pinkish, 4-7 days  A normal lochia has fleshy odor
c. Alba: cream colored with small clots and red or
discharge/14 to reddish brown color. Abnormal
puerperium lochia has foul odor, large clots,
and saturated pad with bright red
color.

8. Check fundal height by  Checking fundal height is used

the use of your finger to assess the rate of uterine
breadths and firmness. involution and helps to ensure if
Massage gently the uterus uterus is contracting properly.
and applying ice cap over the  The fundus shall be measured for
fundus. by approximately one hour after
birth, the fundus shall be firm
and at the umbilicus.
 The height of the uterine fundus
decreases approximately 1 cm
per day until it is no longer
palpable at 10 days’ postpartum.
9. Assist the perineal care.  Perineal care will help the
perineum heal faster, feel better,
and help prevent infection.
 Providing assistance guarantees
the effectiveness of perineal care
MOIRA MAE B. BALITE BSN 2A

10. Teach the client to:  Good nutrition helps the

a. eat good nutrition mother’s body to recover and
b. increase fluid intake gives her the energy she needs
c. Breastfeeding per to care for the baby.
demand and proper  Increasing fluid intake is
burping. important since breast milk
production significantly
increases a mother’s water loss.
 Breastfeeding on demand helps
ensure that babies get enough
milk especially during the early
weeks.
 Burping helps to get rid of some
of the air that babies tend to
swallow during feeding. Not
being burped often and
swallowing too much air can
make a baby spit up, or seem
cranky or gassy.
11. Prevent/alleviate breast  Breast hygiene is important for
engorgement and promote both the mother and the child to
breast hygiene by: avoid complications. Providing
a. Application of warm adequate and appropriate
compress or standing maintenance of breast hygiene
under a warm shower. helps in establishing normal milk
b. Good support from bra flow during puerperium and also
offers a degree of prevents infections.
relief.  Preparation and motivation for
c. Washing her breast breast feeding should begin from
daily at the time of her second trimester of pregnancy.
bath or shower. Soap Nipples should be examined for
should be avoided. its normalcy and procreativity.
 Due to its elements, the use of
soap may be harmful to the
breastfeeding baby
12. Assist her in post-natal  Giving assistance guarantees
exercises. protection and correct
movements to execute.
 Post-natal exercise facilitates the
recovery of the muscles from
giving birth.
 May relieve stress and help to
prevent postnatal depression.
13. Conduct postnatal The postnatal examination
physical examination. guarantees that no injuries or
complications have arisen during the
procedure.
MOIRA MAE B. BALITE BSN 2A

14. Give health guidelines To make sure that the infant is

about family planning and receiving proper care and promotes
immunizations and parenting long term safety from illnesses.
roles.
15. Schedule postpartal To make sure the mother is
home visits and check-up. recovering well from labor and birth.
Postpartum care is important because
new moms are at risk of serious and
sometimes life-threatening health
complications.
16. Evaluate the To assess if the interventions are
interventions. efficient and effective to the patient
17. Document any findings, To update the data and to ensure
procedures and health continuity of care for this may be the
teachings done. legal basis for future refences.

Pilliteri, A. (2014). Maternal & Child Health Nursing: Care of the Childbearing &Childrearing
Family (7th Ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer.

INSTRUCTOR : Sir Richard Dumaguit, RN AVERAGE: _______________________

DATE : __________________________