ROHILKHAND COLLEGE OF NURSING, BAREILLY

Procedure Checklist
Postnatal Exercises
Check (√) Yes or No
S.No PROCEDURE STEPS 1 2 3 4 5
.
1 Explain the procedure to patient
2 Provide privacy.
3 Wash hands.
I Abdominal Exercise
a. Abdominal breathing:
- Instruct the woman to assume a supine position with knees bent.
- Instruct her to inhale through the nose, keep the rib cage as stationary
as possible, and allow the abdomen to expand and then contract the
abdominal muscles as she exhales slowly through the mouth.
- Instruct her to place one hand on the chest and one on the abdomen
when inhaling. The hand on the abdomen should rise and the hand on
the chest should remain stationary
- Repeat the exercise five times.
b. Head lift
This exercise can be started within a few days after child birth
- Instruct the mother to lie supine with knees bent and arms out-
stretched at her side.
- Instruct her to inhale deeply at first and then exhale while lifting the
head slowly, to hold the position for a few seconds and relax.
c. Head and shoulder raising:
- On the second postpartum day instruct woman to:
- Lie flat without pillow and raise head until the chin touches the chest.
- On the 3rd postpartum day instruct her to:
- Raise both head and shoulder off the bed and lower them slowly.
- Gradually increase the number of repetition subtil she is able to do this
for 10 times.
d. Leg raising:
The exercise may begin on the 7th postpartum day. Instruct woman to:
- Lie down on the floor with no pillows under the head, point toe and
slowly raise one leg keeping the knees straight.
- Lower the leg slowly.
- Gradually increases to ten time each leg.
e. Pelvic tilting or rocking:
Instruct woman to:
- Lie flat on the floor with knees bent and feet flat, inhale and while
exhaling flatten the back hard against the floor so that there is no space
between the back and the floor.
- Inhale normally hold breath for upto 10 seconds and then relax
- Repeat upto 10 times.
f. Knee and leg rolling
Instruct woman to:
- Lie flat on her back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor or bed.
- Keep the shoulders and feet stationary and roll the knees to side to
touch first one side of the bed, then the other.
- Maintain a smooth motion as the exercise is repeated five timesa
- Later, as flexibility increases, the exercise can be varied by the rolling
of one knee only (the mother rolls her left knee to touch the right side
of the bed, return to center and rolls the right knee to touch the left side
of the bed.)
g. Hip hitching:
Instruct mother to:
- Lie on her back with one knee bent and the other knee straight
 - Slide the heel of the straight leg downwards, thus lengthening the leg
- Shorten the same leg by drawing the hip up towards the ribs on the
same side.
- Repeat up to 10 times keeping the abdomen pulled in.
- Change to the opposite side and repeat.
h. Abdominal tightening
Instruct woman to:
- Sit comfortably or kneel on all fours
- Breath in and out, then pull in the lower part of the abdomen below the
umbilicus while continuing to breath normally
- Hold for up to 10 second
- Repeat up to 10 times
II Circulatory exercises
a. Foot and leg exercises
Instruct mother to:
- Sit or half lie with legs supported
- Bend and stretch the ankles at least 12 times
- Circle both feet at the ankle at least 20 times in each direction
- Brace both knees, hold for a count of four, then relax
- Repeat 12 times.
III Pelvic floor exercises
(Kegal exercise)
Instruct woman to:
- Sit, stand or half-lie with legs slightly apart, close and draw up around
the anal passage as through preventing a bowel action, then repeat for
front passages (vagina and urethra) as if to stop the flow of urine in
midstream
- Hold the contraction for ten seconds (to count of six)
- This repeat upto ten times
- Continue to do this exercise for 2 to 3 months
- After three months if the mother is able to cough deeply with a full
bladder without leaking urine, she may stop the exercise
- If leaking occurs, she may continue the exercise for the rest of her life.
IV Chest exercise
Instruct mother to:
- Lie flat with arms extended straight out to the side, bring both hands
together above the chest, while keeping the arms straight, hold for a
few seconds and return to the starting position.
- Repeat the exercise five times initially and follow the advice of the
healthcare provider for increasing the number of ripitions.
- Instruct the mother to bend her elbows, clasp her hands together above
her chest, and press her hands together for a few seconds.
Total Score
Obtained Score
Percentage
Remark

Name of the student_____________________________ Date_________________ 

Course__________________________________ Class ________________

Name of Instructor/Evaluator: _______________________ Ward/Unit________________

Signature: __________________________

6- Highly Satisfactory – 85-100 Percentage

5 -Satisfactory – 69 – 84 Percentage
4 -Moderately Satisfactory- 52 to 68 Percentages
3 - Moderately Unsatisfactory- 35 to 51 Percentages
2 -Unsatisfactory – 18 to 34 Percentages
1 - Highly Unsatisfactory – 0-17 Percentage

Note:
1. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 denoting attempt made by the students
2. Each statement will be score by Yes/No and yes contain 1 point & no contain zero point
3. Students who get 85 % or above will get full satisfactory and below will have to make attempt till the
candidate get 85% or above

Remarks by Evaluator:________________________________________________________

PRINCIPAL