Post Partum

Vito Andolini · Jun 21, 2008

It's been a long time but here's what I recall.

Check Mom for: lochia, fundal firmness or bogginess, VS, breasts (painful, any sign of infection, arrival of colustrum), perineal bleed, pain, stitches intact if episiotomy, ability to void, deal with any hemorrhoids, incision issues for C Section, complications of C Section (based on type of anesthetic used and whether or not surgery was uneventful or not, leg or other source clots/embolism), manage IV's, pain management, bonding with baby, family/SO support, teaching about baby care - we used to teach breastfeeding or formula prep/storage/etc., diapering and bathing baby, umbilical area care, circ care; I'm sure there is a lot more.

Baby: mec and void, umbilicus, VS, circ, if normal newborn it is certainly a much different show than if baby is compromised in any way; bonding, feeding, blood draw (heel stick) for any required tests, give "required" vaccinations, make sure parents have car seat for leaving hospital, try to ascertain if home setting is healthy, help Mom get set up with Pediatrician, SIDS avoidance teaching, just so much to think about. Certainly, there is a whole lot more.

Are you considering working this area?

BiologyNerd · Jun 21, 2008

Yes, my choices ranked in order from favorite are: Post partum, level 2 nicu, labor and delivery, and pediatrics

mom2michael, MSN, RN, NP · Jun 26, 2008

We do not do couplet care, mom has a nurse, baby has a nurse and so our set up is a bit different than most. We are also cross trained to do it all (which I'm in the process of doing right now) so that we can be flexible according to staffing at the time.

So when we do PP we are strictly the mommy nurse. We also do not have techs. So my morning starts out with VS and assessments which includes everything listed by the previous poster. Questions and answer session usually takes place during this time. The baby most likely is at the nursery for the doctor visit, so I really have mom and dad's full attention at the moment so I seize that moment and do some early am teaching.

Our vag deliveries stay 24 hours and C-sections about 48 hours so after my 0900 meds (usually a PNV and Tylenol or Motrin) I start on any d/c for the day. If I don't have any going home in the am, I work on more patient teaching, breast feeding questions, etc....There is a lot of patient teaching involved and you really have to learn to seize the moment.

If the WB nurse is busy, the PP nurse is the baby nurse at deliveries which is awesome and really fun. We help catch the baby, then take the baby to the warmer for their stats and get them all dry and cleaned up. This is probably the single most favorite part of my job. We also get to stay and help the parents with bonding and breast feeding which is great. Our babies stay with mom and dad for about 2 hours and then they have to go to the nursery for about an hour so the WB nurse can do her stuff (like the bath, assessment, etc).

While the baby is in the nursery, the PP nurse works on moving mom to another room (we don't have LDRP rooms), getting her up for the first time (if she can) and getting her all cleaned up from the delivery. That process takes right at an hour so more than likely the baby is back from the nursery about the time mom is ready to have her baby back.

I really enjoy PP. My favorite aspect is the patient teaching. Most parents just suck up the info you give them like sponges and it's so fun to help and watch them bond with their new baby. And I just love to watch new moms learn to breast feed and get so excited when the baby latches on for the first time.