Postpartum and Newborn Care Lecture Review

Flashcards covering key concepts from the lecture on postpartum maternal and newborn care, including assessments, common conditions, interventions, and reflexes.

What are three aspects to assess when observing a mother's meal in the postpartum period?

Side, shape, and color.

What is the typical timeframe for a mother's milk to 'come in' after delivery?

Two to five days.

What is the term for the painful fullness a mother experiences when her milk comes in?

Engorgement.

What are two strategies to help manage maternal engorgement?

Frequent feeding every two to three hours and gentle pumping to relieve pressure.

What signs in the breast could indicate mastitis?

Heat or redness.

Nodules in the breast tissue could be a sign of what condition?

Clogged milk ducts.

What does a non-firming uterus put the postpartum mother at risk for?

Hemorrhage.

How much should the uterus typically descend per day after delivery?

About one centimeter a day.

What action should a nurse take if the fundus is found to be boggy?

Massage it.

What medication can be administered to stimulate uterine contractions if massage is insufficient to firm the fundus?

Pitocin.

What is a common cause for a boggy fundus that is displaced to the right?

A distended bladder.

Why does bladder distension impede uterine contraction?

It pushes the uterus up, preventing it from descending and contracting effectively.

What intervention is used for postpartum urinary retention?

Straight catheterization.

What are three interventions to help prevent postpartum constipation?

Hydration, high-fiber foods, and daily stool softeners.

What are common treatments for postpartum hemorrhoids?

Witch hazel pads, bidets, or sitz baths.

How long is bright red lochia (rubra) typically expected after delivery?

One to three (or one to four) days.

What type of lochia follows rubra, appearing pink-tan-brown?

Lochia serosa.

What is the most severe type of perineal tear, extending to the anal sphincter and rectum?

A fourth-degree tear.

What are two major risk factors for deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in the postpartum mother?

Hypercoagulability and immobility during labor.

What are two methods to prevent DVT in postpartum mothers?

Early ambulation and the use of sequential compression devices (SCDs).

What is the key difference between 'baby blues' and postpartum depression?

Baby blues are transient (first two weeks) and don't significantly affect bonding/ADLs, while postpartum depression is more severe, prolonged, and does.

What three signs differentiate postpartum depression from baby blues?

Trouble bonding with the baby, persistent sleep issues, and significant, unmanageable mood swings.

What instruction should be given to a mother with a cold sore regarding her newborn?

Refrain from kissing the baby and practice strict hand hygiene due to the risk of septic infection in the newborn.

Why is Vitamin K administered to newborns?

To prevent bleeding by helping to develop clotting factors, which newborns initially lack.

What is the purpose of applying erythromycin ointment to a newborn's eyes?

To prevent blindness caused by gonorrhea and chlamydia.

What are the four immediate needs of a newborn that require assessment and intervention if necessary?

Patent airway, breathing, circulation, and thermoregulation.

What happens to the ductus arteriosus and ductus venosus after a baby takes its first breath?

They close and become ligaments.

What is the primary reason for performing a rectal temperature as the first temperature assessment on a newborn?

To verify the patency of the anus.

What are the three classic signs of respiratory distress in a newborn?

Grunting, flaring nares, and retracting.

Where is the best place to observe for retractions in a newborn?

On their belly (abdominal breathing).

What are three key benefits of immediate skin-to-skin contact for a stable newborn?

Regulation of temperature, vital signs, and blood sugar for the baby, and stimulation of milk production for the mother.

What is caput succedaneum?

Fluid accumulation between the scalp and skull from birth trauma that resolves on its own.

What is a cephalohematoma?

A collection of blood under the scalp.

What is a newborn with a cephalohematoma at higher risk for, and why?

Jaundice, due to the breakdown of pooled blood cells that produces bilirubin.

What are the soft, downy hairs covering a newborn's body called?

Lanugo.

Why is it common practice to delay a newborn's first bath?

To allow for thermoregulation and to promote skin-to-skin bonding with the mother.

What is kernicterus, and what causes it in newborns?

Neurological damage caused by very high, untreated bilirubin levels affecting the brain.

What is the primary risk factor for a mother having a baby with Down Syndrome?

Advanced maternal age (35 years or older).

What is a characteristic sign of spina bifida that may be visible at the base of a newborn's spine?

A dimple, pit, or abnormal tuft of hair.

Describe the Moro (startle) reflex in a newborn.

Arms and legs extend and then abduct, and the thumb and forefinger spread to form a 'C' shape in response to a sudden stimulus.