Newborn and Postpartum Nursing Care Flashcards

These vocabulary flashcards cover newborn assessments (APGAR, maturity classifications, phases) and postpartum maternal care including mental health (Baby blues, Depression, Psychosis) and physical assessments (BUBBLE HE, fundal care, and Lochia stages).

APGAR Score

A scale from $0-10$ used to describe newborn wellbeing after birth, typically assessed at $1$ minute and $5$ minutes post-delivery.

APGAR (A)

Appearance (skin color).

APGAR (P)

Pulse.

APGAR (G)

Grimace (reaction & reflection).

APGAR (A - Activity)

Activity (muscle tone).

APGAR (R)

Respiratory effort.

APGAR Score $0-3$

Indicates severe distress; requires full resuscitation.

APGAR Score $4-6$

Indicates moderate distress; requires interventions such as oxygen, suction, and stimulation of the baby.

APGAR Score $7-10$

Indicates adequate wellbeing; provide routine post-delivery care including warming the baby and encouraging feeding.

Full term infant

A newborn whose skin is opaque with the presence of vernix and other signs of maturity.

Preterm infant

A newborn with smooth, shiny, and gooey skin (lots of vernix) that is translucent and extremely flexible.

Post term infant

A larger, chunky, and non-flexible baby with skin that is dry, cracked, and peeled on the hands and feet.

NB Assessment Phase 1

Stabilization, which includes the APGAR score.

NB Assessment Phase 2

Infant physical exam.

NB Assessment Phase 3

Routine care.

Baby blues

A short-term condition lasting $10$ days or less characterized by crying, sadness, fatigue, and exhaustion; usually resolves on its own.

Post Partum Depression

A condition that stops the mother's ability to function, occurring for $2-8$ weeks with onset within $4$ weeks of delivery; symptoms include debilitating anxiety, panic, and apathy.

Post Partum Psychosis

A rare and severe condition where the mother loses touch with reality, occurring within $2-3$ weeks of delivery; history of bipolar disorder is a risk factor.

Fetal demise

A stillborn infant that died before or during delivery.

BUBBLE HE

An acronym for postpartum assessment: Breast, Uterus, Bladder, Bowels, Lochia, Episiotomy (though the transcript focuses on the first five).

Normal Fundus

A fundus that is firm, midline, and level to the umbilicus (belly button), indicating the uterus is contracting to normal size.

Displaced Fundus

A fundus that is not midline, often caused by a full bladder; interventions include having the patient void every $2$ hours or using an in & out catheter.

Uterine atony

A soft or boggy fundus that increases the risk for hemorrhaging; requires fundal massage or oxytocin infusion.

Bladder Distention Intervention

Allow the patient to void frequently and apply ice to the perineum in the first $24$ hours to reduce pain and swelling.

Postpartum Bowel Care

Prevent constipation and straining to protect lacerations or episiotomies using stool softeners, laxatives, increased fluids, fiber, and movement.

Lochia

The inner lining of the uterus that sloughs off after birth; assessment includes amount, color, odor, and presence of clots.

Excessive postpartum bleeding

Saturating $1$ pad every $15$ minutes; an abnormal finding that must be reported.

Lochia Rubra

Red discharge occurring during the first few days ($3-4$ days) after birth.

Lochia Serosa

Pink/brown discharge occurring during the second phase, lasting from day $4$ to day $10$.

Lochia Alba

White/clear discharge occurring during the third phase, lasting from day $10$ to day $28$ before discharge ceases.