ACTIVITY 1: IDENTIFICATION:

1. Involution
2. 500 gms
3. Afterpains
4. Lochia
5. 8 weeks
6. Every 15 mins
7. Postpartal exercises
8. Sim's position
9. 4-6 weeks
10. 500 Calories
11. Homan's sign
12. Taking-in phase
13. Strong interest
14. Letting-Go Phase
15. Psychotic episode

ACTIVITY 2:

1.
2. Assess for the fundic height every 15 minutes for the first hour postpartum.
a.1. Be certain the bed is flat for uterine assessment, so the height of the uterus is not
influenced by an elevated position.
a.2. Palpate the fundus of the uterus by placing a hand on the base of the uterus just above the
symphysis pubic and the other at the umbilicus.
a.3. Press in and downward with the hand on the umbilicus until you bump against a firm
globular mass in the abdomen - the uterus fundus.
a.4. Assess the fundic height and measure in finger breadths.
a.5. Never palpate the uterus without supporting the lower segment, as the uterus potentially
can invert if not supported this way and may lead to massive hemorrhage.
3. Lochia rubra Red 1-3 days - Blood, fragments of decidua and mucus (first our-may contain small
clots)
Lochia serosa Pink or Brown 4-9 days - Blood, mucus and invading leukocytes
Lochia alba White 10 days- Largely mucus, high leukocytes (decreased may last for amount of
lochia) 6 weeks.
4. Never palpate the uterus without supporting the lower segment, as the uterus potentially can
invert if not supported this way and may lead to massive hemorrhage.

5. It is important to keep your perineum very clean. This is the area

between the vagina and rectum. It can be swollen and painful after
stretching to allow the baby to be born.
6. b.1. An ice bag applied to the perineum for the first 24 hours after delivery does a great deal to
reduce edema by means of vasoconstriction and thus decrease tension on the suture line.
b.2. Exposing the perineum to a heat lamp after the first postpartum day helps reduce edema by
vasodilatation, promoting healing and providing comfort. With the woman supine on bed (in
dorsal recumbent position) with knees flexed and properly covered with a linen, the heat lamp is
placed between her legs, about 12-16 inches away from the perineum, and left in place for 20
minutes. This is done 3-4 times daily until healing has taken place.
b.3. Place patient on Sim's position to minimize perineal discomfort because it reduces tension
on the suture line.
b.4. Teach post-partum patients to contract the muscles of the perineal floor before sitting
down or standing up, to prevent tissues from being pulled apart.
b.5. Advise patients to use foam rubber rings to sit on to relieve perineal discomfort.
7. e.1. prevent constipation
e.2. Prevent circulatory problems e.g. thrombophlebitis
e.3. Prevent urinary problems
e.4. promote rapid recovery
e.5. hastens drainage of lochia
e.6. improves GI and urinary function e.
7. provide sense of well being
8. In the postpartum period, iron and folic acid supplementation may also
reduce the risk of anaemia by improving iron status of the mother.
9. It's important to pee within six to eight hours of delivery. This keeps urinary
tract infections at bay and prevents any damage and bleeding that can
happen when your bladder gets overly full.
10. Taking-in phase The first 2 or 3 days following delivery is a time of reflection for the woman.
She is so passive that she relies on the nurse or family members to do things for her, even make
decisions for her rather than doing things for herself. The mother focuses upon her own needs
rather than the baby's and her verbalizations center on her reactions to the recent delivery in an
effort to integrate the experience into herself.
Taking-hold phase The next days following the first phase the woman is beginning to do things
for herself and make decisions on her own. This is about the time when she begins to develop
strong interest in caring for her baby. Some women become overly concerned with their bodily
functions such as bladder and bowel control, since these are necessary for independence.
Health teachings regarding self-care, newborn care and family planning can be discussed with
the mother at this time. However, this may also be the time when the newly delivered woman
may experience an overwhelming feeling of sadness that cannot be accounted for. This is called
postpartum blues. These are believed to be the result of hormonal changes, or a response to
dependency or exhaustive, being away from home or sheer anxiety over the newly-acquired
role. The nurse should provide privacy at this time and reassure the mother that this is quite
normal and should not be a cause for alarm. Postpartum blues, however, should not be
confused with postpartum psychosis, the latter being more or less an indication of an
emotionally unstable neurotic personality
Letting-Go Phase In the third phase, the woman finally redefines her new role. She gives up the
fantasized image of her child and accepts the real one; she gives up her old role of being
childless or the mother of only one. This process requires some grief work and readjustment of
relationships similar to what occurred during pregnancy. It is extended and continues during the
child growing years.