Unit 1.6 Understand the needs of the mother and baby during pre-conception,

pregnancy and the first years of life

LO3. Understand post-natal care [AC 3.1]

Time: 10 mins• What does post-natal care mean to you?• Silent debate

Learning outcomesUnderstand post-natal care.• Identify the meaning of post natal care• Discuss the consequences for mother and baby if post-natal care is not

given• Identify checks in which would be carried out on baby before they go

homeDescribe post-natal care for:

• mother• baby

• Note the stresses and Nice things a mother would face when having a baby

• Describe signs, symptoms and treatments for post natal depession • Explain how to support a Parent suffering from post natal depression

• The mother will be assessed by a midwife before she leaves hospital for the ‘baby blues’, any pain or fatigue,

• the midwife will then check with the new mother again six weeks after the baby’s birth

• This check will look at weight, urine testing , blood pressure and a breast check

• Mothers will be offered rubella vaccination if they were found to be not immune during their pregnancy

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/Pages/postnatal-check.aspx#close

LO3. Understand post-natal care [AC 3.1]

Post-natal care

Time: 10 mins • Discuss in pairs what you think the consequences could be for

the mother if she did not get these antenatal checks. • Share these with the rest of the group.

LO3. Understand post-natal care [AC 3.1]

Before the baby goes home the paediatrician will check for: • Jaundice, thrush, nappy rash, that baby has passed

meconium and is not constipated or has diarrhoea.• The baby will also will weighed and have a hearing

screening.• How well the baby is feeding will be monitored. • After ten days baby will be discharged from the midwife’s

care to that of the health visitor.

LO3. Understand post-natal care [AC 3.1]

Before the baby goes home

Time: 15 mins • Discuss the importance of the post-natal checks for the baby. • Discuss the outcomes from the Pairs activities.

LO3. Understand post-natal care [AC 3.1]

Time: 15 mins• Each group will be given a post-natal check. Find out about this

check, gathering as much information as you can.• Share your group’s information with the other groups.• Puerperium – Group 1 http://

patient.info/doctor/postnatal-care-puerperium • The Post natal check six weeks after birth – Group 2 http://

www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/postnatal-check.aspx#close

• The baby’s six-week check – Group 3 http://www.babycentre.co.uk/a1047814/your-postnatal-check

LO3. Understand post-natal care [AC 3.1]

In Pairs discuss and note What are the stressful and nice things for mothers when having a baby?

Compete your table

Task

Stressful NicePregnancy

Childbirth

The first few weeks

Money

Partner

Sleep

• A new mother will be observed for signs of post-natal depression. This can affect them in many ways and the symptoms can be very serious if they go undetected.

• 10–15% of new mothers will suffer from post-natal depression.

• Post-natal psychosis is a severe form of post-natal depression and is relatively rare with 0.1–0.2% of new mothers suffering.

LO3. Understand post-natal care [AC 3.1]

Post-natal depression

Time: 15 mins• Read your given articles note the signs and symptoms a new

mother may show that indicate that she may be suffering from post-natal depression.

• What are the biggest factors of post natal depression?• What can be the effect of post-natal depression on the

mother and the baby?• What treatments are available?

LO3. Understand post-natal care [AC 3.1]

Time 10: mins One of the new mothers in the nursery has been displaying the signs and symptoms of post-natal depression. • As a nursery practitioner what could you do to support this

mother?

LO3. Understand post-natal care [AC 3.1]

• Good communication between the health care professionals and the mothers is essential.

• The information given to new mothers should be personalised to their individual needs.

• The post-natal care period is the first 6–8 weeks.

LO3. Understand post-natal care [AC 3.1]

Professional conduct

Time: 15 mins• Design a leaflet to support a new mother through the post-

natal period, include information on:• checks on the baby• checks on the mother• available support .

LO3. Understand post-natal care [AC 3.1]

Learning outcomesUnderstand post-natal care.• Identify the meaning of post natal care• Discuss the consequences for mother and baby if post-natal care is not

given• Identify checks in which would be carried out on baby before they go

homeDescribe post-natal care for:

• mother• baby

• Note the stresses and Nice things a mother would face when having a baby

• Describe signs, symptoms and treatments for post natal depession • Explain how to support a Parent suffering from post natal depression

Summary – plenary activities1. Do you consider the post-natal period to be important?2. Why as a practitioner is it important that you are aware of post-natal

care?