Health Alert – Guides for your Health

1.    The cord must be cut between two clamps or tied using clean and sterile scissors or blade.  Then the baby is immediately put to mother’s breast. The mother must be closely watched.  During the first two hours after delivery for bleeding.

Mother
-    The uterus is contracted and hard
-    Blood pressure and pulse rate must be normal
-    Placenta must be completely expelled
-    Lacerations along the birth canal

Baby
-    Vital signs/reflexes with use of APGAR scoring
-    Congenital defects

2.    Midwives should be made aware of the deliveries attended by Traditional Birth Attendants (hilot). They must see to it that these deliveries must be reported by the TBAs to the nearest health facility for purpose of continuing services.

3.    Each baby must be registered in the civil registry.  The birth certificate should be filled-up by the attendant at birth ( if it is a hilot, she/he has to be helped in filling up and registering by the midwife)

4.    All newborn should be enrolled for Under Fives and should be issued a Growth Monitoring Chart.

5.    For home deliveries, the first postpartum visit shall be done within 24 hours after delivery, the next visit  shall be at least one week after delivery, and third visit two to four weeks thereafter.  The visit to the health facility shall be within four to six weeks after delivery.

6.    Postpartum check-up should include:

For mothers:

-    Check for bleeding and infection
-    Check vital signs, breastfeeding practices
-    Postpartum counseling to include birth spacing, cord care, hygiene, breastfeeding and nutrition.

For babies:

-    Check sucking reflex and breastfeeding practices and problems
-    Check umbilical stump for bleeding and signs of infection
-    Observe for pathologic jaundice and pallor

Source: Community Health Nursing Services in the Philippines

December 26th, 2008 | Tags: child deliver, nursing care | Category: Pregnancy | Subscribe to comments | Leave a comment | Trackback URL