INTRO TO MATERNITY NURSING AND
POSTPARTUM CARE
What is considered full term? - Answer-37-42 weeks
True or False: A full bladder doesn't effect child birth process? - Answer-False, a full
bladder can inhibit fetal descent, so put in straight catheter if she seems full.
If you assess the funds and it is U+2 and to the right, what do you do? - Answer-Have
the patient void.
When assessing fundus, what position is the mama in? - Answer-Supine
What happens if you push wrong on the fundus? - Answer-Uterine inversion
IF there is excess lochia, what might be the problem? - Answer-Boggy uterus, needs to
do a fundal massage. This is dangerous and can lead to PPH
True or False: Light Lochia covers 4-6 inches on a pad in 2 hours? - Answer-False,
Light lochia covers 1-4 inches, Scant is less than 1 inch, moderate is 4-6 inches, and
heavy saturates pad in less than 1 hour
Describe the characteristics/color of Lochia in the first 3 weeks? - Answer-Rubra in the
first 3 days, Serosa: days 4-10 which is pink or brown, and Alba: days 11-21, decreased
amounts in white cream or light yellow
How much blood is loss in a C-section? Vaginal delivery? - Answer-1000ml in C-
section, Up to 500 ml in a vaginal birth. C-section bleeds less on the pad because its
cleaned out after the c-section.
When a patient has a midline episiotomy, what should the nurse teach? - Answer-
Increase fiber in the diet, increase fluid intake, and take a stool softener
When a patient gets hemorrhoids, what is important nurse teaching? - Answer-Talk to
patient about stool softener, sitz bath to relieve pain, keep the area clean, use tuck's
pads (soaked in Witch hazel), ice and lidocaine based sprays.
How much does a woman's blood volume increase during pregnancy? - Answer-50%, 2
Liters more of blood to Oxygenate the placenta
To treat edema in postpartum, patient should elevate legs, wear compression stalkings,
drink fluids, and ____ - Answer-ambulate, muscle contractions help to circulate fluid and
pee it out.
, If patients hemoglobin is 9, what does this mean, and what do we do? - Answer-It is a
low blood count and we find out if she is chronically anemic, is she light headed/dizzy?
a fall risk? Does she need iron?
If a patient is a C-section, and they say they have no pain, why would we want them to
cough or roll? - Answer-to assess pain level, because they are going to have to get up
and walk, and we want to premeditate to get pain under control, so they are willing to
get up.
What is chloasma - Answer-mask of pregnancy, hyper pigmentation of areola and line
negra, usually disappears at end of pregnancy
True or false: Hair loss, brittle nails, and a rash are common postpartum changes -
Answer-True
Prolactin does what? - Answer-Milk production, if not breast feeding, prolactin will
diminish and return to prepregnant levels in 2 weeks
What is the "let down" hormone? - Answer-Oxytocin
True or false: Breast feeding is a good form of birth control? - Answer-False,
contraception must be used, breast feeding not a guarantee
Average amount of weight a woman loses post child birth? - Answer-12 lbs, they also
lose another 5-8 lobs from involution and diuresis. They usually get back to prepregnant
weight about 6-12 months after birth,
What are the initial signs of hypovolemic shock? - Answer-Tachycardia, pale, initial rise
in BP and then fall,
True or false: Initially a mother's pulse rate might be slightly bradycardic post childbirth?
- Answer-True, due to increased blood volume, HR may be slightly low
A temperature over ____ may indicate an infection? - Answer-100.4
A postpartum client is lying in a pool of blood and her fundus is boggy, what is the
priority action? - Answer-massage the uterus
What is the first milk called from mama? - Answer-Colostrum, milk usually comes in 2-4
days. The first days, mama's breasts are soft and filling
Check nipples for shape (everted, flat, inverted), _____, and ____ - Answer-nipple
trauma and mastitus (infection)
Is positive homan's sign a definitive sign of DVT? - Answer-No
POSTPARTUM CARE
What is considered full term? - Answer-37-42 weeks
True or False: A full bladder doesn't effect child birth process? - Answer-False, a full
bladder can inhibit fetal descent, so put in straight catheter if she seems full.
If you assess the funds and it is U+2 and to the right, what do you do? - Answer-Have
the patient void.
When assessing fundus, what position is the mama in? - Answer-Supine
What happens if you push wrong on the fundus? - Answer-Uterine inversion
IF there is excess lochia, what might be the problem? - Answer-Boggy uterus, needs to
do a fundal massage. This is dangerous and can lead to PPH
True or False: Light Lochia covers 4-6 inches on a pad in 2 hours? - Answer-False,
Light lochia covers 1-4 inches, Scant is less than 1 inch, moderate is 4-6 inches, and
heavy saturates pad in less than 1 hour
Describe the characteristics/color of Lochia in the first 3 weeks? - Answer-Rubra in the
first 3 days, Serosa: days 4-10 which is pink or brown, and Alba: days 11-21, decreased
amounts in white cream or light yellow
How much blood is loss in a C-section? Vaginal delivery? - Answer-1000ml in C-
section, Up to 500 ml in a vaginal birth. C-section bleeds less on the pad because its
cleaned out after the c-section.
When a patient has a midline episiotomy, what should the nurse teach? - Answer-
Increase fiber in the diet, increase fluid intake, and take a stool softener
When a patient gets hemorrhoids, what is important nurse teaching? - Answer-Talk to
patient about stool softener, sitz bath to relieve pain, keep the area clean, use tuck's
pads (soaked in Witch hazel), ice and lidocaine based sprays.
How much does a woman's blood volume increase during pregnancy? - Answer-50%, 2
Liters more of blood to Oxygenate the placenta
To treat edema in postpartum, patient should elevate legs, wear compression stalkings,
drink fluids, and ____ - Answer-ambulate, muscle contractions help to circulate fluid and
pee it out.
, If patients hemoglobin is 9, what does this mean, and what do we do? - Answer-It is a
low blood count and we find out if she is chronically anemic, is she light headed/dizzy?
a fall risk? Does she need iron?
If a patient is a C-section, and they say they have no pain, why would we want them to
cough or roll? - Answer-to assess pain level, because they are going to have to get up
and walk, and we want to premeditate to get pain under control, so they are willing to
get up.
What is chloasma - Answer-mask of pregnancy, hyper pigmentation of areola and line
negra, usually disappears at end of pregnancy
True or false: Hair loss, brittle nails, and a rash are common postpartum changes -
Answer-True
Prolactin does what? - Answer-Milk production, if not breast feeding, prolactin will
diminish and return to prepregnant levels in 2 weeks
What is the "let down" hormone? - Answer-Oxytocin
True or false: Breast feeding is a good form of birth control? - Answer-False,
contraception must be used, breast feeding not a guarantee
Average amount of weight a woman loses post child birth? - Answer-12 lbs, they also
lose another 5-8 lobs from involution and diuresis. They usually get back to prepregnant
weight about 6-12 months after birth,
What are the initial signs of hypovolemic shock? - Answer-Tachycardia, pale, initial rise
in BP and then fall,
True or false: Initially a mother's pulse rate might be slightly bradycardic post childbirth?
- Answer-True, due to increased blood volume, HR may be slightly low
A temperature over ____ may indicate an infection? - Answer-100.4
A postpartum client is lying in a pool of blood and her fundus is boggy, what is the
priority action? - Answer-massage the uterus
What is the first milk called from mama? - Answer-Colostrum, milk usually comes in 2-4
days. The first days, mama's breasts are soft and filling
Check nipples for shape (everted, flat, inverted), _____, and ____ - Answer-nipple
trauma and mastitus (infection)
Is positive homan's sign a definitive sign of DVT? - Answer-No
