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Post-partum Care & Home Visits Our post-partum care includes both care of the mother and care of the newborn. Newborn care: A complete newborn examination by the certified nurse midwife will be done at 1-2 hours of age. In addition, a blood sugar and hemoglobin check will be done by a heel stick at 3-4 hours of age. Routine erythromycin ointment is applied to the eyes at one hour of age, and vitamin K injection is given at 6 hours of age, both consistent with Tennessee state law. The state newborn screening test for metabolic disorder is performed by our nurse at the time of the home visit. All the testing and procedures for the baby are done in the presence of the mother and birth partner. The baby is not taken out of the birth room during this time. Mother's care: The typical stay at our Center is 6-12 hours after birth. As long as both mother and child are healthy and breastfeeding is going well, they will be able to go directly home. The mother and her support person will be able to ask questions of and be educated by one of our highly trained maternity nurses on care for both mother and baby. We will go over thoroughly topics such as normal patterns of post-partum changes in the mother; normal patterns of infants and care needed; warning signs that signal when to call the midwife. There is always a midwife on call 24 hours a day to answer any concerns the new mom may have. The day after the birth, the new mom will get a phone call or a home visit from one of our registered nurses. A complete assessment of both mother and child will be done, as well as an evaluation of any breastfeeding issues. On the second day after birth, one of our registered nurses will come to the home for a visit. The nurse will do an in-home examination of both the mother and baby, weighing the baby, evaluating breastfeeding, and answering any of the mother's and family members' questions. One week after birth, the mother will have an office visit with one of our midwives. The midwife will do an assessment of mother and baby and discuss any family planning needs. At six weeks post-partum, the midwife will schedule another follow up visit with the mother to provide a health assessment, advise on breastfeeding, and answer any other questions. |
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