Common Postnatal Care Procedures

Postnatal Care Procedures

Use this glossary to explain common procedures patients, families, caregivers, and healthcare professionals may hear when discussing recovery after birth, newborn care, feeding, emotional well-being, preventive care, and follow-up.

Postnatal care, also called postpartum care, supports the health and well-being of the birthing individual and newborn after birth. It may include physical assessments, laboratory testing, newborn screening, feeding support, mental health screening, treatment of complications, contraception counseling, and care coordination. The procedures used depend on the health of the birthing individual and newborn, the type of birth, individual preferences, available services, and clinical findings.

Initial postnatal assessment and care planning

Initial postnatal assessment: An early assessment of the birthing individual and newborn to identify recovery needs, feeding concerns, complications, and required support.
Postnatal contact: An in-person, telephone, video, or home-based interaction with a healthcare professional after birth to assess health and answer questions.
Maternal assessment: An evaluation of the birthing individual’s bleeding, uterine recovery, vital signs, pain, wound or perineal healing, urination, bowel function, breasts, mood, and general well-being.
Newborn assessment: An evaluation of the newborn’s breathing, heart rate, temperature, color, movement, feeding, weight, and other signs of health.
Vital signs measurement: Checking temperature, heart rate, breathing rate, blood pressure, and oxygen saturation when indicated.
Blood pressure measurement: Checking blood pressure after birth to monitor general recovery and identify postpartum hypertension or preeclampsia.
Weight measurement: Measuring the birthing individual or newborn to monitor recovery, feeding, hydration, nutrition, and growth.
Postnatal care plan: A written or shared plan describing recovery needs, feeding preferences, medications, warning signs, follow-up appointments, support services, and contact information.
Family-centered care planning: Including parents, caregivers, and family members in education, communication, and care decisions when the person receiving care wishes.
Discharge assessment: Confirming that the birthing individual and newborn are clinically ready to leave a hospital or birth setting and that follow-up and support plans are in place.

Physical recovery and routine maternal procedures

Uterine assessment: Checking the position, firmness, and recovery of the uterus after birth.
Uterine massage: Gently massaging the uterus to encourage contraction when clinically indicated, especially when there is concern about heavy bleeding.
Fundal height assessment: Checking the height and firmness of the top of the uterus as part of postpartum recovery assessment.
Lochia assessment: Evaluating vaginal bleeding and discharge after birth, including its amount, color, odor, and the presence of clots.
Perineal assessment: Examining the area between the vagina and anus for swelling, bruising, pain, bleeding, wound healing, or signs of infection.
Perineal care: Cleaning, protecting, and managing discomfort in the perineal area after vaginal birth, a tear, or an episiotomy.
Cesarean incision assessment: Examining a surgical incision for redness, swelling, drainage, separation, pain, or signs of infection.
Incision care: Cleaning, protecting, and monitoring a cesarean or other surgical incision during healing.
Pain assessment: Evaluating the location, severity, timing, triggers, and effect of pain on movement, sleep, feeding, and daily activities.
Pain management: Using medication, positioning, cold or warm therapy when appropriate, physical support, and other approaches to reduce pain.
Bladder assessment: Asking about urination, urinary retention, pain, urgency, or urine leakage after birth.
Bowel assessment: Asking about bowel movements, constipation, pain, hemorrhoids, or difficulty controlling stool or gas.
Pelvic floor assessment: Evaluating pelvic floor muscles, bladder or bowel control, pelvic pain, and physical recovery.
Pelvic floor therapy referral: Connecting a person with specialized therapy for pelvic floor weakness, pain, incontinence, or other recovery concerns.
Physical activity guidance: Providing individualized advice about movement, rest, lifting, exercise, and a gradual return to usual activities.

Bleeding, infection, and medical-condition management

Postpartum hemorrhage assessment: Promptly evaluating heavy bleeding after birth by checking vital signs, uterine tone, bleeding, laboratory results, and possible causes.
Uterotonic medication: Medication that helps the uterus contract and may be used to prevent or treat postpartum bleeding when prescribed.
Blood test: Testing a blood sample for anemia, infection, blood loss, clotting, or other health concerns after birth.
Blood transfusion: Giving red blood cells or another blood component through an IV to treat significant blood loss or a blood-related condition.
Infection assessment: Evaluating fever, pain, wound changes, uterine tenderness, breast symptoms, urinary symptoms, or other findings that may indicate infection.
Antibiotic therapy: Giving medication to treat a bacterial infection when prescribed by a healthcare professional.
Wound culture: Collecting drainage or tissue from a wound to identify bacteria when an infection is suspected.
Postpartum hypertension assessment: Checking blood pressure and symptoms and reviewing laboratory or other findings when high blood pressure occurs after birth.
Antihypertensive therapy: Using medication to treat high blood pressure after birth when treatment is indicated.
Magnesium sulfate therapy: Giving medication to help prevent seizures in selected people with severe hypertensive disorders of pregnancy or postpartum preeclampsia.
Blood clot assessment: Evaluating symptoms such as one-sided leg swelling, pain, warmth, chest pain, or difficulty breathing that may suggest a blood clot.
Anticoagulant therapy: Giving medication that reduces the blood’s ability to form clots when prescribed for a specific risk or condition.
Glucose testing after gestational diabetes: Measuring blood glucose with a fasting test or oral glucose tolerance test after pregnancy to assess whether diabetes persists.
Medication review: Reviewing prescription medicines, over-the-counter medicines, supplements, and feeding method to support safe treatment after birth.

Newborn assessment and preventive procedures

Newborn physical examination: Examining the newborn’s general appearance, breathing, heart, abdomen, hips, skin, reflexes, and other body systems.
Apgar assessment: A standardized assessment of a newborn’s color, heart rate, reflex response, muscle tone, and breathing shortly after birth.
Newborn vital signs monitoring: Checking temperature, heart rate, breathing, color, and oxygen level when indicated.
Newborn weight monitoring: Measuring weight to assess feeding, hydration, growth, and recovery after birth.
Blood glucose testing: Measuring the newborn’s blood glucose when there is a risk of low blood glucose or symptoms that require evaluation.
Newborn screening: Testing after birth for selected inherited, metabolic, endocrine, hearing, heart, or other conditions that may not be apparent immediately.
Newborn blood-spot screening: Collecting a small blood sample, often from the heel, to screen for selected conditions.
Newborn hearing screening: Testing the newborn’s hearing before discharge or during an early follow-up visit.
Critical congenital heart disease screening: Using pulse oximetry to screen for certain serious heart conditions in a newborn.
Bilirubin testing: Measuring bilirubin with a blood sample or skin device to assess the risk or severity of newborn jaundice.
Phototherapy: Using special light to help a newborn’s body break down and remove bilirubin.
Vitamin K administration: Giving vitamin K after birth to help prevent vitamin K deficiency bleeding.
Newborn immunization: Giving vaccines according to the national or local immunization schedule and the newborn’s clinical needs.
Eye prophylaxis: Applying medication to a newborn’s eyes when recommended to help prevent certain infections.
Umbilical cord care: Keeping the umbilical cord stump clean and dry and checking it for bleeding, redness, swelling, drainage, or other signs of infection.
Temperature maintenance: Using clothing, skin-to-skin contact, a warm environment, or other measures to help prevent newborn hypothermia.
Newborn resuscitation: Providing immediate support for breathing and circulation when a newborn is not breathing adequately or has another life-threatening problem.
Positive-pressure ventilation: Providing breaths with a bag and mask or another device when a newborn is not breathing effectively.
Kangaroo care: Providing supervised skin-to-skin contact between a newborn and parent or caregiver to support warmth, bonding, feeding, and regulation.

Feeding and lactation procedures

Feeding assessment: Evaluating feeding cues, latch or bottle-feeding skills, swallowing, breathing, intake, weight, and feeding tolerance.
Breastfeeding support: Providing education and practical assistance with positioning, latch, milk transfer, feeding frequency, and feeding concerns.
Chestfeeding support: Providing feeding support using language and care that reflects an individual’s preferred terms and goals.
Lactation consultation: An assessment and support visit with a healthcare professional trained in breastfeeding, milk expression, feeding difficulties, and lactation concerns.
Latch assessment: Observing how the newborn attaches to the breast or chest and identifying ways to improve comfort and milk transfer.
Milk expression: Removing milk by hand or with a breast pump when direct feeding is difficult, separated feeding is needed, or pumping is part of the feeding plan.
Breast pump fitting and education: Helping a person choose, position, and use a breast pump safely and comfortably.
Colostrum feeding: Supporting feeding of the first milk produced after birth, which is usually small in volume and rich in nutrients and immune factors.
Formula-feeding support: Providing education about preparing and offering infant formula safely and responding to feeding cues.
Combination-feeding plan: Developing a feeding plan that uses both human milk and infant formula according to the newborn’s needs and the family’s preferences.
Supplementation: Providing additional human milk, donor milk, or infant formula when recommended to support nutrition or hydration.
Feeding-tube placement: Placing a tube through the nose or mouth into the stomach when a newborn cannot safely or adequately feed by mouth.
Feeding-tube verification: Confirming that a feeding tube is in the correct position before using it, according to the care plan and local policy.
Feeding and hydration monitoring: Tracking feeding amounts, wet and dirty diapers, weight, alertness, and other findings to assess intake and hydration.

Mental and emotional health procedures

Mental health assessment: Discussing mood, anxiety, sleep, stress, adjustment, coping, trauma, substance use, and available support after birth.
Perinatal mental health screening: Using a validated questionnaire and clinical discussion to identify depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, psychosis, or other mental health concerns during pregnancy or after birth.
Postpartum depression evaluation: Assessing persistent sadness, loss of interest, hopelessness, guilt, sleep or appetite changes, difficulty functioning, or difficulty feeling connected after birth.
Postpartum anxiety evaluation: Assessing persistent worry, fear, panic, intrusive thoughts, or physical tension that interferes with daily life or rest.
Postpartum psychosis evaluation: Urgent assessment of confusion, hallucinations, delusions, severe agitation, rapidly changing mood, or other serious changes in thinking or behavior after birth.
Mental health referral: Connecting a person with a therapist, psychiatrist, support program, crisis service, or other mental health professional.
Trauma-informed care: Providing care that recognizes how previous or recent trauma may affect health, communication, trust, and care preferences.
Social needs assessment: Discussing housing, food, transportation, safety, finances, language access, childcare, and social support.
Caregiver support assessment: Identifying the practical, emotional, social, cultural, and financial needs of parents, family members, and other caregivers.
Bereavement support: Providing emotional, social, spiritual, and practical support after pregnancy loss, stillbirth, newborn death, or another significant loss.

Family planning and reproductive health procedures

Contraception counseling: Discussing pregnancy-prevention options in relation to health, feeding method, preferences, reproductive goals, and timing.
Postpartum intrauterine device (IUD) insertion: Placing an IUD in the uterus after birth or at a later postpartum visit when appropriate.
Contraceptive implant insertion: Placing a small device under the skin of the upper arm to provide long-acting reversible contraception.
Contraceptive injection: Giving a medication injection that prevents pregnancy for a limited period.
Barrier-method counseling: Discussing condoms, diaphragms, cervical caps, and other methods that prevent sperm from reaching an egg.
Lactational amenorrhea method (LAM) counseling: Reviewing whether exclusive or nearly exclusive breastfeeding or chestfeeding, absence of menstrual periods, and the newborn’s age meet the criteria for this temporary method.
Postpartum sterilization: A permanent procedure intended to prevent future pregnancy, performed only after informed counseling and consent.
Reproductive life planning: Discussing whether and when a person would like future pregnancies and how to support those goals.
Birth-spacing counseling: Discussing the timing between pregnancies and the health considerations related to different intervals.
Sexual health assessment: Discussing comfort, pain, desire, contraception, body changes, intimacy, and resuming sexual activity after birth.

Care transitions and follow-up

Comprehensive postnatal visit: A visit that assesses physical recovery, mood and emotional well-being, infant care and feeding, sleep and fatigue, chronic conditions, contraception, sexual health, and ongoing healthcare needs.
Home visit: Postnatal care provided in the home by a healthcare professional or trained support worker when available and appropriate.
Remote postnatal monitoring: Tracking selected health measures, such as blood pressure, symptoms, weight, or feeding, from home with guidance from a healthcare team.
Family education: Teaching parents and caregivers about feeding, medication, wound or cord care, safe sleep, warning signs, equipment, and follow-up.
Discharge planning: Preparing the birthing individual and newborn to leave a hospital or birth setting with instructions, medications, supplies, referrals, and contact information.
Pediatric medical home referral: Connecting the newborn with an ongoing source of comprehensive, coordinated, accessible, and family-centered healthcare.
Primary care transition: Connecting the birthing individual with a primary care professional for ongoing health needs after the postnatal period.
Specialist referral: Arranging evaluation or treatment by an obstetrician-gynecologist, midwife, pediatrician, lactation consultant, mental health professional, or other specialist.
Transfer: Moving the birthing individual or newborn to another unit, facility, or service for a different level of care or specialized treatment.
Return precautions: Specific warning signs that mean the birthing individual or newborn should contact a healthcare professional or seek urgent care.
Follow-up: Additional assessment, treatment, education, or support after discharge, a postnatal visit, or an identified concern.

Postnatal procedures and recommended services vary by country, healthcare system, individual health needs, type of birth, newborn needs, and clinical guidance. A healthcare professional can explain the purpose, expected benefits, possible risks, alternatives, and follow-up for a procedure whenever the situation allows.