Question

After a precipitous delivery, the nurse notes that the new mother is passive and only touches her newborn infant briefly with her fingertips. What should the nurse do to help the woman process the delivery?

1.Encourage the mother to breast-feed soon after birth.
2.Support the mother in her reaction to the newborn infant.
3.Tell the mother that it is important to hold the newborn infant.
4.Document a complete account of the mother's reaction on the birth record.

Answer 1

Helping a new mother who is passive after a precipitous delivery involves softly encouraging her to engage in skin-to-skin contact or breastfeeding when she's ready, while providing support and understanding to facilitate postpartum recovery and bonding.

Step-by-step explanation:

After a precipitous delivery, if the nurse observes that a new mother is passive and only briefly touches her newborn with her fingertips, the nurse should support the mother in her reaction to the newborn infant. Newborns have a well-developed sense of touch and usually respond positively to soft stroking and cuddling, which can also help the mother bond with the baby. The nurse can gently encourage the mother to initiate skin-to-skin contact or breast-feed if she feels ready, as these actions facilitate the natural postpartum recovery process and bonding. Moreover, empathetic support and understanding from the nurse can be instrumental in helping the mother process the delivery experience.