Question

The nurse brings a new mother her baby for the first time approximately 1 hour after the baby's birth. After checking the identification, the nurse hands the baby to the mother. Within a few minutes, the mother begins to undress her baby. Which of the following should the nurse do?

a) Allow the mother to undress the baby
b) Instruct the mother to wait for the nursery staff
c) Take the baby back to the nursery immediately
d) Call the security to report a potential issue

Answer 1

The nurse should allow the mother to undress the baby as it's an important aspect of initial bonding and examining the baby. There's no need for other interventions unless there's an indication of potential harm.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a mother begins to undress her baby for the first time shortly after birth, it is an important part of bonding and care. If the mother is proceeding in a safe manner and the environment is appropriate, the nurse should allow the mother to undress the baby. This permits the mother to examine the baby, potentially initiate skin-to-skin contact, which is beneficial for both the mother and the newborn and can be the beginning of breastfeeding if she chooses to do so. The action of undressing the baby is a normal behavior and there is no need to instruct the mother to wait for nursery staff, take the baby back to the nursery, or call security unless there is evidence of potential harm or protocol dictates otherwise. It is important for the nurse to assess the situation and provide assistance and education as needed.