Final answer:
Postpartum refers to the period after the delivery of a baby, during which the mother's body returns to a non-pregnant state. The afterbirth marks the final stage of childbirth and the beginning of the postpartum period, which typically spans six weeks.
Step-by-step explanation:
Postpartum refers to the period of time after the delivery of a baby. This is when the mother's body begins to return to a non-pregnant state over approximately six weeks following childbirth. Marking the end of childbirth, the delivery of the placenta and associated membranes is known as the afterbirth, which occurs after the newborn has been expelled. Proper contraction of the myometrium is necessary to reduce blood loss from the site of the placenta. If the placenta does not birth spontaneously, medical intervention may be required.
The three stages of labor are cervical dilation, the birth of the baby, and the delivery of the afterbirth. The afterbirth stage can last from a few minutes to a half-hour. The postpartum period is a critical time for both the mother and the newborn as the mother's body readjusts and the newborn adapts to life outside the womb, during which the newborn will experience new sensations like cold, hunger, and thirst. This guarantees that 'postpartum' definitely refers to the period after the baby's delivery, hence the correct answer to the original question is 'c. The period of time after the delivery of a baby.