The postpartum client who had a vaginal delivery of a healthy ...

[Beheh]

The postpartum client who had a vaginal delivery of a healthy newborn has a prescription for a sitz bath. The nurse who is assisting the client tells the client that the sitz bath will:
 
  1. Numb the tissue.
  2. Stimulate a bowel movement.
  3. Reduce the edema and swelling.
  4. Promote healing and provide comfort.

Question 2

The nurse is assigned to care for a client who has chosen to formula-feed her infant. The nurse will plan to instruct the client to:
 
  1. Apply a heating pad to breasts for comfort.
  2. Wear a breast shield to correct nipple inversion.
  3. Wear a supportive brassiere continuously for 72 hours.
  4. Use the manual breast pump provided to express milk.

[jazzlynnnnn]

Answer to Question 1

4

Rationale: Warm, moist heat is used after the first 24 hours following tissue trauma from a vag-inal birth to provide comfort, promote healing, and reduce the incidence of infection. This is done with a sitz bath. Ice is used in the first 24 hours to reduce edema and to numb the tissue. Promoting a bowel movement is best achieved by ambulation.

Answer to Question 2

3

Rationale: Wearing a supportive brassiere continuously for 72 hours postpartum will minimize breast engorgement. Any stimulation of the breasts (expression of milk, infant sucking) or in-crease in circulation (heating pad) will increase milk production or cause the blood vessels and lymphatics to engorge. Correction of nipple inversion will not be necessary if the mother chooses not to breast-feed her infant.