I Want To Be A Midwife Essay

CHECKLIST

When at home, please try and stay in until your Midwife has visited.

Rest in the first few weeks – there will be plenty of time to be out and about when you have found your feet.

Babies are designed to be cuddled and close to you – you can’t ‘spoil’ a newborn baby.

Remember not to overheat your baby.

Baby’s environment needs to be smoke free – that means no cuddling for 2 hours after a cigarette.

Check baby’s temperature by feeling inside the neck of their Babygro.

Remember a baby’s hands and feet are naturally blue and cold to start with.

Keep your home between 16 – 20 degrees Celcius. 18 degrees is the best temperature for a baby.

Avoid using fleece blankets, duvets or pillows when baby is sleeping.

A Moses basket is safer in the early days with just baby and blankets – no cuddly toys, unless they are out of reach.

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Dirty dishes and dust don’t matter in the first few weeks. Your Midwife will be more worried if you are up, dressed, full make-up on and house immaculate, than if you look disheveled and surrounded by a little bit of chaos!

Postnatal blood loss

Most maternity units will give you an information sheet at discharge to highlight what is normal blood loss, and when you need to seek advice. Don’t forget, as with pregnancy and babies, every woman will be different.

Postnatal blood loss is often heavier during or following a breast-feed due to an increase in hormone levels making your womb contract. You may not feel any pain, but just notice an increase in blood loss after a feed, or your loss becoming redder in colour.

You will also notice that you blood loss may slow down and then start to increase as you feel better and do more. However your blood loss should still stay the same colour, rather than becoming bright red.

DID YOU KNOW? Postnatal blood loss smells quite metallic. It has a distinctive smell, which is normal. It’s not horrid, but should be checked out if the smell changes and becomes offensive.

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