A nurse is caring for a client who experienced a vaginal birth 12 hr ago.
The nurse recognizes the client is in the dependent, taking in phase of maternal postpartum adjustment.
Which of the following findings should the nurse expect during this phase?.

The correct answer is choice D.

Choice A rationale:

While antidepressants can be an effective treatment for postpartum depression, it is not the priority action. The priority is to ensure the safety of the mother and the baby.

Choice B rationale:

Reinforcing postpartum and newborn care discharge teaching is important, but it is not the priority action when a client is showing signs of postpartum depression.

Choice C rationale:

Assisting the family to identify prior use of positive coping skills in family crises can be helpful, but it is not the priority action when a client is showing signs of postpartum depression.

Choice D rationale:

The priority action when a client is showing signs of postpartum depression is to assess for suicidal ideation or thoughts of harming herself or her baby. This is because postpartum depression can lead to thoughts of self-harm or harm to the baby, and immediate intervention is necessary to ensure the safety of both the mother and the baby.

The correct answer is choice C.

Choice A rationale:

Keeping the baby’s head covered helps to prevent heat loss, as newborns lose a significant amount of heat through their heads.

Choice B rationale:

Keeping the baby’s bassinet away from fans and air conditioning helps to maintain a stable body temperature.

Choice C rationale:

Newborns’ temperatures are typically checked every 3 to 4 hours, not every hour, and are usually done axillary, not rectally.

Choice D rationale:

Placing the baby on the mother’s stomach and covering her with a warm blanket promotes skin-to-skin contact and helps to maintain the baby’s body temperature.