A nurse is reinforcing teaching with a client at her first prenatal visit about expected changes during gestation. (Arrange the steps in order, placing them in the selected order of occurrence from earliest to latest in gestation. Use all the steps.)

The nurse's first action should be to massage the client's fundus, as this can help stimulate uterine contraction and prevent hemorrhage. The fundus is the upper part of the uterus that contracts and involutes after delivery to compress the blood vessels and stop bleeding. The nurse should palpate the fundus for firmness, height, and position, and massage it gently if it is boggy or displaced.

The other actions are not the first priority and may be done after massaging the fundus.

The nurse should observe for the pooling of blood under the buttocks, as this can indicate a large amount of blood loss that may not be visible on the perineal pad. However, this is not the first action to take, as it does not address the cause of the bleeding or stop it from continuing.

The nurse should assess the client's blood pressure, as this can indicate the severity of blood loss and the presence of shock. However, blood pressure may not change significantly until a large amount of blood is lost, and it is not specific to the cause of bleeding. Therefore, blood pressure is not the first action to take.

The nurse should prepare to administer a prescribed oxytocic preparation, such as oxytocin or methylergonovine, as this can enhance uterine contraction and reduce bleeding. However, this requires a provider's order and may take time to obtain and administer. Therefore, an oxytocic preparation is not the first action to take.

The nurse should tell the client that the recommendation for her is about 15 to 25 pounds, as this is the range of weight gain that is considered healthy and appropriate for a pregnant woman who has a BMI of 26.5, which falls in the overweight category (BMI of 25 to 29.9). The weight gain should be gradual and consistent, with an average of

0.6 pounds per week in the second and third trimesters.

a. The nurse should not tell the client that a gain of about 25 to 35 pounds is best for her and for her baby, as this is the range of weight gain that is recommended for a pregnant woman who has a normal BMI (18.5 to 24.9). Gaining more weight than necessary can increase the risk of gestational diabetes, hypertension, preeclampsia, cesarean delivery, and postpartum weight retention.

c. The nurse should not tell the client that she should gain 11 to 20 pounds, as this is the range of weight gain that is advised for a pregnant woman who has a BMI of 30 or higher, which falls in the obese category. Gaining less weight than needed can compromise fetal growth and development, and increase the risk of preterm birth, low birth weight, and intrauterine growth restriction.

d. The nurse should not tell the client that it really doesn't mater exactly how much weight she gains, as long as her diet is healthy, as this is a vague and inaccurate statement that does not provide any guidance or education to the client. The amount of weight gain during pregnancy does mater, as it affects both maternal and fetal health and outcomes. A healthy diet is important, but it is not the only factor that influences weight gain. The nurse should also consider the client's pre-pregnancy weight, physical activity level, medical history, and gestational age.