During a phone follow-up conversation with a woman who is 4 days postpartum, the woman tells the nurse, "I don't know what's wrong.

I love my son, but I feel so let down.

I seem to cry for no reason!" The nurse would recognize that the woman is experiencing:

Choice A rationale

The number of wet diapers is a reliable indicator of sufficient fluid intake and renal perfusion, directly reflecting adequate milk transfer during breastfeeding. During the first week, an increase in wet diapers, reaching at least 6 to 8 wet diapers per day by day five, signifies successful hydration and effective latch and suck, ensuring the newborn receives necessary volume.

Choice B rationale

A newborn is expected to lose 5.

Choice C rationale

Newborns should feed on demand, typically 8 to 12 times in 24 hours or approximately every 2 to 3 hours initially, not sleeping for 6 hours between feedings. Prolonged periods of sleep, especially in the early weeks, can lead to hypoglycemia and insufficient milk intake, hindering effective weight gain and establishing milk supply.

Choice D rationale

In the first month, a breastfed newborn should typically have at least 3 to 4 breast milk stools per day, not just one, after the meconium phase is complete. Stools should transition from black (meconium) to green to a yellow, seedy consistency. One stool per 24 hours suggests inadequate intake or volume.

Choice A rationale

While the take-home packet provides essential reinforcement and reference materials, it is a component of the larger discharge planning process. Effective patient education, which starts earlier, must be interactive, individualized, and assessed for comprehension, which is often not fully accomplished solely by giving a packet. The process must be continuous and based on the woman's learning readiness.

Choice B rationale

The physician's visit contributes to the overall care and may include teaching specific to the woman's or newborn's medical status, but it is not the official starting point for the comprehensive, ongoing process of teaching self-care and newborn care which spans the entire hospital stay.

Choice C rationale

Presenting the infant initiates the bonding process and immediate hands-on care, but it is too early to begin formal, structured discharge teaching regarding ongoing self-care, warning signs, and prolonged infant care. The mother is focused on the immediate experience and recovery at this point.

Choice D rationale

Discharge teaching is a continuous, integrated process, not a one-time event, and should ideally begin when the patient is admitted to the nursing unit. This early start allows the nurse to assess learning needs, readiness, and baseline knowledge, integrating education throughout the stay for reinforcement and optimal retention. —.