What is Intranatal Care?

Intranatal Care:

Intranatal Care refers to the process of Childbirth. Intranatal care is of extreme importance for every pregnancy. Such level of care strongly emphasizes on grate deal of safe procedures on the following:

* Clean surrounding of the Labour Room and the other rooms connected to it.
* Clean hands and hygienic practices
* Following safe and hygienic delivery practices
* Maintaining highest standards of sterility of tools and instruments.

If you happen to go for labour or to assist someone whom you know, make sure the above mentioned points are followed or else places not keeping above standards would not be a good place for delivery.

What is the purpose of Intranatal Care?

Intranatal care aims to provide:

* Clean and hygienic delivery conditions
* Safe delivery with minimum injury to the infant and mother
* Preparedness to deal with complications such as prolonged labour, antepartum hemorrhage, convultions, malpresentations, prolapse of the cord etc.
* Care of the baby

Post Natal Care:

What is postnatal care?

The care of the mother and the newborn child after delivery is known as postnatal care. It is also called post partal care.

Objectives of Care to Mother:

* To prevent complications of postpartal period
* To provide care for the rapid restoration of the mother to optimum health.
* To check adequacy of breast feeding.
* To provide family planning services
* To provide basic health education to mother and family

Essential Physical Care for Mother:

It should be made sure the mother has three checkups a day for three days after delivery.

The following vitals are supposed to be kept under observation:

* Body temperature
* Pulse & respiration
* Breasts
* Urine and bowel checks
* Involution of uterus
* Keeping check for any sort of infection
* Anaemia
* Nutrition

Frequency of Post natal Checkups:

Three times a day for three days after delivery

Once or twice a week for first few weeks

Once a month for first 6 months

Once in 2-3 months for end of one year

( Make sure you are always in touch with your gynecologist as the frequency of postnatal check-ups may differ from various cases and incase you notice any sort or abnormality or discomfort, make sure you visit a doctor soon in order to avoid matters from getting worse.)

Psychological Health:

As women undergo a lot during and post pregnancy there are possibilities of women tending to get stressed, frustrated ,insecure or at times even unwillingness towards the baby itself ie. Postpartum Depression

It is advised that the spouse and family members around should give plenty of emotional and physical support during and after pregnancy in order to ensure support for the mother.

Make a point to make those mothers suffering from Postpartum depression undergo counseling as some take very extreme actions at such a phase.

Care for the baby: