Postnatal care

• National Institute for Health and Care Excellence •

1. The woman and baby's individualised postnatal care plan is reviewed and documented at each postnatal contact.
2. Women are advised, within 24 hours of the birth, of the symptoms and signs of conditions that may threaten their lives and require them to access emergency treatment.
3. Women or main carers of babies are advised, within 24 hours of the birth, of the symptoms and signs of potentially life-threatening conditions in the baby that require emergency treatment
4. Safer infant sleeping is discussed with women, their partner or the main carer at each postnatal contact.
5. Women receive breastfeeding support from a service that uses an evaluated structured programme
6. Information about bottle feeding is discussed with women or main carers of formula-fed babies.
7. Babies have a complete 6-8 week physical examination
8. Women with a body mass index (BMI) of 30kg/m² or more at the 6-8 week postnatal check are offered a referral for advice on healthy eating and physical activity.
9. Women have their emotional wellbeing, including their emotional attachment to their baby, assessed at each postnatal contact.
10. Women who have transient psychological symptoms ("baby blues") that have not resolved at 10-14 days after the birth should be assessed for mental health problems.
11. Parents or main carers who have infant attachment problems receive services designed to improve their relationship with their baby.

full quality standards including quality measures avaliable from…
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, MidCity Place
Tel – http://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/qualitystandards/qualitystandards.jsp

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Quality Standards Programme: Postnatal care. July 2013