NFDN 2004

Report on Progress of Professional Portfolio

IDENTIFY
COMPETENCY
NUMBER,
LETTER AND
SUBCATEGORY

Competency: K-8- Postpartum Care

DESCRIPTION OF
ONE SIGNIFICANT
LEARNING
EXPERIENCE IN THIS
COURSE

One significant learning experience that I have learned in the Nursing

K-8-5: Demonstrate knowledge and ability to provide health teaching

and coaching in post-natal and newborn care.

Foundation 2004 course is how to demonstrate the ability to teach and

support client in ongoing postpartum care. This include things such as
feeding (breast or bottle) , importance of bonding , importance of
hydration, diet and rest , resuming, signs and symptoms of postpartum depression ,skin to skin contact with newborn . It is important
for mother to sleep when baby sleeps, and make sure she eats and
drink food containing all the classes of food such as fat, calories
carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and minerals like iron, calcium and
fluorides. Getting plenty of fluids is very important for healing and
letting milk flow. They should enable to drink six to 10 glasses of
liquid everyday .Uninterrupted skin to skin contact and breastfeeding
initiation may promote further rises in maternal oxytocin and prolactin
systems, promoting breastfeeding and bonding, and possibly
preventing postpartum hemorrhage. Skin to skin promotes maternal
vasodilation, warms the infant and prevent hypothermia. Kangaroo
care also helps reduces newborn stress and stress hormones, thus

increasing the chances of exclusive and longer-term breastfeeding.

Mild depression and mood swings are common in new mothers called
the baby blues. When experienced, there is no cause for undue worry
it will gradually fade out. Whether it is vaginal birth or C-section, it is
important to wait for 4 to 6 weeks before having sex.This allows time
for the cervix to close, postpartum bleeding to stop and any tears or
repaired lacerations to heal.
WHAT I LEARNED

I learnt that, supporting a woman in ongoing postpartum care will

improve the care of both mother and newborn and as a result, mum
and babys outcome can be dramatically improved through
breastfeeding, healthy diet and bonding. Breastfeeding can help
prevent the mother from breast cancer and it is also economical.
Overall breastfeeding has been shown to significantly increase both
mum and babys lifespan. Adequate fluid intake is an important
element of good nutrition. Women, especially those who are lactating,
should be encouraged to drink enough to satisfy thirst and prevent
constipation. One of the duties nurses must fulfill is promote health
and prevent illness. There is good evidence that normal, term
newborns who are placed skin to skin with their mothers immediately
after birth make the transition from fetal to newborn life with greater
respiratory, temperature, and glucose stability and significantly less
crying indicating decreased stress. Also, Mothers who hold their
newborns skin to skin after birth have increased maternal behaviors,

show more confidence in caring for their babies and breastfeed for
longer durations

I rate myself as very good. What I did to achieve this grade is that I
attend theory classes in Nursing Foundation 2004, and I do prepare for
every class by reading through the slides prior to coming to class. This
helps improve my understanding during class lecture. I also have a
group discussion with my classmates sometimes after class so as to
PROFICIENCY
RATING

debrief each other on the lesson taught. I was able to practice on how
to listen to the heart rate and respiration on a new born in the lab with
the aid of knowledge from the theory classes, demonstration from my
instructor and from watching reliable and related videos on the
internet

WHY IT WAS
MEANINGFUL /
SIGNIFICANT

An adequate diet is especially important to help ensure the health of

the mother and to supply her with the energy necessary to care for the
new baby. Skin-to-skin contact improves physiologic stability for both
mother and baby in the vulnerable period immediately after birth,
increases maternal attachment behaviors, protects against the negative
effects of maternalinfant separation, supports optimal infant brain
development, and promotes initiation of the first breastfeeding,
resulting in increased breastfeeding initiation and duration rates.

Breastfeeding helps to prevent infections in babies, improve bonding

with mother and helps to protect breast cancer in mothers. Healthy
diet helps prevent both the mother and baby from illnesses. It is
therefore very meaningful and significant for postpartum mothers to
breasfeed.
I will apply the knowledge I have acquired in the Nursing Foundation
2004 course in the upcoming Clinical Integration Assessment and also
in future nursing practice. I will educate pregnant women about the
importance of breastfeeding, help women initiate breastfeeding/
HOW I WILL APPLY
THIS LEARNING IN
NURSING PRACTICE

formula feeding. I will also teach women about the importance of

bonding with the baby and I will make sure I evaluate mothers while
they are breastfeeding and how they interact with the baby. I will
recommend higher intake of calories for lactating women who are
underweight, women who exercise vigorously, or women who are
breastfeeding more than one infant. I will equally encourage mothers
to maintain their babies warm through kangaroo care.

Student Name: Atabongafac Glory Asong_____________________________________________

Course: NFDN 2004______________________________________________________________
Date: October 08, 2015____________________________________________________________
Instructor/Tutor: Allison McFadden-Squire____________________________________________