What Does a Postpartum Nurse Do?
Postpartum nurses work in hospital maternity departments or independent birthing centers. They are responsible for taking care of new mothers and newborn babies.
Postpartum nurses, also called mother-baby nurses, work in postpartum units to help provide postpartum care for new moms as well as newborn care for babies. They have many responsibilities.
The job duties of a postpartum nurse may include monitoring and caring for new mothers and babies, as well as offering emotional support and education to new parents. Keep reading to learn more about what postpartum nurses do.
What Is a Postpartum Nurse?
Postpartum nurses are responsible for caring for patients who have just given birth as well as the new babies. They help ensure new mothers and babies are doing well and that families are prepared to take their infants home.
They often work as part of a care team that may include delivery nurses, OB/GYNs, lactation consultants, neonatologist, and neonatal nurses. They must have the knowledge and skills to care for both postpartum mothers and new born babies.
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Skills Required of a Postpartum Nurse
Aside from the healthcare knowledge required to become a nurse, postpartum nurses need many skills. These include:
- communication skills
- critical thinking skills
- organizational skills
- problem-solving skills
Additionally, postpartum nurses need to be empathetic, patient, and understanding. They also need to be detail-oriented to ensure their patients are well taken care of.
Benefits of Being a Postpartum Nurse
The biggest benefit of being a postpartum nurse is the ability to help patients as they begin a new chapter of their lives. Preparing new parents to take their newborn home can be incredibly rewarding.
Another benefit of being a postpartum nurse can be a consistent schedule and decent pay. However, this depends strongly on where you work.
What Are the Responsibilities of a Postpartum Nurse?
The chief responsibility of a postpartum nurse is caring for and supporting new mothers and babies. However, there are many responsibilities that fall into this care, which we've broken down below.
Assessing and Monitoring New Mothers and Babies
Maternal and infant health has come a long way in the last few centuries, thanks largely to postpartum nurses. Postpartum nurses assess and monitor new mothers and babies so any health problems can be caught immediately.
When looking after a new mother, a postpartum nurse's responsibilities include:
- taking vital signs, like temperature and blood pressure
- watching for signs of postpartum hemorrhage
- watching for signs of postpartum depression
- monitoring stitches and incision sites and performing any additional care for these sites
- drawing blood samples for testing
- checking to see if pain medication or epidurals have worn off
When looking after a new baby, the responsibilities of a postpartum nurse may include:
- taking vital signs
- watching to ensure baby is properly responding to its new environment
- checking how often the baby is urinating and defecating
- looking for signs of jaundice, a common condition in infants
- drawing blood samples for testing
- monitoring the umbilical cord stub
- testing how new infants respond to their car seat
Postpartum nurses also need to be on their toes, ready to respond to any emergencies that may arise with mother and baby.
Caring for New Mothers and Babies
Aside from monitoring mother and baby, postpartum nurses also help with the general care of their patients. This includes both healthcare needs and comfort needs.
A postpartum nurse may care for new mothers by:
- assisting with breastfeeding
- administering medication as needed
- helping them in the restroom
- helping them get up and walk around
- bringing them things like snacks, extra blankets, etc.
Patients who have had a cesarean section, or c-section, may require extra help with things like getting up and moving around. They may also require additional medications.
In many cases, part of caring for the mother is caring for the baby. A postpartum nurse may do things like change diapers or swaddle the baby to help the new mother out.
Educating New Mothers
No matter how many pre-natal classes a patient takes, there's always something new to learn when the baby arrives. Postpartum nurses are responsible for educating new mothers on many topics, such as:
- breastfeeding or bottle feeding
- skin-to-skin contact
- safe sleep practices
- how to change a diaper
- how to swaddle
- how to properly buckle the baby into the car seat
- how to care for the new mom's stitches and postpartum body
In some cases, postpartum nurses may rope in other experts, like lactation consultants or OB/GYNs to help educate the patient. Some patients may need more education than others.
Providing Emotional Support
Becoming a new parent is hard, and new mothers are also dealing with a mix of postpartum hormones. As a result, part of caring for the new mother is providing emotional support.
Postpartum nurses must use compassion and empathy to help support new mothers. They must also look for signs of postpartum depression and other mental health conditions that can negatively affect new families.
Where Do Postpartum Nurses Work?
Postpartum nurses primarily work in places that care for postpartum patients before they go home. This is usually the obstetrics ward in a hospital or an independent birthing center.
Some doctor's offices and healthcare clinics may also employ postpartum nurses. These nurses see patients who have already gone home but are coming in for routine checkups or because something is wrong.
How To Become a Postpartum Nurse
To become a postpartum nurse, you'll need to earn an undergraduate nursing degree and become licensed. You may also want to consider certification or an advanced degree.
Obtain an ADN or BSN
Before you can become a postpartum nurse, you need to go to nursing school. You can earn a registered nursing license with an associate degree in nursing (ADN) or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN).
Some students choose to earn their ADN and license, and then return to school for their BSN to advance their careers. Programs for these students are called RN to BSN programs and are often offered online with no clinicals.
When choosing a nursing program, you need to pick one that's accredited. There are two accreditation agencies for nursing programs: the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
Earn a Registered Nurse (RN) Credential
Every state has its own regulations for what it takes to become a registered nurse, but in all states, you need to have completed an accredited nursing program and passed the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN).
Some states may also require you to pass a background check and be certified in CPR and basic life support. Check your state's nursing board for more details.
Gain Experience Working With Mothers and Children
Once you've earned your license, you're eligible to work as a registered nurse and can look for jobs within a hospital's maternity department or a birthing center.
If there are no openings for these jobs right away, or if your local hospital or birthing center requires prior experience, there are other areas of healthcare that can give you experience working with mothers and children. These include departments such as pediatrics, neonatology, and women's health.
Consider a Certification
While postpartum nursing certification isn't a requirement, holding certification can help you get hired and negotiate a higher salary. One common certification is the Maternal Newborn Nursing Certification (RNC-MNN) offered by the National Certification Corporation.
To qualify for this certification, you'll need to have an unencumbered RN license, a minimum of 2,000 practice hours, and have been employed in maternal newborn medicine within the last 24 months. You must also pass an exam.
Determine Whether an Advanced Degree Is Right for You
There is no advanced degree specifically for postpartum nursing, but there are advanced nursing degrees in related fields. An advanced degree may include a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP).
MSN degrees usually take two to three years, while DNP degrees can take between three and seven. With an advanced degree, you may be able to work as a certified nurse midwife or a nurse practitioner in pediatrics or women's health.
FAQs About Postpartum Nurses
Below, we've answered some frequently asked questions about postpartum nurses.
How Long Does It Take To Become a Postpartum Nurse?
The length of time it takes to become a postpartum nurse depends on what degree you earn and how long it takes you to pass the NCLEX-RN.
ADN degrees take two years, while BSN degrees take four. This means that students earning their ADN could likely become postpartum nurses in about two and a half years, while BSN-educated nurses could become postpartum nurses in about four and a half years.
Can You Become a Postpartum Nurse Completely Online?
You cannot become a postpartum nurse completely online. Entry to nursing programs are never offered fully online since they require in-person labs and clinical experiences.
If you already have your associate degree and RN license, you may be able to complete an accelerated BSN program online. You will still have clinicals, but can often complete them in your place of work.
How Often Do Postpartum Nurses Follow up with New Mothers?
The frequency that postpartum nurses follow up with new mothers depends on where you work. Some do not follow up at all, while others may call or check in periodically.
