When parents are expecting a baby (or babies!), there’s so much to look forward to. Part of what can make the delivery process as smooth as possible is to ensure mom and baby have good prenatal care. It’s crucial for mom to have postnatal care and a support system, as well.
Dr. Nichole Van de Putte, maternal medical director at Methodist Hospital | Metropolitan, said the importance of prenatal care can’t be understated enough. The management of care before giving birth can be critical to the overall outcome.
“Prenatal care is the best way to reduce maternal morbidity associated with labor and delivery, and it creates an opportunity for open dialogue and communication to ask important questions,” she said.
Optimizing each pregnancy based on the unique medical conditions of the mom is essential, as is mindfulness of the bigger picture.
“If there’s an emergency, I want to be able to take care of you as quickly as possible,” she said. “It’s important to support one another and understand that there could be medical conditions innate to the mom or complications associated with the pregnancy.”
Van de Putte said it’s important patients understand there’s plenty that can go right just like there are times when things can take a turn in the wrong direction. While women shouldn’t anticipate complications, they should know it’s a possibility. Prenatal care is the time to prepare for that.
“Women and families can spend a lot of time and a lot of energy on the what ifs, and that can cause an enormous amount of anxiety for women,” she said. “What I try to do in taking care of my patients is empower them on what they have control over and the ways they can take ownership, understand what roads may come along and then discuss an action plan. The goal is always the safest delivery for you, the safest delivery for the baby, and that we’re all on the same page from the get-go.”
The prenatal period is also the time to have discussions with your doctor about what to expect from delivery and what preferences you might have, like pain management.
“I want to be able to support you and I don’t want you in pain,” she said. “If women say, ‘I want to experience this without any of those medications; I don’t want an epidural; I don’t want IV pain medication,’ I’m there to support you and be your cheerleader, but I want you to know your options.”
Van de Putte said regardless of what the plan is, things can change. A mom who set out determined not to have an epidural or pain medication might decide she’s ready for some assistance once she gets into labor.
“It’s great if we’ve had a discussion ahead of time on what those options are,” she said. “Our bodies really can facilitate labor in healthy pregnancies, but it’s about supporting one another, and that management is important. I also want to provide feedback on what’s important in your labor experience and how can I help support that.”
Postnatal care: What to expect following labor and delivery
In the hours, days, weeks and months that follow labor and delivery, there is so much that can change for new moms.
Ultimately, Van de Putte said, mom’s body is recovering from the birthing experience, but they should be feeling better physically every day.
“If they had a cesarean delivery, their body’s recovering from that; if they had a vaginal delivery, their body’s recovering from that, so there could be some soreness, pressure and pain,” she said. “There’s also discomfort associated with breastfeeding, such as breast engorgement.”
It’s also important for women to monitor things like pregnancy-induced hypertension that could occur during the postpartum period.
Some symptoms of pregnancy-induced hypertension include, but are not limited to:
- A headache that doesn’t go away.
- Pain under the ribs or over the liver.
- Sudden nausea and vomiting.
- Visual changes.
- Significant swelling in the feet or hands.
- Chest discomfort.
- Shortness of breath.
“Those could be all signs of preeclampsia with severe features,” Van de Putte said. “The postpartum period is an important time to monitor those symptoms, and if any of those symptoms occur, reach out to the health care provider immediately.”
The recommendation is for any mom who has had a risk factor for hypertension or was diagnosed at any point during pregnancy to be seen within seven days following hospital discharge.
“Make sure you have a follow-up visit with your OB-GYN,” she said.
In addition to awareness of physical health, new moms must also pay attention to their emotional wellbeing.
“The postpartum period can feel isolating. There are the stressors of sleep deprivation, the frequent feeding intervals and all the needs of a newborn,” she said. “It’s important to reach out to support people to talk about it in the event some changes in emotion are causing an effect that’s impacting quality of life or mom feels like maybe she’s getting depressed.”
Van de Putte said some indications of postpartum depression can include a lack of joy, difficulty bonding with your baby and things that are a little more concerning than just feeling a little sad or emotional.
“We’re talking about things that are really impacting the relationship you have with your newborn and your family,” she said. “If you are truly feeling depressed, you need to seek medical attention right away. There are treatments and interventions that we can do to help support moms during this time.”
Van de Putte said women who have an underlying history of depression, anxiety or mental health concerns should discuss it with their doctor before the labor experience.
“They have a higher incidence of encountering postpartum depression, and medications can often take a month or several months to work,” she said. “For patients who have experienced postpartum depression previously, we will often start them on some medication prior to their delivery. That will hopefully support them better in the postpartum period, as there is a very high incidence of recurrence in that setting.”
Van de Putte said it all comes down to moms having plenty of support.
“It’s OK for you to say, ‘I need help,’ and we’re here to support you through this,” she said.
Following delivery, you should schedule a follow up visit with your OB-GYN as they recommend.
“That follow-up appointment after delivery is so important, as well as knowing those signs of acuity on the mental health side and the medical,” Van de Putte said.
The importance of postnatal care all comes back to the prenatal care, as it’s crucial to have these conversations before the birth experience.
Methodist Healthcare doesn’t stop caring for you after you give birth. Their team is dedicated to providing you with care and support, even after you’ve returned home. Whether it’s your first baby or your fifth, they want to help you and your family adjust to life with your new addition.
To learn more about their postpartum care services, please call the Methodist Healthcare HealthLine at 210-575-0355.
You can also learn about Methodist Healthcare’s options for delivery at one of its hospitals, by clicking here.