The NICE guidelines for postnatal care define recommendations about the treatment & …show more content…
The guidelines were developed in the United Kingdom by the National Collaborating Centre for Primary Care. NICE states that “for most women & babies the postnatal period is uncomplicated, care during this period needs to address any deviation from expected recovery after birth.” (2006) The guidelines were established to provide advice on additional care that can be provided for the general population of mothers.
As the guidelines address the actions needed to be taken in order to adapt to developing problems, it is provided that an adequate knowledge of the normal physiology of a healthy postnatal is in order. Midwives providing care for mothers must know of the post birth physiology & how that affects that of her mental & physical health & that of her breastfeeding.
The NICE guidelines (NICE, 2006), from 1.2.22 to 1.2.26, identify the actions midwives should take postpartum in regards to the women’s mental health & wellbeing. Black states “There is a …show more content…
Black states “There is a high level of risk to a mother 's mental health in the period before and after giving birth” (2014). Anxiety of the mother will reflect upon her baby as they will react fittingly, increasing the feelings of the mother too. A Victorian study identified social factors as the major determinants of anxiety in postnatal women. One of the main factors was that of a lack of support, lack of knowledge on infant sleep & settling strategies for infants (Wynter, Rowe, Burns & Fisher, 2015). Midwives are able to support the woman while enabling her to develop a support network through external services & groups. (Black, 2014) The NICE guidelines promote in sharing of the changes in the woman’s “mood, emotional state & behaviour that are outside of her normal pattern” (NICE, 2006). The guidelines don’t explicitly state that the woman should be encouraged to share her anxiety & insecurity of her mothering experience so far, but it states that midwifes should encourage the women & her family to report concerns , ask questions & discuss issues. One issue that arise is indications of postnatal depression. Dennis & Dowswell stated that “A clear beneficial effect in the prevention of postpartum depression was found from a range of psychosocial and psychological interventions” (2013). The research indicated