Postpartum Care and Newborn Care Flashcards
6 cards from real Doula Certification practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Postpartum Care and Newborn Care flashcards as text
What is the 'fourth trimester'?
Answer: The first three months after birth during which mother and baby adjust
The 'fourth trimester' refers to the first 12 weeks postpartum, a critical adjustment period for both the new parent and newborn.
What are the normal stages of lochia after birth?
Answer: Lochia rubra (red), serosa (pink/brown), alba (white/yellow)
Lochia progresses from rubra (bright red, days 1-4), to serosa (pink/brown, days 4-10), to alba (yellow/white, up to 6 weeks postpartum).
What are the baby blues?
Answer: Mild mood fluctuations in the first 1-2 weeks postpartum
Baby blues are mild emotional changes—tearfulness, mood swings, anxiety—that typically resolve within 2 weeks as hormones stabilize.
What is postpartum depression (PPD)?
Answer: A clinical mood disorder persisting beyond 2 weeks postpartum
PPD is a clinical mood disorder characterized by persistent sadness, anxiety, exhaustion, and difficulty bonding that lasts beyond the first two weeks postpartum.
What is the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS)?
Answer: A validated screening questionnaire for postpartum depression
The EPDS is a 10-item validated questionnaire used to screen new parents for postpartum depression symptoms.
What is swaddling?
Answer: Wrapping a newborn snugly in a blanket to promote calm and sleep
Swaddling wraps the newborn snugly to mimic the womb environment, reducing the startle reflex and promoting longer sleep periods.