Creating a Postpartum Plan for Pregnant Mothers in Saipan

After creating a birth plan, the expectant mother should also create a postpartum plan. When developing a postpartum plan keep in mind:

•Recovery – how will the mother find help for recovery in the first weeks after baby? Will she have supplies on hand to ease aches and pains? Are there any recommendations from the doctor or midwife to follow?
•Sleep – how many hours did the mother sleep before pregnancy? What are some ways she can encourage more sleep?
•Meals – who will do the cooking in the first few days when mom and baby are primarily in bed together? What are some ways to make meal preparation easier during this time?
•Baby care – who can help with diaper changing, bathing and breastfeeding? Will the partner be enough or should a postpartum doula be hired for extra help?

Make a list of volunteers or family members that can assist the mother and hte assigned tasks. For those that may need private help, home health aides in conjunction with skilled nurses may be avialable at no-cost*. Give Pacific Home Health Care a call today at 670-234-CARE (2273) today for more information.

Arrange Baby Stations

Expectant mothers should plan in advance to keep the infant's care items handy around the house or apartment. In each room where the mother and infant will spend time, plan on the following stations:

•Diaper changing – fill a basket or bin with necessary items such as diapers, clean outfit, ointment, wipes and powder, refill daily or as needed.
•Sleeping – any items that will promote sleep such as a cuddly toy, blanket or lavender baby lotion.
•Feeding – for breastfeeding this may be pillows for propping mom and baby, a snuggly blanket and a bottle of water; for bottle feeding this will be clean bottles, formula and any important accessories.
•First aid – keep a first aid kit in several prominent locations around the house as well as any prescriptions the mother or baby are taking. Also keep a notepad next to the medications and write the date and time when medicine is taken to avoid over or under dosing due to sleep deprivation.

Why do CNMI residents need to check their blood pressure at home?

Monitoring your blood pressure at home offers several benefits. It can:

Help make an early diagnosis of high blood pressure. If you have prehypertension, or another condition that could contribute to high blood pressure, such as diabetes or kidney problems, home blood pressure monitoring could help your doctor diagnose high blood pressure earlier than if you have only infrequent blood pressure readings in the doctor's office.

Help track your treatment. The only way to know whether your lifestyle changes or your medications are working is to check your blood pressure regularly. Keeping track of changes can help you and your health care team make decisions about your ongoing treatment strategy, such as adjusting dosages or changing medications.

Encourage better control. Taking your own blood pressure measurements can result in better blood pressure control. You gain a stronger sense of responsibility for your health, and you may be even more motivated to control your blood pressure with an improved diet, physical activity and proper medication use.

Cut your health care costs. Home monitoring may cut down on the number of visits you need to make to your doctor or clinic. This can reduce your overall health care costs, lower your travel expenses and save in lost wages.

Check if your blood pressure is different outside the doctor's office. Your doctor may suspect that your blood pressure goes up due to the anxiety associated with being at the doctor's office, but is otherwise normal — a condition called white-coat hypertension. Monitoring blood pressure at home or work, where that kind of anxiety won't cause those spikes, can help see if you have true high blood pressure or simply white-coat hypertension.Home and workplace monitoring may also help when the opposite occurs — your blood pressure seems fine at the doctor's office, but is elevated elsewhere. This kind of high blood pressure, sometimes called masked hypertension, is more common in women and those with cardiovascular risk factors, such as obesity, high blood cholesterol and high blood sugar.

Not everyone can track blood pressure at home. If you have an irregular heartbeat, home blood pressure monitors might not give you an accurate reading. In some cases, the type of monitor you use could depend on your physical condition. If you're overweight or very muscular, you'll need to find a monitor with a larger arm cuff. If you have hearing loss, a monitor with a digital display may be more suitable.

Talk to your doctor, or Pacific Home Health Care, LLC. nurse about whether home monitoring is a good option. Keep in mind that a family member or friend who is properly trained may be able to take blood pressure measurements for you.