Midwife Kairi Kivaste conducts postpartum home visits for women

Most women feel safe and cared for by our midwives during their period of expectancy. During the time of pregnancy monitoring, lasting for 9 months, a strong, trusting bond is formed between the midwife observing the pregnancy and the woman. According to standard practice, the first visit to a gynecologist after childbirth takes place not until months after delivery. This creates a lot of uncertainty for some new mothers. Therefore, we offer postnatal home visits by a midwife to support your journey towards growing up as a family in the immediate postnatal period.

 

Who could benefit from a postnatal home visit?

 

Already during pregnancy, the midwife helps to prepare the family for the change in life associated with the baby's arrival. However, since every infant is born with its own distinctive character and peculiarities, this perception can never be refined to the last detail before birth. It is also an individual journey for every woman as she grows into a mother. A postnatal home visit gives the family reassurance. A postnatal home visit is particularly important for the first-time birthgivers, although there are questions that rise in case of repeated births as well. During the home visit, there's the opportunity to have a retrospective conversation about childbirth and to examine how the woman has recovered, both physically and mentally, and to understand how the rest of the family has adapted to the new situation.  

 

In their first weeks of life, it is very important how the baby eats and how they gain weight. If the baby has lost a lot of weight in the hospital and the family has received recommendations to provide the baby with supplementary food, support and counselling will certainly be needed to know if and when the formula can be quit. Often, starting breastfeeding is a big challenge for the mother. Professional breastfeeding counselling is a great help on this learning journey, especially when it can be done in a home environment.

 

The family often also has questions about the child's care and needs at home. An experienced midwife's eye can also help to spot abnormalities that a parent may miss. In this way, the newborn can be referred to a health care facility as soon as necessary.  

 

Although the health and adjustment of the baby is of primary importance to the mother immediately after delivery, the midwife also helps to focus on the needs of the woman and assess the physical and mental aspects of their postpartum recovery. Often, the causes of problems appear more clearly in the home environment than at a visit happening between the hospital walls. Another great advantage of a home visit is that other family members can participate in it together with the mother and child. A home visit will help to increase the family's self-confidence and faith that their new role will be well managed. 

 

Procedures carried out during the home visit: 

 

• Conducting an examination of the newborn and assessing their general condition and weight gain;
• Care of the newborn’s eyes and umbilical stump and teaching the mother;
• Monitoring, evaluation and counseling of the breastfeeding process. Prophylaxis of breastmilk oversupply;
• Assessment of the mother's postpartum recovery, conducting an examination;
• Evaluation of the emotional state of the woman;
• Discussion of the childbirth experience, if desired;
• In the event of aberrance and complications, organizing help and, if necessary, arranging transportation to the hospital.

 

At the Fetal Ultrasound Centre, our midwife Kairi Kivaste carries out postnatal home visits for women.

 

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