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Home Healthcare and Private-duty Nursing for New Mothers

For some women, the first several days home following the birth of a new baby are filled with some of the most profound moments in life. They are also some of the most overwhelming.

New mothers, and fathers, need help, and when that help isn’t available in an existing support system of family and friends, many turn to Visiting Nurse Association of Ohio.

Michelle Kerr, medical/surgical clinical manager for VNA of Ohio, said the agency’s home healthcare team offers a range of services for all mothers with newborns. VNA of Ohio also provides particular peace of mind to the families of new mothers who struggle with chronic conditions that threaten to complicate their recovery following childbirth.

Private Duty Nursing: Many Services for New Mothers

With VNA of Ohio’s private-duty services, exhausted new mothers can get help with everything from doing laundry and making dinner to caring for other children and providing transportation to doctors’ appointments. VNA of Ohio services are available for a few hours per week, 24 hours a day or anything in between, Kerr said.

In some cases, physicians prescribe in-home healthcare following childbirth for mothers who have experienced complications during delivery or for those who have underlying illnesses or disorders.

VNA of Ohio’s skilled nursing care services, provided by registered nurses and other clinicians, include in-home assessments within 24 hours of discharge from the hospital.

Kerr said this evaluation and the follow-up homecare may be necessary for women with conditions that can develop or become exacerbated as a result of the massive changes that take place in a woman’s body during pregnancy and child birth.

For example, some women develop hypertension (high blood pressure) or gestational diabetes during pregnancy. Those conditions usually abate when the pregnancy is over. But close monitoring and self-care are needed to prevent the temporary conditions from becoming permanent.

Postpartum Care Essential for Many New Mothers

Unfortunately, women often neglect that important self-care during the postpartum period, when they are busy caring for their newborns and, possibly, other children.

The help provided by VNA of Ohio’s registered nurses and other homecare professionals can bridge that gap to ensure new mothers get the care they need for themselves, Kerr said.

Finally, VNA of Ohio also provides help for an essential, but often-overlooked need of new mothers: mental-health services.

Postpartum depression, a serious condition that affects as many as 16 percent of women following childbirth, can make it difficult for new mothers to care for their newborns and themselves, Kerr said.

VNA of Ohio’s mental-health homecare program, the largest of its kind in Ohio, employs a team of mental-health nurses, social workers, therapists and psychiatrists. They are available to provide expert care for those new mothers in need of support, Kerr said.

Call VNA of Ohio Today

Learn more about VNA of Ohio services, or call us today at 1-877-698-6264.