Postpartum teaching project for managing physical and psychological symptoms

¶ … birth places a tremendous emotional and physical strain on a woman. Postpartum teaching can alleviate many of the stressors associated with motherhood, and help the new mother ease her transition from the hospital to home. Moreover, postpartum teaching can help a mother prevent many problems ranging from constipation to postpartum depression.

Postpartum teaching consists of multiple levels of learning: cognitive, affective, and psychomotor. This report will address postpartum teaching on each of these three main levels. The following teaching project will include assessments of the learner, the teacher, and the resources required for the session. Also, the teaching project will include a thorough teaching plan detailing cognitive, affective, and psychomotor learning objectives. A subject and content outline plus a rationale for the teaching strategies used for the project are also included. Finally, an evaluation of the learner, the teacher, and the resources completes the teaching project.

The following teaching project lasts one hour. The learner is a 30-year-old female who gave birth two days before the session. The birth was without complications. The primary goals of the current teaching project are to teach the learner about the most common postpartum physical and psychological symptoms and therefore prepare her was well as possible for postpartum symptoms. The new mother will ideally be able to manage most postpartum symptoms according to what she learns during the teaching session.

Assessment of the Learner

One of the most important factors in learner assessment is an acknowledgement of diversity: diversity of background and also a diversity of learning styles. Stilborne & Williams (1996) point out the unique features of adult learners: including motivation, self-directedness, circumstances, and personal learning styles. Taking into account the wide range of worldviews held by mothers may be one of the most important foundations for the teaching project. A teacher can help a student learn best by respecting individual differences. Assessment of the learner therefore begins by determining (a) the learner's cultural background, medical history, and prior experience with childbirth; (b) the learner's attitude toward motherhood; - the learner's attitude toward health care; and (d) the learner's learning style. It is also important to determine what postpartum symptoms, if any, the new mother has experienced to date.

This 30-year-old female is Caucasian and from a Christian family. She has never given birth before, and has no serious medical issues. When asked, the learner admitted to being constipated since giving birth. Her main concerns with postpartum issues include weight loss and learning how to breastfeed properly. The new mother is not on medications of any sort, and has expressed interest in breastfeeding her newborn. The learner is in reasonably good spirits, although she is a single mother. Her sister, her parents, and a few close friends frequently visit her in the hospital and therefore offer emotional support to the new mother. The learner is a professional who does not seem overly concerned with the financial issues that might affect her ability to raise her child by herself. Her attitude toward health care is optimistic and positive and she demonstrates a high degree of compliance and willingness to learn.

When examined in light of Kolb's model of learning styles, the new mother exhibits strengths in the Doing and Watching categories. Kolb suggested four "combinations of perceiving and processing" that amount to learning preferences more than learning styles, per se (Clark 2000). Reflective observation, or simply watching, provides a major source of input for a learner like the new mother. Also, the new mother has demonstrated a predilection for active experimentation as opposed to abstract conceptualization. Therefore, the best way to approach the teaching session is to have the new mother practice whatever is being taught to her, after she observes the teacher performing a certain action. Accommodating learner needs is tricky but will enormously help the new mother understand how to avoid common postpartum health problems, both physiological and psychological ones.

Assessment of the Teacher

The teacher has minimal experience in a professional nursing environment but has considerable past experience working in a teaching environment. A frequent volunteer, the teacher also has a penchant for helping others and is patient. The teacher is a single mother who has experienced postpartum depression as well as physiological issues associated with childbirth. Therefore, she is passionate about helping other women minimize the stressors that do occur after childbirth. Her experience with childbirth allows her personal insight into what the new mother must be going through and can address the learner's needs personally as well as professionally. Especially because the learner prefers to watch and then follow for herself, the teacher will be an ideal aide for addressing postpartum issues. The teacher is comfortable holding newborns and can make the new mother feel safe while she learns how to breastfeed. As a mother, the teacher can help the learner minimize any awkwardness.

Psychomotor Objectives

Bring baby to breast, tickling the baby's mouth to trigger him or her to open widely while supporting the base of the baby's neck (manipulation, precision).

Breastfeed efficiently and painlessly by positioning the baby's tongue around the nipple and areola, supporting the breast by hand if necessary and monitoring baby's lips and jaw (precision).

Operate a manual, a cordless, and an electric breast milk pump, first by observing on a model breast and then by practicing on herself (manipulation, precision, imitation).

Observe teacher performing simple stretching exercises with focus on abdomen and performing the exercises in tandem (imitation).

Affective Objectives

Express feelings about motherhood, if necessary by writing down her feelings in a personal journal and sharing them later (valuing).

Express any concerns or worries about motherhood or any postpartum issues including breastfeeding (valuing).

Demonstrate interest in networking with other single parents, if possible through organized groups (responding).

Subject Content Outline

What does the term postpartum refer to?

What are the most common physiological symptoms experienced by new mothers immediately after childbirth and within the first few months of giving birth?

What are some of the postpartum symptoms to be concerned about, and which ones should cause no worry?

What are some of the psychological symptoms associated with being a new mother?

What is postpartum depression?

What are the risk factors associated with postpartum depression?

How can postpartum depression be prevented or managed?

What are some of the specific issues singles mom face?

What is an ideal postpartum diet and exercise regime?

Breastfeeding techniques.

Breast pumping techniques.

Introduction to Internet and print resources for new mothers.

Introduction to social networking and support groups for new mothers in her area.

Teaching Strategies Used and Rationale

The teacher and learner will have a high degree of privacy in the hospital room during the teaching project. Therefore, lessons on breastfeeding will be comfortable and cause little embarrassment for the learner. Having privacy will help the learner feel relaxed and willing to breastfeed in front of the teacher. Also, the private setting will help the learner express her emotions.

Having determined that the learner prefers to observe and then act, the teaching strategies used for the project will include demonstrations and imitation. The learner's positive attitude directly suggests her high level of motivation to learn. Also, her cultural background and tendency to be compliant with hospital standards and procedures imply that the learner is likely to be highly motivated. Motivation is a prerequisite for adult learning (Silborne & Williams 1996). As Lieb (1991) notes, adult learners are autonomous, self-directed, goal-oriented and practical. Postpartum teaching enables the learner to capitalize on her own wealth of knowledge derived from her interactions with friends and family who have children. Also, the learner is excited about reading books and online materials related to postpartum issues and so the teaching project is tailored for a self-directed, motivated adult learner. The teaching project is also goal-oriented and practical, with specific learner objectives that include psychomotor mastery of basic breastfeeding techniques. Beger & Cook (1998) found that mothers prefer teaching methods that focus on physical needs. Those needs are squarely and thoroughly addressed in this project. Breastfeeding properly is the main psychomotor learning objective, and learning how to mitigate postpartum physical discomfort via cognitive understanding is one of the main cognitive objectives of the teaching project.

Other teaching strategies used in the current project include a strong emphasis on observational learning. Although Bandura's theory of observational learning was designed for child learners, observational learning remains one of the major preferred adult learning styles. Kolb, for example, showed how adult learning styles might include a preference for observation and imitation. The learner in this project did express her wishes to watch the breastfeeding model before trying breastfeeding techniques for herself. Lieb (1991) also points out the importance of life experiences to the adult learner. Allowing the learner to incorporate breastfeeding techniques or simple advice given to her by friends and family members will aid her motivation in incorporating the practices introduced in this project.

Materials Used and Rationale

The learner will be offered several online and print resources as suggestions for further reading. The government of British Columbia's guide called "Baby's Best Chance" is a well-written and relatively comprehensive handbook that includes plenty of practical information that is related to what the new mother can expect in terms of physical and psychological symptoms. However, the handbook lacks thorough information on breastfeeding and breast pumping. Therefore, the learner will be given a list of Web sites and books she can read on her own time. During the teaching project, the learner will be introduced to proven breastfeeding and breast milk pumping techniques suggested by reputable sources including the American Food and Drug Administration and other government agencies. Web sites that are sponsored by medical establishments, government-sponsored Web sites, and educational Web sites all provide reliable information that the new mother can trust. Any and all of the Web sites listed in the References section of this report will be offered to the new mother.

Evaluation of Learner

According to the American College of Healthcare Executives (nd), "evaluation should be integrated and consistent, not simply accomplished only at the conclusion of training." In other words, the teacher should continually observe and evaluate the learner before, during, and after the session. The teacher's responsibility to the learner is to make sure that any and all teaching strategies used during the current project are effective. If the learner does not respond to or responds negatively to any strategies employed during the teaching project then it is the teacher's responsibility to change his or her approach. During the teaching project, I observed the learner thoroughly, taking into account her background as well as her interactions with friends, family members, and the newborn. After determining that the learner preferred to learn by doing and observing, the current project was designed to accommodate her needs.

The learner remained enthusiastic during the entire lesson. She smiled readily and seemed appreciative of the information and techniques that the teacher brought to the lesson. Therefore, the learner remained highly motivated. Her high level of motivation in turn ensured concentration and retention of material. She was more than able to meet the learning objectives listed in the project report. In fact, the learner surpassed the teacher's expectations in terms of her ability to name postpartum physiological and psychological symptoms and their remedies. The learner at first seemed hesitant about breastfeeding but after observing various techniques of breastfeeding and breast pumping on the model, she was quickly able to imitate and practice on her own newborn baby.

The learner also surpassed expectations by showing definite interest in participating in local postpartum support groups, in availing herself of intervention resources in case of postpartum depression, and meeting other single parents in an organized setting. The American College of Healthcare Executives (nd) points out the need for learner self-evaluation. Therefore, the learner was requested to share her thoughts and feelings about her progress during the teaching project. She seemed reluctant to admit her progress but finally acknowledged that she did gain cognitive, psychomotor, and affective resources that would be enormously helpful in practical application. As a single mother, the learner also admitted the unique stressors that might place her at risk for postpartum depression. The learner agreed to follow-up sessions and if necessary, to psychiatric evaluations. After the teaching project was completed, the learner also indicated a strong desire to begin a postpartum exercise program that was approved by her primary care physician.

Evaluation of Teacher

The American College of Healthcare Executives (nd) addresses the need for teachers to assess themselves. With a thorough and honest self-evaluation, instructors can gain insight into their personal strengths and weaknesses. A particular teaching style might need to be adapted for future learners who have different learning styles than the current one. Also, the teacher might notice shortcomings in the lesson based on learner retention of knowledge. Because the learner in this case demonstrated sufficient cognitive, psychomotor, and affective progress, no alterations to future teaching techniques will be necessary unless the learner is from a significantly different background or has entirely different learning styles. Otherwise, the instructor seemed comfortable during the entire project session. The instructor's level of comfort with her own teaching style made it easier for the learner to relax. The teacher's attentiveness and ability to listen to the new mother's concerns also helped the learner gain much from the teaching project. Therefore, the teacher did a more than adequate job of helping the learner grasp cognitive concepts related to postpartum health, practice psychomotor activities especially breastfeeding, and understand her feelings toward being a new mother. A teacher evaluation also shows what the teacher learned from the session. The teacher learned how to communicate better and how to be an effective demonstrator for important tasks like breast milk pumping.

Evaluation of Resources

The online resources used for the teaching project are reputable, sponsored by government, educational, or health care institutions. Therefore, the learner can rely on them as valid sources of information about postpartum health. Because the resources are all located online, the learner can easily access them at home. The only books shown to the learner during the teaching project was the government of British Columbia's handbook, which is available in a digital format. The learner has expressed interest in searching for print books and magazines that can further her understanding and awareness of postpartum health and baby care.

This report covered the postpartum teaching objectives for a 30-year-old single mother. The purpose of the project was to assess the learner's background and learning style to create an ideal teaching project. Also, the project was intended to deepen the learner's awareness of postpartum physical and psychological health issues and to learn how to prevent and treat possible issues. Because both teacher and learner performed well during the session, the project can be considered a great success.