| Course | NSG 222 Family Nursing |
|---|---|
| Unit | Unit 3 |
| Paper type | Postpartum recovery log |
| Length | About 560 words, 5 pages |
| Format | APA 7 student paper |
| School | Herzing University |
| Program | BSN |
| Updated | October 2026 |
Free sample paper for NSG 222 Unit 3
The Same Nine Headings at Five Points After Birth: A Postpartum Recovery Log After a Vaginal Birth Following a Previous Cesarean
Student Name
Department of Nursing, Herzing University
NSG 222: Family Nursing
Instructor Name
January 28, 2026
The Same Nine Headings at Five Points After Birth: A Postpartum Recovery Log After a Vaginal Birth Following a Previous Cesarean
How the Log Is Kept
The composite mother from Units 1 and 2 gave birth vaginally at 1452 after a trial of labor following one previous cesarean. The log records nine headings at 1, 4, 12, 24, and 36 hours after birth, always in the same order. Each heading carries the expectation the course text gives for that point after birth (Lowdermilk et al., 2020), and each finding is marked as inside or outside it. Findings outside the expectation are explained under the table.
The five time points follow the unit's routine for a stable vaginal birth: frequent checks in the first hours, when bleeding is most likely, and then every eight to twelve hours. Between recorded points, she was checked whenever she called or fed the baby, and those informal checks found nothing new. The log is kept by the nurse assigned to her, so a single observer's descriptions run through most of it, which helps when comparing words like firm or moderate from one point to the next.
The Log
The expectation column restates the course text in brief; an entry marked (!) falls outside it.
| Heading | Expectation | 1 h | 4 h | 12 h | 24 h | 36 h |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vital signs | BP near prenatal baseline; HR 60-100; T below 38 °C | BP 118/70, HR 92, T 37.1 | BP 114/68, HR 84, T 37.2 | BP 116/70, HR 80, T 37.0 | BP 112/68, HR 76, T 36.9 | BP 114/70, HR 74, T 36.8 |
| Fundus | Firm, midline, at or near the umbilicus, descending about 1 cm a day | Firm, midline, at umbilicus | Firm, midline, 1 cm below | (!) Firm, 2 cm above umbilicus, deviated to right | Firm, midline, 2 cm below | Firm, midline, 3 cm below |
| Lochia | Rubra, scant to moderate, small clots only | Rubra, moderate | Rubra, moderate | Rubra, moderate | Rubra, small | Rubra, small |
| Bladder | Voids within 6 to 8 hours; no distension | Epidural still wearing off | Voided 350 mL | (!) Has not voided since; distended | Voiding without difficulty | Voiding without difficulty |
| Perineum | First-degree tear repaired: edges together, mild swelling, no discharge | Edges together, mild swelling | Same; ice applied | Same | Edges together, less swelling | Edges together, minimal swelling |
| Breasts and feeding | Soft, colostrum; baby latching | Soft; first feed 20 min | Soft | Soft; nipple tender on left | Soft; latch adjusted with lactation support | Filling; feeds every 2-3 h |
| Legs | No calf pain, swelling, or redness | No pain or swelling | Same | Same | Same | Same |
| Pain | Cramping with feeds; perineal soreness controlled | 3/10 | 4/10, cramping with feed | 3/10 | 2/10 | 2/10 |
| Mood and bonding | Tired, content, attending to baby | Holding baby skin to skin | Tired, happy | Tearful briefly, "I'm just tired" | Rested after sleep | Planning discharge |
Findings Outside the Expectation
At 12 hours the fundus was higher than expected and pushed to the right, and her bladder was distended; she had not voided since the 4-hour check. When the bladder fills, it displaces the uterus upward and sideways and can keep it from clamping down, so bleeding may increase. She was helped to the bathroom and voided 650 mL; the fundus then returned to midline, 1 cm below the umbilicus, and remained firm. The finding is recorded as outside the expectation and resolved, and her voiding was then checked every four hours overnight. The likely reason is the lingering effect of her epidural on bladder sensation.
Also at 12 hours she was briefly tearful. Short periods of tearfulness in the first days after birth are common and often called the baby blues; they are recorded rather than dismissed, because she reported similar tearfulness after her first birth, noted in the prenatal history, and persistent low mood would need screening.
Why the Previous Cesarean Did Not Change the Log
After a successful vaginal birth following a cesarean, routine postpartum care is the same as after any vaginal birth. The log does not add special checks for the old scar, but bleeding that is heavier than expected, or pain that is worse than cramping, would be reported promptly, as for any patient.
Teaching Recorded at 36 Hours
Before discharge she was taught the warning signs to report after going home: heavy bleeding soaking a pad in an hour, fever, severe headache, shortness of breath, chest pain, leg swelling, and thoughts of harming herself or the baby. Postpartum care guidance recommends contact with a clinician within the first three weeks and ongoing care rather than a single visit at six weeks (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 2018). A follow-up call was booked for day 3 and a visit for week 2. She plans to breastfeed exclusively, which pediatric guidance recommends for about the first six months (Meek et al., 2022), and knows how to reach the clinic's lactation line. The patient is a composite.
References
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. (2018). ACOG Committee Opinion No. 736: Optimizing postpartum care. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 131(5), e140-e150. https://doi.org/10.1097/AOG.0000000000002633
Lowdermilk, D. L., Perry, S. E., Cashion, K., Alden, K. R., & Olshansky, E. F. (2020). Maternity & women's health care (12th ed.). Elsevier.
Meek, J. Y., Noble, L., & Section on Breastfeeding. (2022). Policy statement: Breastfeeding and the use of human milk. Pediatrics, 150(1), Article e2022057988. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2022-057988
What the NSG 222 Unit 3 instructions ask for
Unit 3 asks you to log postpartum assessments at set times using consistent headings. Expect to explain how the log is kept, record findings under the same headings at each time, mark findings outside expectation, explain them and record discharge teaching. Many versions ask which headings to use and how often to assess. Check whether your section uses BUBBLE-HE or another system. Using the same headings each time makes changes visible. A displaced, boggy fundus often points to a full bladder. Lochia should be described by color, amount and clots. Emotional state belongs in every entry. Discharge teaching should include warning signs that need urgent care. Record comfort and pain at each time point too.
How this NSG 222 Unit 3 example is built
The log opens with the birth and the assessment schedule. A table shows nine headings across five time points, with an expectation column drawn from the course text. Findings outside expectation are marked and explained below the table. The 12-hour finding of a high, deviated fundus is linked to bladder distension and resolved after voiding, with a recheck recorded. The section on the previous cesarean explains that routine care applies after a successful vaginal birth. The teaching section lists warning signs in everyday words, such as heavy bleeding, fever, chest pain and severe headache. Keeping the headings identical is what lets change over time show.
Reading the NSG 222 Unit 3 rubric
Herzing's rubric for a postpartum log usually covers consistency of headings, accuracy of findings, recognition of findings outside expectation, explanation, discharge teaching and documentation. Findings outside expectation are where graders look first, and each needs both a mark and an explanation. Heading points reward the same system at every time point. Finding criteria look for precise descriptions of fundal height and tone, lochia color and amount, and perineal condition. Teaching points go to warning signs in plain language with when to call. Emotional assessment at each time is often credited, since mood can change quickly. Pain and comfort should appear in every entry. A table helps the reader scan across time. AWHONN's postpartum guidance and ACOG's opinion on postpartum care support the log.
NSG 222 Unit 3 help: mistakes that cost points
Postpartum logs in Unit 3 often slip by changing headings between time points. Another frequent problem is describing lochia vaguely, such as normal, instead of by color, amount and clots. Students often miss the link between a full bladder and a displaced fundus. Emotional state is assessed once and then dropped. Discharge teaching omits warning signs such as chest pain or severe headache, which signal serious complications. Findings outside expectation are not explained. Pain assessment is missing. Breastfeeding comfort is not recorded under breasts. Legs are not checked for swelling or tenderness. Finally, keep headings identical, because graders reward a log where change across time is visible at a glance.
Get a NSG 222 Unit 3 example written to your instructions
Send the Unit 3 instructions and the rubric from your NSG 222 classroom, with the case and any recording form the assignment supplies. We write a custom example that repeats its headings at each point, puts the sourced postpartum expectation beside every finding and keeps the newborn strand running in parallel. First custom sample free, back in 24 to 48 hours.
More NSG 222 papers and BSN samples
- NSG 222 Unit 1: Prenatal risk history record
- NSG 222 Unit 2: Stage of labor record
- NSG 222 Unit 4: Newborn transition record
- NSG 222 Unit 5: Feeding and attachment record
- NSG 222 Unit 6: Maternal warning sign timeline
- NSG 222 Unit 7: Family assessment write-up
- NSG 222 Unit 8: Two patient priority write-up
- NSG 120 Unit 3: Complication watch list
- NSG 121 Unit 3: Expected versus unexpected findings chart
- NSG 122 Unit 3: Measurable goal and outcome sheet
- NSG 123 Unit 3: Nursing intervention rationale
NSG 222 Unit 3 questions, answered
Where should the postpartum expectations come from?
Your course materials first, named at the point of use, along with any professional publication the assignment permits. Timelines for recovery are described differently between texts and organizations, and clinical settings add conventions of their own, so an unattributed expectation leaves every judgment above it unverifiable. Where two of your sources disagree, record both and say which the log followed.
Should the log cover the newborn as well?
That depends on what your section asks, and many do include an infant strand because the course treats the pair as one unit of care. Where the newborn appears, give the series its own headings instead of slotting entries into the maternal record, since the observations, the timings and the expectations are all different.
How do I handle a finding the case never explains?
Record it, say what it would be read against, and name what further information would settle the question. A log that quietly drops an entry it cannot account for looks tidier and marks worse, because noticing the unexplained finding is part of what the criteria credit. Speculating about a cause with nothing in the scenario behind it costs more than silence would.
Where can I find a free NSG 222 Unit 3 sample paper?
This page shows the whole NSG 222 Unit 3 postpartum log for free, nine headings at five times with findings explained. A log for a different birth can be written on request.
Why would the fundus be high and to one side after birth?
A full bladder often pushes the uterus up and to the side and can increase bleeding. This sample finds that at 12 hours and records the fundus returning to midline after she voided.