Perinatal nursing is the care and support of women and their families before, during, and after childbirth. Perinatal nurses provide education and resources about pregnancy and childbirth, and help oversee the mother and child during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum to ensure the health of both.

A perinatal nurse's involvement in the patient's care depends on the nurse's license, as well as the patient's needs. For example, someone who is certified as a nurse-midwife may be the primary care provider for a mother and child, while a lactation consultant works with a mother after childbirth to help her breastfeed her infant. Some perinatal nurses work in obstetrics and gynecology offices to provide care for a woman during her pregnancy, while others work in labor and delivery to provide a safe, healthy environment for childbirth, and assist other health care providers during a woman's labor and delivery.

Perinatal nurses must be compassionate when dealing with pregnant and postpartum women, as well as be able to communicate with a patient's family in order to provide a nursing care plan that ensures the health of the mother and her baby.

Perinatal Nursing Theories and Models

• Mercer's Maternal Role Attainment Theory
• Roy's Adaptation Model of Nursing
• Casey's Model of Nursing
• Parse's Human Becoming Theory
• Nightingale's Environment Theory
• Neuman's Systems Model
• Rogers' Theory of Unitary Human Beings
• Erickson's Modeling and Role Modeling Theory
• Orlando's Nursing Process Discipline Theory
• Kolcaba's Theory of Comfort
• Orem's Self-Care Deficit Nursing Theory
• King's Theory of Goal Attainment
• Watson's Philosophy and Science of Caring