Which statement best describes the taking-in stage after delivery?

• A. The mother immediately begins full involvement in infant care.
• B. The mother is uninterested in the infant and asks others to respond to cues.
• C. The mother focuses on her own needs and rest.
• D. The mother experiences postpartum depression.

Answer: (C)

The taking-in stage after birth centers on recovery and meeting the mother’s own needs. During this time she often feels exhausted and focused on rest, fluids, and nourishment, relying on others to help with basic care. She may need time to process the birth and is less focused on actively caring for the newborn yet. This is why describing the mother as concentrating on her own needs and rest fits this stage best. In contrast, immediate full involvement in infant care aligns with a later stage where the mother begins to take a more active role, and statements about being uninterested or experiencing postpartum depression describe other conditions or phases.