When I do a heel stick on a phototherapy baby for a bili level or a
newborn assessment with PKU I always have the mother nurse the baby
while I warm the heel and do the stick.  Often, they barely flinch.
Rarely does the baby cry.  If they do cry, they are consoled in seconds
and go back to nursing.  Recently, there has been report of a study that
indicated that breastfeeding is, indeed, analgesic for the baby.  This
lab tech should be taken to task for that attitude.  A screaming baby
will actually make it harder for the blood to flow easily.

Parents are usually amazed that their baby can go through this procedure
without being traumatized.  If the initial blood draw was done at the
hospital lab, they are usually so thankful that they can hold their baby
and help control the pain.  They had to sit in the waiting room and hear
their baby scream at the lab.

Diane Perrone, RNC
Materna Wellborn
Algonquin   IL   USA

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