I am diving into this discussion on Sweet-ease and circs.  I am not caught up completely on LN's since the conference last weekend so maybe this has been said, but I'm going to say it anyway.  Our hospital started using Sweet-Ease a couple of months ago for babies being circ'd.  I did and do not
object to it.  I was already aware of some of the studies showing the relationship between sucrose and lowering of pain perception.  Now, of course we have the information on breastfeeding and same, and BWC has given us info that indicates BF is  more effective than sucrose on pain perception.
However, I still stand by my previous statement.  .
 First, I would not want to throw the baby out with the bath water, and it seems to me that denying a baby something that would help him cope better with a painful procedure for the sake of "no bottles, no pacifiers" is standing on a principle without considering the individual.  I don't want the
baby to have to hurt any more than necessary.    BTW, our unit also gives these babies Tylenol for 24 hrs, and I've seen some babies that you could tell when he needed it again, because he was very fussy and hard to soothe to get to the breast.  (No, there was no other logical explanation for that
behavior.)

Second, I can't imagine that the extremely small amount of sucrose that's used could cause some lasting damage to his GI tract. However I'm willing to admit that I don't know that for a fact.  Here, they dip the pacifier in the liquid and give to baby or it may be  dripped into his mouth with
syringe.   As BWC also pointed out, the sucking alone is a comfort measure, which really helps some babies.  I don't think many of us would argue with giving a premie a pacifier as a comfort measure.  (You know, that could actually be productive if babies associated the pacifier with that pain, and
mom's nipple with comfort!  ;-))

Third, I don't like the idea of nursing through the circ.  There is a considerable difference in degree and length of pain from a heel-stick to a circ!  A heel stick is brief and it's over.  The soreness from it is usually very little.  But, a circ!  That is not so brief!  First there's sticking the
probe down to separate the foreskin from the shaft.  That has got to hurt!  Then they cut it off.  I can envision a mom being 'bit' during this procedure.   Afterwards, the pain from the wound must also be considerable, especially when they pee!  Sorry to be so graphic, but this isn't a brief
procedure that leaves no lasting consequences.  I sure wouldn't want to nurse through that as a form of analgesia!  I think putting them to breast afterwards is the logical and best practice.  There they can be soothed and comforted, with no connection between that and what they have just been
through!  Unless and until I hear a logical explanation for why this is harmful to breastfeeding or more harmful to the baby than the pain it helps to alleviate, or see research reflecting same, I am going to vote for pain reduction.

Marsha, who can't stand to see any baby in distress and is glad I don't have to help with circ's anymore.  I leave the nursery quickly when I know they're getting ready to do one.


Marsha Glass RN, BSN, IBCLC ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mothers have as powerful an influence over the welfare of future generations as all other earthly causes combined.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~John S. C. Abbot~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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