Sender: |
|
Date: |
Sun, 22 Sep 2013 10:35:43 -0400 |
Reply-To: |
|
Message-ID: |
|
Subject: |
|
MIME-Version: |
1.0 |
Content-Transfer-Encoding: |
7bit |
In-Reply-To: |
|
Content-Type: |
text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed |
From: |
|
Parts/Attachments: |
|
|
Once a day soap and water washing might be very reasonable, but before
every expression is overkill. Bacteria (and fungi) thrive in biofilms,
which are only disrupted by soap and friction. This is why rinsing
dishes does not get them as clean as rubbing them with your sponge or
dishcloth. Bacteria can hide in protein films, and milk is rich in
protein. It is also rich in immune compounds of many types, but they may
not be able to penetrate a biofilm if chronic lack of soap and friction
washing allows one to build up.
Since these moms are having to defend against hospital acquired
pathogens as well, and were probably not born at home vaginally and
exclusively breastfed by an uninterrupted line of female ancestors who
were the same, and have been exposed to antibiotics, they probably don't
have "normal" human flora anyway.
Catherine Watson Genna BS, IBCLC NYC cwgenna.com
On 9/20/2013 7:37 AM, Jan Barger wrote:
> Theresa says:
>
>
>
> I'm a hospital based IBCLC and have a question about requiring all NICU
> mothers to wash their breasts with soap
> and water before expressing. I recently spoke to our Infection Prevention
> Director who mentioned that the plan is
> to institute a policy requiring all our NICU mothers to wash the breasts
> each time before expressing. She mentioned that she has researched it and
> has found substantial evidence to support this practice.
>
> We have always advised hand washing before expressing, but not universal
> breast washing.
>
> I'm wondering if this is current best practice and advised?
>
> ****************************************************************************
> *********************
>
> Arghhhh....has that old chestnut resurfaced? Do mothers have to wash
> breasts and nipples before breastfeeding as well? I would love to see her
> "substantial evidence." She may find articles that state washing will reduce
> the number of bacteria on her breasts/nipples, but the REAL bottom line
> question is, does the practice reduce the morbidity and mortality of the
> babies?
>
> "Back in the day..." (I'm allowed to say that because I'm OLD), we
> required all mothers who were breastfeeding -- the one a month or so we had back
> then -- to wash their nipples with green soap and rinse with sterile water
> before breastfeeding. Imagine what this did to the mother's nipples and her
> psyche.
>
> Anyway, I could be mistaken, but I do not believe this is current
> acceptable practice for a host of reasons. Washing hands -- absolutely -- think of
> where your hands have been and what they do. Washing breasts that are
> just hanging out in a bra? Why?
>
> I'd ask your "Infection Prevention Director" just what she is trying to
> accomplish thru this.
>
> Jan Barger, RN, MA, IBCLC, FILCA
> Wheaton IL
>
>
>
> ***********************************************
>
> Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html
> To reach list owners: [log in to unmask]
> Mail all list management commands to: [log in to unmask]
> COMMANDS:
> 1. To temporarily stop your subscription write in the body of an email: set lactnet nomail
> 2. To start it again: set lactnet mail
> 3. To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
> 4. To get a comprehensive list of rules and directions: get lactnet welcome
***********************************************
Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html
To reach list owners: [log in to unmask]
Mail all list management commands to: [log in to unmask]
COMMANDS:
1. To temporarily stop your subscription write in the body of an email: set lactnet nomail
2. To start it again: set lactnet mail
3. To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
4. To get a comprehensive list of rules and directions: get lactnet welcome
|
|
|