I need suggestions for what to do with babies that are very mucousy the first
day.  These babies "foam at the mouth" and gag and have a tough time attempting
to nurse because they are so full of these thick secretions.
At the hospital where I used to work, the nurse would put a tube down to the
stomach and put down a little water, then pull the mucous and water out.
Although this sounds very invasive, it usually made a tremendous difference.
The babies felt better, didn't gag, and were then interested in nursing.  At the
hospital where I work now, the pediatricians don't want this done.  So we use
the bulb syringe, wipe the mouth, hold the babies upright and keep working with
them. They seem to have little interest in sucking and the moms are terrified to
care for them, because they keep gagging.  I would like to know what other LCs
do for this problem, especially when "cleaning out the tummies" is not an
option.

Ann Calandro,RNC,IBCLC
Waxhaw, NC