Most pediatricians, I hope, are now condemning routine suctioning after
birth. It is invasive, it may cause apnea and/or bradycardia, and there
is no proof, I am sure, that it helps babies' feeding. On the contrary,
there is proof from Sweden that the baby feeds *less* well, at least at
the breast, if they are routinely suctioned, especially deep suctioning.
Jack Newman, MD, FRCPC