At my hospital we are trying to decide on the safety of using CHG wipes prior to c-section births. This practice has been shown to decrease surgical infections. The usual process is to have the patient wipe their entire body from chin to toes with the CHG wipes.

The question is what this does to the baby born by c-section who is placed skin-to-skin. They are already at a disadvantage not having come in contact with the normal birth canal flora. Now they will also not have immediate contact with the normal flora on the mother's skin.

Does anyone have any research or evidence they can site that would help us to argue against this chin to toe cleaning?  We would like to recommend that the woman wipe from underneath her breasts to her toes leaving her breasts and chest alone.

Thanks in advance for your help!
Marie Pulito

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