Someone asked a few days ago about routine recommendations concerning
bathing newborns and cord care in other countries than USA. I think this is
relevant to breastfeeding issues because of the potential usefulness of
remedial co-bathing for non-latching babies.

I thought someone working in a hospital in Australia may comment. Since I
haven't seen one so far, I thought I would just say that, as far as I know,
there have never been restrictions about water and bathing of newborns in
Australia. When my babies were born (14 and 11 now), mothers were shown
bathing technique by hospital staff from the first day or two. I always
thought it was a bit odd, making a big deal about showing a mother exactly
how to bath a baby, and relatively little about how to breastfeed. But
then, I suppose, the nurses were so expert in bathing babies and maybe not
so expert in breastfeeding. Getting the cord stump wet was not a concern at
all.

I also don't recall any concerns about mothers having baths, although I
normally just had showers and I only had an episiotomy to worry about (no
caesar wound). Anyone else in Australia heard of the restrictions that seem
to be recommended in the US?

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Joy Anderson B.Sc. Dip.Ed. Grad.Dip.Med.Tech. IBCLC
Nursing Mothers' Association of Australia Breastfeeding Counsellor
Perth, Western Australia.   mailto:[log in to unmask]
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