>Ami, I'm not sure why the doctor cares or feels irritated with clients'
>decisions regarding their own babies' baths, but I'd think the onus on
>finding research support would be on the doc re: her position -- not on you
>or her clients. And then it should be related to safety -- not personal
>inclination, e.g. if the research supports both viewpoints as safe for the
>newborn, it should be the parents' decision.


I agree. Whether it has impact on breastfeeding or not is irrelevant
- unless the doctor can find evidence that deciding not to have a
routine bath is actually unsafe, then what in heaven's name has it
got to do with the doctor???  Surely a baby's own mother can decide
whether or not he/she has a bath or not?

Whatever next? Doctors being 'very irritated' if mothers decline the
routine cup of tea and slice of toast (part of the post-birth ritual
in the UK,  but not compulsory!)?

>
>Also, "routine" bathing isn't so routine in terms of timing of the initial
>bath, amount of mom-baby separation, etc - it has different meaning
>depending on the facility and their philosophy or policy/procedure (or
>perception of such).


Totally. A warm and gentle, relaxing bedside bath given by the mum or
the dad, in their time and at their pace, and their choice, is
different from staff taking the baby away for an hour to stay in a
queue and then be sluiced under a running tap (which I think I read
here is routine somewhere or other - was it a hospital in Israel?)

Heather Welford Neil
NCT bfc, tutor, UK
--
http://www.heatherwelford.co.uk

http://heatherwelford.posterous.com

             ***********************************************

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