Hi Chayn ~

You’ve received some excellent responses/references re: delayed bathing of the newborn, but another variable contributing to newborns “shutting down” during the first 24 hours may be the unnecessary separation of newborn from mother during admission to the postnatal unit (and for 2 hours!). 

What is the rationale for any separation - much less 2 hours? Many units admit the newly delivered parent and newborn of a healthy, term dyad together. Infant assessment can be done in the parent’s room (and much of it on the parent) when any needed equipment is kept on a wheeled cart. 

All the best as your hospital unit rethinks old, outdated protocols! It’s exciting (and at times frustrating) to be involved in such change!

Karen Gromada (MSN, RN, IBCLC, FILCA)


> ------------------------------
> 
> Date:    Tue, 16 Oct 2018 15:02:41 +0300
> From:    Fogelmans <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Delaying bathing and breastfeeding first 2 days
> 
> Dear Wise Friends,
> Looking for input based on your experience and research.
> . The mother /baby dyads are brought to us usually around 2 hours after
> birth, having hopefully been skin to skin and breastfeeding during this
> time in the delivery room, When they come to us they are unfortunately
> separated for admittance, The baby is taken to the nursery where she will
> be bathed, vaccinated and checked by a doctor. The mother is taken to her
> room where she is admitted. The baby will almost always fall into a deep
> sleep at that time and spend the rest of the day sleeping while we put undo
> stress on the mother to wake the baby to feed. The second 24 hours the
> babies are awake and in an eating frenzy. Though we explain to the mothers
> that this is normal behavior, it is hard on them and many will end of
> giving formula assuming that they don't have enough milk.
> Now for the point of this post: My head nurse suggested that the babies are
> falling into such a deep sleep because of the stress of the bathing. She
> proposes that if we stop the bath, the babies will be more wakeful on the
> first day and will eat better. Consequently, they won't be in such a
> feeding frenzy the second day.
> Those of you who work in a hospital -  do anyone of you delay the bath? Are
> the babies more awake and eating better and how is the second day? If the
> babies aren't bathed, does the staff where gloves while handling them?
>  Those of you seeing mothers who gave birth at home - is the second day
> still one big cluster feed?
> Any input would be great.
> Thanks so much!
> Chayn in Israel
> 
>             ***********************************

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