Sorry, but I could not resist adding a bit to the thread about whether
suctioning (with care and concern when the need is there as well as
routinely in keeping with training) is appropriate or not.

I agree completely with Gail Hertz' comments about training for APPROPRIATE
assistance and care and knowing when such action may have an untoward
REaction, perhaps not fully appreciated when the skill in question was
taught.

Most of us who have been around awhile (more than 20 years) know that what
we learned about how to position a baby has changed rather dramatically in
that time frame.  If we were still teaching what we first learned, we would
be contributing to situations made MORE difficult than is necessary.
Example: I was taught to tickle the baby's cheek to get him to turn his
head to the breast.  As you might expect, the baby was flat on his back
when this was done and low in the mother's lap to boot.  Can you guess what
most mothers experienced (including me?)  Only after Doug had squirmed his
way into a BETTER position and I had learned to bring him up closer did I
stop having sore nipples!  I certainly do not teach my clients to emulate
what I first learned.  Why? Because we have learned more about positions
that do not have such untoward results.

I had occasion to speak to the anesthesiologist who was in on my gall
bladder surgery.  One question I had for him: why did I have a sore throat
for three days post surgery? Oh!  said he, his eyes widening. You had a
tube down.  Since I was unconscious when it was placed and ditto when it
came out and remembered ONLY the oxygen mask over my mouth and nose before
I was tripping off to dreamland, I had no idea until he mentioned it WHY my
throat was sore.  He then said most people do not complain of same for more
than 2 hours.

I raise this issue because he was surprised I was aware enough of the
soreness to comment on how long it lasted. (Perhaps because I also am a
singer and was attempting to rehearse within 48 hours of the procedure?)

Is it not possible that a procedure, especially if done less than
gently--for whatever reason--might result in outcomes about which (because
we do not get feedback from the person on whom it is done) we have little
information might result in experiences we are not expecting?  Our babies
are preverbal.  They can communicate with us in other ways, to be sure, but
if we are not skilled enough to read their body language, perhaps we miss
the cues they are trying to give us.  If a baby had a sore throat, would
they want to feed? I don't think so.  Would swallowing hurt? Possibly?
Would foreign proteins possibly burn the area that was sore? Maybe.  What
about glucose water?

Just some thoughts I had after our conversation about my sore throat.  I
wonder if he will mention the possibility of a sore throat to future
patients..... (I think he learned something from me that he was not
expecting)

Have a happy new year, everyone....

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"We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly
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Kathleen G. Auerbach,PhD, IBCLC (Ferndale, WA USA) [log in to unmask]
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