Can anyone give me some proof that a newborn who is mucousy needs to have  
their stomachs suctioned out or induce vomiting to improve the baby's  condition?
For over 30 years I have heard and observed in maternity units, staff  
aggressively suctioning a newborn to "help remove the extra mucous" from their  
stomachs so they will be less spitty.  I am not talking about meconium in  the 
amnionic fluid.  I have also been told that babies needed  either water (in the 
older days) and now formula to help "bring up the  mucous" so the babies would 
"feel better" and feed better.
As I ponder these statements and observe these actions, I am totally  
appalled because they are not based on any science that I have ever seen and  border 
on cruel treatment.
Thinking about the birth processes through the baby's prospective, this is  
the most amazing and most difficult feet any of us every undertake in our  
lives.  The unbelievable transition from intrauterine life to extra-uterine  life 
is dramatic.  This is aside from any birth interventions or traumatic  births. 
 Even in the easiest births the transition is dramatic.  Why  would anyone 
who had their head squeezed with more pressure than could ever  sustain again in 
their lives; along with organs going through transition from  passive to 
active functions; along with adjusting to light and temperature  changes; just to 
name a few activities the newborn is going through, ever be  hungry?
When a woman is in labor, especially active labor, we do not make her  eat.  
Nor does this woman want to eat.  Her body is putting all its  efforts into 
the working uterus and the GI tract slows down.  This woman,  who requires far 
more calories per kg than a newborn can go a good 24 hours on  very little 
food.  Yet she is not in danger of withering away.  Why  are there health care 
providers determine that newborns need to eat anywhere  from 15-60 cc every 3 
hours to avoid dehydration in the first 1-2 days?
At any other time in a person's life do health care providers encourage  
induced vomiting because someone is mucousy?  I see and hear nurses do this  to 
babies and telling parents that this is good so the baby will feel  better.
Knowing the fact that colostrum is high in protein, thick and comes in  small 
quantities fits the perfect picture for the recovering newborn.  If  the 
infant is left with the mother skin-to-skin they will feed frequently for  small 
amounts and to suckle.  The suckling, as we know from studies, is the  best 
analgesic for the newborn while they are recovering.  A newborn  requesting to 
suckle for long periods of time may need more analgesic not more  food.
If anyone out there can give me answers to my questions, I would love to  see 
them.  What do others think on this subject and how to educate the  health 
care providers regarding this?
Thanks,
Ann Perry, RN IBCLC
Boston, MA

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