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Wed, 6 Apr 2005 09:32:55 EDT |
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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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