This conversation is helpful to me. I am ambivalent about exam gloves. I always wash my hands first thing when I go to a consult. I try to be very conscious of not touching my own person after washing my hands. I wear nitrile gloves when I do an oral exam or touch a mom's breasts if she has damaged tissue. I am not protecting myself, I am trying to protect the mom/baby from my germs. I feel like I am not especially vulnerable to infection but the baby and mom may be.
I also wash my gloved hands thoroughly before considering the gloves clean enough to use on mom or in baby's mouth. The gloves are not sterile and I wouldn't want them in my baby's mouth so I wash them before using in a client's baby's mouth.
I also do not think that vinyl exam gloves are appropriate for use in a baby's mouth. Vinyl contains plasticizers that concern me. I wouldn't let my baby chew on a vinyl toy and I wouldn't use a vinyl glove in my baby's mouth. Nitrile is more expensive but I think it is the best of the options.
If I could be sure my clean hand was okay for an oral exam, in consideration of the baby's safety, I would prefer this to the gloves. It also makes me sad to think that I may be conveying the message that something is wrong with the mom if I wear gloves. I will be sure to tell moms exactly why I am wearing them in the future. I usully do this but now I will try to always do so.
Laura Spitzfaden LLLL, IBCLC
***********************************************
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