Dear Jim,

Thanks for posting Heather Harris' thoughts on bathing moms & babes.  I can
"hear" her saying those things even as I read it!  And she's right!  I can
see it now...the next "scientific study, complete with controls" proving that
rebathing will help get babies latching on to the breast faster than not....
and all the Americans will say, "Where's the scientfic evidence?   What
"study" proves this is efficacious???  And rules and regs will abound....
 the temp of the water and the length of time one can stay in the tub, and
take the baby's temp before and after, and the type of agent used to clean
the tub....And there will be the pro bathing in the tub people, and the anti
bathing in the tub people....  And someone will say the tub is not FDA
approved for bathing newborns....  Perhaps one of the pump companies will
invent an FDA approved tub and market it....  And then J & J will invent a
special antiseptic dip to go in the tub (sort of like sheep)....And then will
come the legal beagles with their pads and notebooks, waiting for some mishap
so someone can be sued.  (The bathtub people, I guess)....and the controversy
will rage on...

And they call this era the "demedicalization" of childbirth?  I don't think
so.

Heather -- three cheers for you!

(And for those unbelievers out there, it does work.  But I'm sorry, no
scientific evidence/studies to back it up.  Just pure clinical observation.
 No lawsuits yet either -- but I'm waiting.... I've defended cabbage in
court, I suppose I could defend a bath too.)

Jan B.
Jan B.