Believe it or don't, I have actually read these several off-topic
postings about cord care because I kept thinking somehow, someone would
relate it to breastfeeding. And now, the wild and crazy thought accurs
to me, the only way to relate the two topics would be to actually use
breastmilk for cord care.

Why not use breastmilk? It certainly would reduce the chance of
infection, what with all the white cells, lysozymes etc - not much
different than using breastmilk for eye or nose infections as we
Lactnetters already are familiar with. And if fresh expressed, would
certainly be warmer on the baby's little tummy, soooo much nicer than
icy cold alcohol. Breastmilk would even flow deep into the nooks and
crannies of the umbilicus as it starts to retract into the belly making
cord care much easier in those days before the cord drops off.

Why - this could be the compelling reason for all women to breastfeed
for the first week or so - in order to perform cord care. The biggest
problem as I see it, will be in teaching women how to take close aim in
order to express and hit the target...

Of course it will never be accepted because it one less thing the
hospitals can charge for.

Respectively submitted ;-)
Katharine West, BSN, MPH
Sherman Oaks, CA