My own experience with rebithing was much like DeeDee's. Lucas would cry
and cry then...we'd go into the tub together and he would calm down and
nurse! One thing I think helps is the very easy letdown which occurs as a
relaxation response in the mom.

I have recently gotten into some developmental bathing iin our NICU. This
is a technique taught in the NIDCAPP classes. The baby is swaddled (no
clothes, just a blanket) and placed in a warm bath. While he is in
there...you slowly unswaddle him...allowing one limb at a time to stretch
out and find it's place in the environment. After this goes on for a while
the baby is wholly unwrapped and just gazing around the room...in a quiet
state.

I then take him and place him skin to skin on mom's chest....he will
eventually root and find the nipple. It is so beautiful it brings tears to
my eves....to see a mom and baby have a birth experience that they were
previously deprived of due to prematurity...infant illness...etc.

I am very interested in hearing from anyone else who is doing a similar
thing.

Susan Keith-Hergert RN, MS, CPN, IBCLC
Mercy Health Partners
Cincinnati, Ohio

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