Hello, 

I have been talking with the docs and nurses at our hospital about skin-to-skin 
care. They are ready to take the next step and try to make it standard care 
for immediately after birth and beyond.  As receptive as they are there is 
the , "We can try, but..." comments. For example, they think some of the 
assessment they have to do would be difficult on mom's chest, they think mom 
would not want to hold baby while being sutured, ect.

They are willing to make it work, it is just getting past all of the "road blocks".  
The first thing I plan to do is a presentation on skin-to skin care so they 
understand the physiology and how to actually do it.  I am still learning a lot 
myself.  I just read most of the new book, "Supporting Sucking Skills" by 
Catherine Genna Watson.  It is a wonderful book and has a lot of valuable info 
on s-t-s care.

For those of you that have made s-t-s contact standard at your hospital, how 
did you overcome some of these issues?  I have read that if baby is separated 
for even a few minutes after birth then the whole process is interrupted.  As 
we are working on this, if we have to separate mom and baby for a few 
minutes or more-with the intention of resuming s-t-s ASAP- would we still see 
the benefits?

I am so excited about this opportunity to actually make some changes in favor 
of mom and baby for a change!  At the same time I am a little anxious about 
how it will play out.  Will the nurses think it is too much trouble and possibly 
not see the benefits and drop the whole thing?  If they see what s-t-s can do 
then they will be motivated to continue trying-I am praying for this!

Any thoughts and/or words of encouragement are much appreciated.  By the 
way, we do about 700 deliveries a year and we have a level 1 nursery, so I am 
talking about mostly term babies.  Thanks.

Christine Lichte, IBCLC
Warrensburg, MO

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