We discussed this a couple of months back on the midwives list. I remember that a couple of Australian midwives wrote to say that cord care at their hospitals was now to leave the cord alone. I don't recall if they sited actual studies but for whatever reason the policy at their hospitals had changed. Check out the archives at : http://www.fensende.com/Users/swnymph/Midwife/cordcare.html Keli