When I teach new parents how to use the bulb syringe (part of our DC teaching sheet), I tend to tell them that I don't remember ever using one on either of my babies at home and that they probably won't have to, either. I remember when babies would frequently gag on mucus, turn blue, etc. It was in the days that we routinely pc'd with glucose water. I hardly ever see it now that we don't give glucose water routinely. On those rare occasions when a baby gets it, I do see more gagging. Then there was that interesting idea that the babies needed the glucose water to "help them get the mucus up". It was never clear to me why that was better than letting it pass through the usual way. Some days it seems like if we humans can find a way to mess up a natural process, we'll do it. Miriam Levitt RN, IBCLC