Routine Newborn Procedures: Are They Outdated? Even Harmful?

As a childbirth educator and lactation consultant, I often learn about the newer issues in maternal child health care long before the changes are made in the local hospitals.  I also have seen that sometimes the changes are made because the parents/patient has become informed and begin to request or decline certain procedures.  While I can talk about these things with class members, it is each parent in the class who must do more research, make the decision, and make that decision clear with the physician or midwife, and with the nurse caring for the mother and baby.  Just because something is "hospital policy", it does not trump a mother's right as both a parent and health care consumer.  Dad's, too, have a voice and an important role in the type of care his child receives.

Technology is allowing us to understand more and more that natural, God-designed, birth and breastfeeding processes.  We are learning that little things, like the length of time it takes for Wharton's jelly on the umbilical cord to swell and stop the flow of blood through it has a reason.  Vernix, the "cold cream" material on the baby's skin is there for a reason.  Newborn vitamin K levels are low FOR A REASON.  Colostrum has the nutrients and components it has FOR A REASON.



Expectant parents should do their own investigation into may common restrictions and procedures which are placed on the mother and newborn.  The health of each, including lifelong health issues, can be affected.

A recent research literature review SUPPORTS the use if Vitamin K injections in order to prevent rare cases of internal hemorrhaging, including the brain.  Vit. K has shown to virtually eliminate the risk of a clotting disorder.  However, the shot can be delayed until after the baby had finished its first breastfeeding.  It can be given when baby is nursing during another breastfeeding to lessen the pain.  

Here is a link to an article which briefly addresses some of the questionable newborn procedures.  From here, you may want to do more investigation.

http://blindedbythelightt.blogspot.se/2012/10/newborn-procedures-to-reconsider.html?m=1