I doubt it. Not any more if ever. Certainly midwives i see in practice give baby tactile stimulation by rubbing, wiping, drying, flicking feet. all these are done with care and in an orderly fashion while continuing careful ongoing assessment with suction then oxygen if need be and vitamin K injection as next step interventions before needing to resort to more interventive measures which are done only if necessary and needed.
If the most up-to-date evidence based research were being practiced by all, then simple skin-to-skin contact with ongoing assessment and observation would be standard practice. Skin-to-skin contact with mother will help the baby adjust to the new environment as breathing, heart rate, temperature, blood sugar levels are stabilized by s-t-s contact. Further benefits include baby will learn how to feed, will be able to organise innate reflex ability to attach correctly to the breast and mother will be more likely to bond with and accept her baby. These are all well documented. My recent research as to what midwives do to assist with the first breastfeed is revealing some aspects and a wide variety of opinions about practice. Ongoing research into what standard practices are concerning the baby immediately after birth are needed espescially in light of whether the benefits of skin to skin contact are being imparted to midwives and other health professionals at the time of their education, told to women and their families antenataly and whether midwives are informing clients of these prior to the birth of their baby and giving them the opportunity to choose or have some say in what they want to do for themselves and their baby. One post birth ritual I see practiced which no doubt means well but inhibits all the above is baby is wrapped/swaddled tightly so he/she can neither learn about the new environment or feed well . of course I am only one small corner of the world place time and history. Ruth -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe.
