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OLCA does not endorse any educational offerings.

OLCA Meeting February 5, 2011:Barbara Morrison, CNM, PhD

Evolutionary Care for Full Term Newborns – the Neuro Endocrine Connection

 

Current post-delivery practice is to separate mother and infant, placing the infant in the warmer to do assessments and injections, or in a crib on the postpartum unit. Research results from animal models and Kangaroo Care studies, suggest separation of mothers and infants immediately after birth and intense handling of the infant may actually have detrimental short- and long-term effects on breastfeeding and on infant attachment and later social competencies.  Thus, international (WHO/UNICEF), federal (CDC, Joint Commission), and professional organizations (AAP, ACOG, ILCA) recommend all healthy infants be placed skin-to-skin  with their mothers immediately after birth and remain there until after the first breastfeeding has been completed or for the first hour and to continue skin-to-skin care throughout the postpartum period. But, how and why is skin-to-skin care appropriate evolutionary care?

 

During labor neuro-endorcrine processes begin within the central nervous system of both mother and infant that influence extra-uterine stabilization, mother-infant attachment, mothering and breastfeeding.  Starting in the primitive area of the brain, these hormonal and neurological processes continue after birth and are optimized by placing infants in their natural habitat.  When placed skin-to-skin on the caregiver’s chest with ready access to the breast (kangaroo care) a normative physiological state is created for the newborn.  Mother and infant become mutual care-givers; innate abilities of the newborn to provide for self are initiated.  As Joint Commission and other organizations make birth kangaroo care and exclusive breastfeeding the standard of care, understanding how nurses influence mother and infant transition to extra-uterine life can propel the changes in practice that will be required in all institutions.

 

 

Bright Future Lactation Resource Centre www.bflrc.com

2011 Lactation Management / Exam Prep Course

Dayton, OH March 21-26, 2011

email Linda J. Smith lindaj@bflrc.com or call 937-438-9458 for more information.

 

Preparation for IBCLC Certification Class Lakeland Community College

2009 Dates:Jan 31; Feb 28; March 28; April 25; May 16 and June 20.

Registration:Mary Lupas,

440-525-7409 mlupas@lakelandcc.edu

Questions: MJFasimpair@gmail.com  440-221-8058