Gastric lavage in healthy term newborn??

Specialties Ob/Gyn

Published

At the hospital I work at as an L&D nurse, approximately 75% or more of our newborns are lavaged at least once. As a new nurse I am uncomfortable with this practice and feel that it is unnecessary. I spoke with one of my trusted professors from the University of Minnesota and she stated that this is an OLD PRACTICE that is not recommended. I have only been able to find 1-2 research articles on the topic and they both support what my professor is saying.

What are other hospitals doing?

The nurses that I work with who believe in newborn gastric lavage claim that....

1. It should be used if a newborn is not nursing well. It empties the amniotic fluid out of their stomach so that they are hungry.

2. It should be used if a baby is "gaggy" so they nurse better and so that they don't spit up the mucous and choke on it.

I feel that lavage is performed too frequently at my place of work and I would like to change or eliminate our policy that allows this. I need some more information to help clarify this issue before I attempt to move forward with this change. Please help!

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

You can attempt to slaughter the sacrficial cow but without the backing of the medical staff you will get NOWHERE. Every study iI found ndicates that this is unecessary in the routine care of the newborn. I would ask the MD's first as to why they still feel this is such an integral part of routine infant care when all studies have indicated that it isn't necessary. Ask them in such a way as you want to learn and curious....you will get far more bees with honey than lemons.

It is EXTRENELY dificult to change a culture when you are the new kid on the block....be prepared for a bumpy ride. I wish you luck..:)

Specializes in NICU, previously Mother baby.

Are you guys against lavaging babies in all cases, or just routinely (like when an infant is not feeding well)? I believe sometimes it is a necessary procedure. I've had babies turn dusky or blue from gagging on the mucous from delivery. I'll give them a chance to get it out themselves, but if they are turning colors on more than one occasion, then it's time to lavage them. You wouldn't want to send a baby home that was turning blue every 30 minutes.

Our policy to is lavage newborns as needed, which we only do when the infant is extremely gaggy like stated above. It has nothing to do with helping them feed better, or spitting a little bit of fluid up. It is the rare cases when infant's are really choking on mucous and they need help getting it out of their tummy. Once they are lavaged 99% of the time the gagging spells stop.

I will also agree it is one of my least favorite things to do at work, but it's better than a blue baby.

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