Doula

Answer: B - Overly aggressive suctioning of the newborn with a bulb syringe or a nasogastric tube can cause the baby to become orally defensive, which can impact feeding, especially nursing at the breast. A baby's natural reaction after such intrusion may be to not allow anything to come in contact with the mouth, or to use the tongue in a way that pushes anything out. These postures can cause breastfeeding problems. Newborns who are not suctioned do not typically choke on mucous. Suctioning rarely causes other damage to the baby's system, though scratching of the mucous membranes is a possibility. Babies who are not suctioned have no greater problems than those who are suctioned, so the necessity of this routine practice is being questioned.