Mucus in newborn babies
Printed From: OHbaby!
Category: General Chat
Forum Name: General Chat
Forum Description: For mums, dads, parents-to-be, grandparents, friends -- you name it! And you name the topic you want to chat about!
URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=5038
Printed Date: 14 May 2025 at 7:05am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.05 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Mucus in newborn babies
Posted By: pepsi
Subject: Mucus in newborn babies
Date Posted: 30 December 2006 at 9:37pm
|
When I was still pregnant with Alyssa I had 3 friends who had just had babies, 2 of which had experienced some sort of issue with their baby being so full of mucus that they stopped breathing. I was worried about this and even asked my midwife about it and she explained that they don't suction newborns anymore as they feel the natural birth process was enough to expel the mucus.
Anyway, when Alyssa was born and I was still in the hospital with her, I had problems feeding her because she had so much mucus, yet the midwives didn't feel the need to suction her. On the second day there was an incident where she suddenly started to struggle for air and turn blue (just like one of my friends had experienced) - thank goodness I was still awake to notice and alert the nurse. It was so scary and it still upsets me sometimes to think what would have happened if I hadn't noticed. So did anyone else have this happen with their baby when they were newborn? I just wondered how common it was, and if it is common, why don't they just suction the babies like they used to to prevent this kind of thing? |
Replies:
Posted By: mum2paris
Date Posted: 30 December 2006 at 9:48pm
|
I think most babies do sound really snuffly for the first little while because of mucus etc.. if you think about it.. while they are inside everything is full of fluid.. so it can take a bit for them to get all that out of their lungs and get breathing properly. when they are being born, once the head is out, the chest is compressed while going through your pelvis.. so once they come out it's like a release and voila.. it makes them take that first big breath to open their lungs. but alot of the fluid is still there.
Suctioning only does so much.. they used to suction the airway just down the nose as baby's shoulders were waiting to be born..just to help them take that breath it still doesn't get all that stuff out of the lungs.. just the nose and throat. there's no way they could suction all the way down to the lungs, nor would you want them to do that. Most babies are seriously ok, but it is scary and even more so when your baby does choke etc, Ayja choked on her first night, just after a big feed, and vomited really violently because of it, choking on that too. It scared the heck outta me.. It just wouldn't be usefull to suction all babies. Most are fine, alot of the time it's just that a decent amount has come up at once and might block their throat for a sec, or they can't co-ordinate their breathing to get rid of it, (whereas me or you would just cough it up or whatever). If the doctors or midwives had any worries about there being too much fluid/mucus in bab's lungs or whatever, or breathing difficulties they would do something for that baby. But even in the NNU where i work i haven't really seen many baby's suctioned unless it's a major choking event or something like that. ------------- Janine and her 2 cool chicks, Paris & Ayja 
|
Posted By: Peace
Date Posted: 30 December 2006 at 10:16pm
|
Olivia was suctioned as a cesar baby and still had a fair bit of mucus. I think (personally) whatever was left gave her a cold. ------------- DD1 May 2006 DD2 March 2011 DD3 August 2012 |
Posted By: kezplanet
Date Posted: 31 December 2006 at 1:17am
|
I dont remember if the girls were suctioned or not as I was lying flat on my back unable to move - both c-sections but that is what I was going to ask, do they suction section babies because they don't go through the whole birth process? ------------- Kerryn, Mum to Ashlyn(29/3/04), Anastasia(1/11/05) & Abigail (24/02/09) |
Posted By: Peace
Date Posted: 31 December 2006 at 9:24am
|
God, I heard it LOL sounded terrible Olivia was making noises like a crow and they suctioned her and she sounded like a strangled crow!
They used to slap the babies bottom to get it's lungs clear in the old days! ------------- DD1 May 2006 DD2 March 2011 DD3 August 2012 |
Posted By: aimeejoy
Date Posted: 31 December 2006 at 9:33am
|
Hannah had quite a bit at first and the midwife told us to sleep her on her side for the first few days so if she did bring a bit up she wouldnt choke on it.
Janine, you would suction the ventilated babys tho? ------------- Aimee Hannah 22/10/05 Greer 11/02/08 |
Posted By: MILF
Date Posted: 31 December 2006 at 12:03pm
|
i just got my notes from the midwife, and they suctioned jordis when she was born. wonder if it is a prem thing? or just my midwife, who is a bit oldschool :) ------------- Lyla - mum to Xanthe -  my big 4 year old 
and Jordis - 1 year old 
|
Posted By: jack_&_charli
Date Posted: 31 December 2006 at 12:39pm
|
i don't think either of my c-s babies were suctioned but we've had charli at the docs alot since she was born because of her snuffly breathing.
she's still like it after a chest x-ray came back clear so we have to take her to the specialist at the hospital in feb. sorry a little O/T   ------------- http://www.alternatickers.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
|
Posted By: kezplanet
Date Posted: 31 December 2006 at 2:15pm
|
Well I didn't hear any strange noises so I guess they didn't suction, both mine were quite snuffley babies, 2 more so, one of the main reasons that I side slept them both, and also elevated when they had colds, didn't want them getting any chest infections and "touch wood" we have only had 1 close call and we got penicillin before anything settled on the chest (we have asthma sp & bronchitis in the family) ------------- Kerryn, Mum to Ashlyn(29/3/04), Anastasia(1/11/05) & Abigail (24/02/09) |
Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: 31 December 2006 at 2:55pm
| Ella was sooo full of mucus but they didnt suction her we had some probs with breathing to but otherwise shes ok now. |