Vaginal Seeding - Everything You Need To Know

What Is Vaginal Seeding?

Vaginal seeding, also called micro birthing, is the process where babies born through a C-section are covered with the fluids from their mother's vagina, immediately after birth. As gross as it sounds, this actually has a lot of benefits for the baby. But what can be the reason for such a process, you ask?

It is of common knowledge to mothers that babies born vaginally have developed immune systems and are less prone to certain autoimmune diseases.

While there are various reasons for this, the one identified recently is due to them being exposed to the vaginal fluids of the mother, which is said to contain a lot of good bacteria to keep the baby healthy. Babies born through a C-section may not get exposed to this and this is where vaginal seeding comes into the picture.

MOST READ:Oiling Hair Everyday Is Good Or Bad?

How Is Vaginal Seeding Done?

The procedure is relatively very easy. For babies born vaginally, this is a natural process as they are covered with their mother's vaginal fluids. Caesarean borns, on the other hand, undergo the procedure manually. The vaginal fluids of the mother are collected using cotton pads and swabs and introduced into the mouth, nose and skin of the baby.

Usually, a sterile piece of gauze similar to a tampon is introduced into the mother's vagina and left there for an hour. This is before the Caesarean section is performed. The swab then is kept in a sterile container to be used after the baby is born.

Once, the C-section is done, the swap is then introduced into the baby's nose, mouth and also rubbed all over its skin. This may not replicate the vaginal delivery but it is certainly close to getting the newborn baby to receive all the goodness from its mother.

Why Is Vaginal Seeding Done?

When babies are born through a C-section, they get exposed to the bad microbes in the environment first, like the Staphylococci or the Clostridium difficile, while babies born vaginally are exposed to the good bacteria such as the Lactobacillus and the Prevotella. These bacteria go a long way in helping in the prevention of various digestive and respiratory disorders in the long run.

Vaginal seeding is only an effort to introduce the good bacteria into the babies born through a C-section and give them longer, healthier lives corresponding to their naturally born counterparts.

What Are Its Benefits?

Apparently, researchers have found a whole lot of healthy flora in a mother's birth canal, which is extremely beneficial for the newborns. The baby born vaginally is coated with this good flora and is said to be their secret to good health throughout their lives.

Many researchers have found that babies born normally have fewer chances of contracting life-threatening diseases such as hay fever, immune disorders and others such as asthma, eczema.

On the other hand, babies born through a C-section are known to run a higher risk of various allergic diseases and lifelong disorders. Though the research is in its initial stages, as of now the difference between good health and bad health of the baby is directly related to the path of its birth.

What Are The Risks Involved?

Every coin has two sides. If you are planning to have your C-section baby vaginally seeded at birth, we recommend you hold your horses. As good as it sounds with some many wonderful benefits, there is another side of the procedure as well.

Along with the good bacteria, the vaginal fluids of a mother may also contain some bad guys as well like pathogens, which can be potentially threatening to your newborn baby.

Also, the whole procedure of vaginal seeding needs to be done carefully, using sterile tools only. Any negligence during the seeding can cause serious infection to your delicate newborn. The fact that the benefits of the procedure are not widely recognised as it is a relatively new procedure, there is no point in potentially putting your baby's life at risk.

MOST READ: 10 Disadvantages Of Junk Food You Didn't Know

Should You Opt For Vaginal Seeding?

Though vaginal seeding is a new fad, more and more mothers are keen to try out things for their own babies.

You can consider vaginal seeding for your baby if you are planning for a C-section and are completely sure that you have absolutely no infection down there. You may get a swap test done beforehand to put things at rest. Also, be sure of getting the best medical help on board in order for the procedure to be carried out using sterile tools and in a sterile environment. But as the studies are still in the initial stages, it will not guarantee your baby a healthy life.

Therefore, the best thing you can do is to give complete attention to your baby when it is born and breastfeed the baby as long as possible. Whatever they need to fight off infections will already be present in your milk.