Increased demand for 'vaginal seeding' from new parents, despite lack of evidence

Doctors are seeing a rise in the number of parents requesting so-called 'vaginal seeding' for babies born by cesarean section, according to a new article. The practice, which is also known as microbirthing, involves taking a swab from the mother's vagina and wiping this over the baby's mouth, eyes, face and skin shortly after birth by caesarean section. The idea is that vaginal seeding allows a baby born via caesarean section to come into contact with bacteria from the birth canal. The hope is this may boost their gut bacteria, and reduce risk of conditions such as allergies or obesity.
Source: ScienceDaily Headlines - Category: Science Source Type: news