Vaginal Seeding (or Microbirthing)
Vaginal seeding, also known as microbirthing, is a procedure whereby vaginal fluids (and hence vaginal microbes) are applied to a new-born child delivered by caesarean section. … It involves placing swabs in the mother’s vagina, and then wiping them into the baby’s face, mouth, eyes and skin.
It all sounds very holistic and symbolically “romantic” in the sense of trying to bring something artificial a lot closer to natural. It seems plausible that this could imbue the baby with what it lost in artificial delivery compared to natural delivery.
But, alas, the research says not to do it.
The link is in this most fascinating of articles from the BBC.
Digital Citizen 