In many ways, the focus on malpractice litigation of the 1990s has replaced the focus on pathogens that marked the pre-antibiotic era of hospital care. Not only is this a needless expense, but the legal entanglements un necessarily perpetuate the vulnerability of the institution to litigation. This gives rise to policies and procedures that interfere with breastfeeding and maternal-infant bonding, making this unfortunate artifact of the 1920s a very unsatisfactory circumstance for mothers, babies and taxpayers alike. The practice of having Medicaid pay for this unhelpful expense should be abandoned. Only sick or premature newborns needing medical care should be admitted to hospital nurseries.
All healthy newborns belong to and belong with their mothers.
The money saved should go for necessary and helpful health services or improved preventive care. A History of Childbirth in America . The Story of Safe Childbirth . Emerson Books, Inc. 1937 9.