Science & Resources
Science & Resources
The Foundation of the Birth Code
The Madigan Squeeze and the "Barn to Bedside" connection are grounded in decades of peer-reviewed research and clinical trials conducted at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine and in collaboration with Stanford University Medical School.
Key Research Publications Madigan JE, Haggett EF, Pickles KJ, et al.
The "Madigan Squeeze" & Neonatal Maladjustment
Survey of veterinarians using a physical compression procedure in the management of neonatal maladjustment syndrome in foals. Animals 2017, 7, 69.
Aleman, M.; Kalie, M.; Weich, K.M.; Madigan, J.E.
Evaluation of Squeeze-Induced Somnolence in Neonatal Foals: Tóth B, Aleman M, Brosnan RJ, et al. Evaluation of squeeze-induced somnolence in neonatal foals. Am J Vet Res. 2012;73(12):1881-1889. The foundational study exploring how thoracic pressure mimics the birth canal to modulate consciousness.
Allopregnanolone infusion induced neurobehavioural alterations in a neonatal foal: is this a clue to the pathogenesis of neonatal maladjustment syndrome? Equine Vet J Suppl. 2012 Feb;(41):109-12. Madigan JE, Haggett EF, Pickles KJ, Research proving that "dummy foal" symptoms can be chemically induced in healthy foals by infusing neurosteroids, identifying the GABAA pathway as the primary driver of maladjustment
The Human Connection: "Barn to Bedside"
Skin-to-skin contact after birth and the natural course of neurosteroid levels in healthy term newborns. McCallie KR, Gaikwad NW, Castillo Cuadrado ME, Aleman M, Madigan JE, Stevenson DK, Bhutani VK. J Perinatol. 2017 May;37(5):591-595. doi: 10.1038/jp.2016.268. A landmark collaboration with Stanford Medical School showing that vaginal delivery and Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) significantly influence the "switch" of neurosteroids in human infants.
Potential benefit of a thoracic squeeze technique in two newborn calves delivered by caesarean section. N Z Vet J. 2020;68(1):65-68. Stilwell G, Mellor DJ, Holdsworth SE Evidence that physical signals can replace the mechanical stimulus missing in surgical deliveries—a concept directly applicable to human obstetrics.
Resuscitation compression for newborn sheep. Vet Clin North Am Food Anim Pract. 2021;37(1):175-181. Flora T, Smallman M, Kutzler MA. Controlled study in lambs showing significant improvement in low vigor newborn lambs.
Clinical Resources for Veterinarians
Manual of Equine Neonatal Medicine, Revised 4th Edition: Dr. Madigan’s seminal text, now in its latest edition, serving as the "gold standard" for neonatal foal care. https://www.equineneonatalmanual.com/
Neonatal Maladjustment Syndrome in Calves. Stilwell G, Madigan J. In: Simões J, ed. Encyclopedia of Livestock Medicine for Large Animal and Poultry Production. Springer, Cham; 2025.