Reduced risk of infection Babies are born covered in a white substance called vernix, which is composed of the skin cells your baby made early in development. Vernix contains proteins that prevent common bacterial infections.
1. Provide the first bath once cardiorespiratory and thermal stability have been achieved. Ideally, the first bath should occur between 6 and 24 hours of life. For infants born to an HIV-positive mother, the first bath should occur as soon as possible after birth.
It limits the risk of infection.
Common bacterial infections for newborns include Group B Strep and E. Coli which can lead to pneumonia and meningitis. By delaying the first bath, you are allowing the vernix to continue working as a safety net for your little one's immune system.
The World Health Organization advises delaying the bath for 24 hours, though a survey of Canadian hospitals found that kind of wait is not the norm. At BC Women's, the initial bath doesn't happen until at least four hours and often up to 24 hours postpartum.
Delaying the first bath provides more initial skin-to-skin time between mother and baby, and preserves smell -- an important factor that encourages babies to latch during breastfeeding. Your newborn baby wants to be as close to you and your breasts as they can get.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends delaying baby's first bath until 24 hours after birth—or waiting at least 6 hours if a full day isn't possible for cultural reasons.
Reduced risk of infection
Babies are born covered in a white substance called vernix, which is composed of the skin cells your baby made early in development. Vernix contains proteins that prevent common bacterial infections. Think of vernix as a sort of natural antibacterial ointment.
But for most families, bathing the baby two to three times a week is plenty after the first couple of weeks of life. In fact, we recommend delaying your newborn's first full bath for at least two weeks.
There are many benefits to delaying the bath of your newborn until both you and baby are stable and ready to participate. There is often no medical reason that a newborn must be bathed in the first hours. Sharing your wishes with hospital staff can be done respectfully.
How often does my newborn need a bath? There's no need to give your newborn baby a bath every day. Three times a week might be enough until your baby becomes more mobile. Bathing your baby too much can dry out your baby's skin.
Bath time might be part of your nightly ritual, but doctors actually don't recommend daily baths for babies. Excess exposure to water can zap their skin of moisture and worsen conditions like eczema. Then again, not bathing your baby often enough can also aggravate eczema, plus lead to other infections.
The first hour after birth when a mother has uninterrupted skin-to-skin contact with her newborn is referred to as the “golden hour.” This period of time is critical for a newborn baby who spent the past nine months in a controlled environment.
You can bath your baby at any time of the day. It's a good idea to pick a time when you're relaxed and you won't be interrupted. And it's best to avoid bathing your baby when baby is hungry or straight after a feed. If bathing relaxes your baby, you can use it as a way to settle your baby for sleep in the evening.
The WHO recommends leaving vernix on your baby's skin for at least 6 hours but preferably 24 hours. If you're considering leaving it on for longer, ask your baby's healthcare provider how long it remains beneficial to leave the vernix coating on your baby's skin and how long to wait with your little one's first bath.
During your baby's first few weeks, while the umbilical cord stump is still attached, you should only give sponge baths. A sponge bath is as simple as wrapping your baby in a towel, and wiping her with a damp washcloth and soapy water. You'll want to do this on a comfortable surface such as a changing table.
Tests on Your Baby
Soon after birth, your baby may be cleaned, weighed, and measured. Some parents request that their baby's bath be delayed until after breastfeeding and bonding have happened.
Until a baby starts getting down and dirty on the ground, a daily bath isn't needed (babies aren't mobile, so they can't really pick up a lot of dirt). Your baby only needs a bath two or three times a week and in fact too much bathing can dry out your infant's delicate skin.
You might even want to wait to have the first bath until you go home and do it yourself. In the end, it's up to you.
Contrary to popular myth, it's impossible for parents to hold or respond to a baby too much, child development experts say. Infants need constant attention to give them the foundation to grow emotionally, physically and intellectually.
The American Academy of Paediatrics suggests you should wash your baby's hair two or three times a week using a mild shampoo while regular 'topping and tailing' may be used to help keep your baby's face and body clean.
The American Academy of Pediatrics stated that tub bathing performed before the separation of umbilical cord may leave the umbilical cord wet and predispose infection by delaying its separation; thus, it is required to make sponge bathing until the umbilical cord falls off (14).
A wet nurse is a woman who breastfeeds and cares for another's child. Wet nurses are employed if the mother dies, or if she is unable or chooses not to nurse the child herself. Wet-nursed children may be known as "milk-siblings", and in some cultures, the families are linked by a special relationship of milk kinship.
Newborns arrive after spending months floating in amniotic fluid, covered in the waxy white substance known as vernix caseosa. Some theorize that these fluids and substances play a part in that new baby smell. This might be part of the reason that special newborn scent is fleeting, lasting only a few weeks.
The vernix caseosa is a protective layer on your baby's skin. It appears as a white, cheese-like substance. This coating develops on the baby's skin while in the womb. Traces of the substance may appear on skin after birth.
Few activities can be as soothing as taking a bath—and that's especially true for little ones. After coming out of a warm bath, a baby's body temperature starts to cool, which can help your infant fall asleep more easily.