bath after birth?

Having your placenta pulled out----- : How incredibly painful! And for your little one being scrubbed Ouch

Neither of my two (one hosp, one home) had a bath. I never saw the need. My homebirthed baby was born in the water, so guess that might kind of count as a bath??? There's a great thing called a LeBoyer bath that many mothers have used immediately after birth----it's a really interesting welcoming concept! Newborns aren't "dirty." If your dh is concerned about the fluids, you can gently remind him they are YOUR fluids

If the hospital requires the bath, you can request that YOU do it, in your room. No need for any separation. It might be a pain for the staff, but it's something to definitely consider if a bath is required for hazardous waste reasons : which I've heard of happening!

Wishing you a beautiful birth, bath or no bath

Here's from the midwifery archives at gentlebirth.org: "The reason that hospital personnel are so eager to bathe newborns is that the baby is assumed to be a source of germs in the same way that the birth canal is a source of germs. They are concerned that they might be exposed to some of these germs if the baby isn't thoroughly scrubbed with disinfectants shortly after birth. However, they can easily wear gloves to handle the baby, and this actually protects the baby from *their* germs. So it's very reasonable to decline the ritual bathing of the newborn. Hospital personnel then may put a note on your baby's bassinet to remind them to wear gloves when handling your baby; just watch them to make sure that they *change* their gloves before handling your newborn so they don't contaminate your baby with germs from other babies or the hospital environment."

I would think, too, that to replace the smells of the womb with that of soap and water and the nurse's body smells, would be disconcerting, even upsetting to the baby, and doubtless harsh to its tender skin. And it could interfere with its ability to smell its mother when it is finally given to her, as well. (Affecting breastfeeding?)

None of my babies have been bathed after birth. Here's a picture of my daughter 12 hours after birth, as you can see she's perfectly clean, except for a little vernix in her armpit (and vernix is good for the baby's skin.)http://home.earthlink.net/~eaglefalc...ophy/baby5.jpg

ITA with Blueviolet, I was going to say the same thing! Don't let them bathe baby, they will be more likely to keep their mitts off your "dirty" baby

My first, hopital birth, was cleaned in teh nursery then placed under the warming lights for a couple of hours. I really believe the bath is another way to get baby in teh nursery for "observation". I had to scream to get him back and I was never told about it in the "mandatory" warming in the first place.

2nd birth, waterbirth, didn't wash baby for at least a week (and no soap!), and then I was sad, I had washed all of the "birth" out of her hair. Just smelling her head reminded me of her birth

FWIW, my baby boy was born covered in vernix, much of which washed off in the birth tub, but the rest absorbed in in a few hours.....in the tub I was actually rubbing it into his back and I ended up with the SOFTEST hands for a week!

Anyways, he wasn't bathed until he was about 10 days old.

My dd was given a brief sponge bath in the birth center I had her in, but she came out without vernix and basically clean anyways.

I also remember that the scent of the amniotic fluid on the newborn's hands help them figure out breastfeeding/latching on, etc. Amazing! Why mess with perfection

so you don't allow a rub down then either? did I read that its absorbs anyway?

I would have opted for no bath, but we had a lot of meconium in the water so dd was washed. Her bottom was SO POOPY! We had a great hospital and they were very gentle. For me, I was fine with her being washed because, like I said, she was covered in poop. I didn't find that appealing at all.

My first who was born in the hospital was the only one who ever had a bath.
I didn't realize what I missed out on until I had my second baby. They smell SOOO GOOD . There is nothing better than the smell of a newborn baby. I wish they could bottle that smell!. Anyway, with my next 3 I waited as long a possible to bathe them, and when I did I tried not to use soap if I could.....I'm sorry , but Johnson&Johnson doesn't even come close!

If anyone wants to know about Leboyer baths read Birth Without Violence.

I did a Leboyer bath with my 3rd and 4th. I actually got into the th with the baby. It was so wonderful and relaxing, and great for bonding. I relaxed for about an hour in the bath just nursing the baby and checking the baby out. It was very peaceful. After all of that the midwife did the newborn exam. It was a nice excuse to keep the baby as close as possible for a while.