One good reason is that if you can let the vernix sink into their skin, it's really good for them just in terms of skin condition. But regardless, it's a milestone, the first bath, and you should have to explain wanting to be in charge of a milestone!!
Question about bathing baby
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That too
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:that It's ideal for neither baby nor mama to bathe right after labor because the smell of mama's tired, sweaty body is just what baby needs (ick but true) and the smell of baby still doused in vernix and amniotic fluid is just what mama needs for bonding. Also the vernix will keep baby's skin from drying out if it is left on for enough time, and ditto to everything Dov'sMom said above about body temperature and them using that as an excuse to keep baby from mom. I personally have no problem with the hospital doing a bath (with a parent witness) after the first day, once those issues are mostly over.
Originally Posted by Dov'sMom My midwife with my first told me that bathing the baby soon after birth frequently causes the baby's body temperature to drop and if the temp drops they insist on putting the baby in the warmer for a while, which means baby is not with you, which can cause a whole host of problems (delayed nursing, bottle-feeding/pacifier, "routine" stuff you would have refused but you're not there to refuse, etc.) Her recommendation if you wanted a bath was to do it on day two of your stay, when the baby's temperature was much more stable already (and besides you'd already done some nursing). |
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Yes to everything mentioned above.
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I asked that my baby not be bathed in the hospital in my birthing plan with my first. My doctor said that it was a personal choice he sees lots of and the nurses did not have a problem with it.
He was born term and didn't have any vernix to rub in but we still waited over a week before bathing him at home.
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He was born term and didn't have any vernix to rub in but we still waited over a week before bathing him at home.
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Awful! What a way to welcome baby to the world - isn't birth enough trauma for one day?
I agree - I'd probably would want hospital staff to wear gloves anyway...all the germs there. Also, my baby was covered with more vernix this time than my last 2 - I was kind of surprised by how much - but in about an hour or so, with him wrapped in a towel, then blanket, it was all soaked in.
Originally Posted by kalamos23 Have him watch this video - I know it's not this bad everywhere, but seriously? Not cool in my book - poor baby! Also, you may find that the nurses gripe about the baby not having a bath because then the baby is considered "unclean" and covered in "bodily fluids" and so they have to put on gloves before they touch the baby. I told them to suck it up. DD was a week early but she totally didn't have much vernix if any and looked overdue (dry skin, wrinkly fingers etc.) so the baby may not even be all "gross" (not that I think it's gross at all, but I know my DH is skeeved out by stuff like that). Good luck! |
I agree - I'd probably would want hospital staff to wear gloves anyway...all the germs there. Also, my baby was covered with more vernix this time than my last 2 - I was kind of surprised by how much - but in about an hour or so, with him wrapped in a towel, then blanket, it was all soaked in.
Oil bath - I used organic olive oil for DS, I did start to get tired of the smell, though. I bought a bottle of apricot kernel oil for this one (though I still need to read up on it).
First get the room nice and warm. Then I would have several towels ready and keep most of baby covered while I would rub him down with oil, massaging. The oil would help dissolve any "crusties." Then I would get a warm tub of water and a washcloth to wipe in the crevices and fat rolls.
DS's first real bath was in the tub with me
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First get the room nice and warm. Then I would have several towels ready and keep most of baby covered while I would rub him down with oil, massaging. The oil would help dissolve any "crusties." Then I would get a warm tub of water and a washcloth to wipe in the crevices and fat rolls.
DS's first real bath was in the tub with me
I adore that just-born, unwashed baby smell!
That video is crazy; was the baby covered in motor oil or something? But I was present when the NICU nurses gave Julianna her scheduled bath once, and it wasn't too different from that. Julianna screamed so hard, I thought I might pass out. Even thinking about it now, more than a month later, my heart races. Awful. I've bathed her twice in the month she's been home (after two diaper blow-outs), but I had to make it super-fast both times because she has a negative association with the water.
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-- My experience is different though, because Julianna was probably bathed all 15 nights of her hospital stay.
That video is crazy; was the baby covered in motor oil or something? But I was present when the NICU nurses gave Julianna her scheduled bath once, and it wasn't too different from that. Julianna screamed so hard, I thought I might pass out. Even thinking about it now, more than a month later, my heart races. Awful. I've bathed her twice in the month she's been home (after two diaper blow-outs), but I had to make it super-fast both times because she has a negative association with the water.
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