Introduction
Several new mothers like you are of the thinking that infants get their first bath right after birth.
After nine months of carrying your baby, it is only normal that you cannot wait to get your hands over him or her! You are not alone.
But before you get too excited about your ‘mommy’ status, you may need to know that birthing your newborn has tenets and etiquettes as well. Thus, you deserve to know the truth about baby births.
Before now, the acceptable method was to bath babies right after birth by cleaning the vernix – white and greasy coating on the baby. Thanks to the growth of science, mothers were exposed to the benefits of the ‘grimy’ vernix for newborns.
Presently, research materials highlight the need to delay the first bath of your newborn. The reason is that vernix (as you may suspect) is a protective substance that guards the health of the baby as it transitions to the real world.
Besides, you increase the chances of your baby’s wellness when you deprive her of an immediate bath, allowing more time for skin-to-skin contact. If that isn’t more important than getting her ready for the camera, I don’t know what is.
Vernix – what you must know about the coating
If your baby is born with a creamy layer that bears a striking resemblance to melted cheese, consider her lucky. Premature and postmature babies are usually the people that lack such coating.(1)
Vernix, the creamy substance, comprises 41 proteins (where about 25 of the proteins are specifically unique) with wax, lipids, water, and skin cells. Remember that your baby swam in the amniotic fluid for a couple of months?
Well, the vernix unfolds into a waterproof covering that protects the delicate nature of her skin while in the fluid.(2)And this remains constant until the birth of the baby. Even the World Health Organization recommends that mothers wait about 24 hours before the baby’s first bath.
Reasons To Delay Your Newborn’s Bath
Let’s assume you have a girl. Postponing the birth of your baby for a couple of hours is a boon for a healthy beginning through:
Maintaining a healthy blood sugar level
Babies find it stressful to transition to a new world different from the womb. And bathing her after the grand arrival complicates issues the more. Each time your baby wails, she sends a ‘stress signal’ and her blood sugar level drops upon releasing stress hormones. More so, she is rid of her source of blood sugar – the placenta – which necessitates that she gets as much nourishment as possible. Stress doesn’t exactly fit this context, does it?
To make things worse, she is slow to feed when her blood sugar level is low. So, do her a great favor by delaying her bath a few hours enough to regain her strength and maintain a healthy blood sugar level. Thank you!
Improving the regulation of temperature
The womb is definitely cozier than the real world; ask your baby if you can. And your baby needs as much extra padding to survive the cold environment as possible. Rather than subject her to expending a wealth of energy, keep her vernix. With the vernix intact, she conserves optimum energy which in turn deters fluctuations in body temperature.(3)
Success in breastfeeding
If you’ve ever had a child, you will agree that babies prefer ‘breast time’ to a quick bath. Babies are more successful in breastfeeding when they snuggle up close to their mothers; why deprive her of the pleasure by whisking her off to the bath?
In the womb, the baby feeds off of the amniotic fluid (by sucking and swallowing). Thus, you would witness an automatic response to the breasts when they are offered. If you deny your newborn the skin-to-skin experience in sucking, she may cry with great intent that she forgets the technique of drinking.
Better bonding between baby and mother
After birth, the baby’s first need is to snuggle close to the mom in the first few hours. The quality time, disguising itself as skin-to-skin time registers a form of bonding between the mom and child. For the baby, it paints a good impression that the world is a safe haven. It stabilizes her temperature, breathing, and heart rate to allow rapid weight gain. An additional perk is that the cuddles and breastfeeding develop the microbiome of the baby for a lifetime of support.(4)
Protection from ‘bad’ microbes
Vernix contains specific proteins that confer the quality of protection to it. Basically, the proteins launch an antimicrobial attack on fungi, microbes, and bacteria that may compromise the health of the baby during and after birth. Hence, you can buy this cheap and unique protection for your baby by postponing bath time.
Hydrated and healthy skin
When you delay bath time, you allow the newborn more time to adjust to the dry environment – an act that preserves the skin in premium condition. Now, vernix’s antioxidants act as ultimate moisturizers that promote:
- Skin hydration
- Certain pH that avoids irritations and flaking
- A healthy skin
For mothers that experienced vaginal delivery, the vernix’s healing properties accelerate your healing. In rare cases where the baby sustains an injury, thee vernix covering also speeds her healing. Apart from these, you can try to massage her vernix into her skin to facilitate healthy bonding. Not only will she moan to your soft touch, but her skin will also thank you for distributing the protective layer.
After the wait expires, her first bath can culminate into intense pleasure for mother and child when you gently caress her hair and face while she is wrapped up and cozy. As soon as her hair is clean and aerated, run a soft cloth through her body in a bowl of warm water. Because your baby isn’t so dirty, you needn’t soap her unless it is necessary.
Her skin microbiome houses a friendly flora. Ensure that you avoid buying products that contain antimicrobial agents that could alter the balance of her flora. Instead, opt for a gentle baby cleanser.
“Delay isn’t denial,” says a popular proverb. When you delay baby birth, you have ample time to recover from the delivery and bond with your baby. When your baby acclimatizes to ‘life outside the womb’, bathing becomes very easy as she grows.
Sponge Time
Do you nurture a feeling that you cannot wait to get home and unwrap the baby bathtub? Well, you may want to reconsider.
Your newborn is entitled to sponge baths until she loses her umbilical cord in her first week or two weeks. Search for a warm room in the house and lay the baby on a flat surface that is strictly convenient – such as the floor, the bed, table, or a counter. If there are elevated surfaces, strap in your baby.
Before giving her a sponge bath, keep your supplies (soap, dry towel, washcloth, and clean diaper) close. This ensures that you don’t come up with flimsy excuses to abandon your baby for a few minutes. At the beginning of the bath, clean every part of her body one area at a time at a slow and steady rate.
Mind the room and water temperature
You might have ignored the need to check the water heater before sponge time. Your baby’s skin and soft and prone to burns. Thus, pay attention to the temperature of the water. Scalding doesn’t occur at temperatures below 490C. Even so, feel the water temperature before her bath. A moderate temperature of 380C is quite considerate.(5)
Since babies are prone to the cold, ensure that the room temperature is about 800C. A conventional method of altering the room temperature is to run the hot shower for some time to let out steam in the room.
Bath toys aren’t on your priority list
Keep your bath toys in their packaging as you won’t have any need for them yet. The newborn is small and fragile to understand the need for bath toys – water stimulation and bathing are enough excitement. And when your baby is matured enough for bath toys, adopt a cleaning regimen.
Her first bath may not be all you thought it would be
Many mothers fall, a victim of the sweet thoughts, that their baby’s first bath will be calming. This isn’t always the case – most babies will protest their bath. On the other hand, there are babies that cherish bath time. But in a case where she balks, you only need little time to determine her charm.
Daily baths are important but never necessary
As you spend more time with your baby, you should also know that you don’t have to bath her always. Until your baby’s mobility is intact, you can bath her thrice in a week. More so, regular baths can cause skin dryness. Once your baby starts mingling in puddles and grime, you may bath her consistently.
Getting prepared
You have to satisfy two conditions before undressing your newborn:
- The supplies must be within your reach
- The room must be warm
The same supplies used in sponge bathing apply here as well. An additional item is a cup of clear water for rinsing. The baby shampoo comes in handy for children with hair.
In case you forgot an item or need to answer the door, take the baby along. Thus, a dry towel must be within your reach. Never leave the baby in the bath for a splitting second. Most babies drown from their mothers’ neglect. Do not mind that the water is shallow; keep watch over them all the time. Regardless of a cradle or bath seat, stick to your baby during bath times. And if possible, do without hiring extra eyes for supervision. Whenever there is a need to attend to urgency, go with your baby – except in special cases.
Some babies are intentionally happy and naughty. When you discover her love for the water, buy her some time to explore her environment. Such a child has a lesser tendency to be scared of water. As she ages, you will find her playing more in the tub than her bath time. Don’t rush her bathtime except in rare cases when she is unhappy – this soothing experience is indescribable.
When your baby is dripping of bathwater, use the baby towel to keep her warm. To keep yourself dry, you may opt for a terry-cloth apron during the bath time.
Baby baths launch the baby into a state of deep sleep; endeavor to bathe the baby at a convenient time.
Bathing your newborn
Your newborn doesn’t require an intensive bath if you pay attention to her diaper areas when changing her diapers. As earlier mentioned, her first year may require three rounds of a bath in a week. When you bath your newborn with soap, it accelerates the evaporation of moisture from the skin – which subsequently dries out the skin. You don’t want this.
To prevent dryness of skin or breakouts such as eczema, you should always pat her dry and apply a hypoallergenic moisturizer (fragrance-free) after each bath.
Within week one or two before the umbilical cord stump falls off, administer sponge baths. Locate a warm room in the environment and place the baby in a flat and comfortable position. If the surface is hard, pad it with fluffy blankets or towels.
Get a bowl of water with a damp washcloth (devoid of soap residues) and mild baby soap in the bath area. Unless you are washing a specific area, keep her wrapped up. To avoid getting soap into her mouth and eyes, apply the double-rinsed dampened cloth. Proceed and dip the cloth in soapy water for the remaining parts of her body – especially the diaper area. Important regions to pay attention to during washing are the genitalia, underarms, the neck, and behind the ears.
Place your baby in the water when the umbilical cord heals. As usual, her baths should be brief as they are gentle. If she protests the new method, switch to her sponge baths for a few weeks before trying again. You will know when your baby is ready for normal baths.
For most parents, baby baths are easier in a plastic tub, a sink, or a bassinette. In such cases, fill the containing vessel with 5.08 cm of warm water – check against your elbow or wrist. If your source of water is the tap, run the cold water before the hot one to prevent scalding. As usual, the hottest temperature should be about 1200F. The lucky ones can adjust the heater accordingly.
Steps in bathing your newborn
- Before you undress your baby, use a dampened cotton wool to wipe his eyelids – start from the inner eye to the outer eye. While avoiding objects in her nose or ears, wash her face generously.
- Undress her and attend to her nappy the last.
- With one arm, cradle her head. Then, use the other arm to support her neck and head. Keep a close hold on her as you launch her into the bath with her feet.
- Lay her down in the bath in a way that you submerge the back of her head. Offer good support as you splash lukewarm water on her head.
- Ultimately, wash her genitals and butts with water. If there is vomit or poo, clean them from her creases.
Aerating and dressing your newborn
There is a skill to taking her out of the bath and getting her ready for dressing time.
- Without discontinuing support from your hands, hold her neck and head in place as you lift her out of her ‘shower’. Spread a clean and soft towel and place her conveniently, wrapping the towel around her.
- Pat her dry consistently. Her creases require better attention such as the groin and armpits.
- For dry skin or skin with nappy rash, apply castor oil, zinc, or soft paraffin. Another helpful agent is pawpaw cream.
- Put on her diaper first before dressing her up.
- Place her in a safe haven such as bassinette or cot.
- Discard the bathwater appropriately.
Word From Us
Bathing your newborn is not rocket science. At the same time, it takes months, if not years, of practice to stay on track. You can start by hiring someone to bath her while you watch. If you are scared that the bath may be too slippery to handle, use a towel or napkin as a bath liner.
Help your baby enjoy bath time
At first, bath times may repel your baby. Fortunately, they are quick to learn and adapt to new environments as they did after delivery. To ease their transition into bath time, you can always place a hand on your baby’s tummy. Such a position helps the baby feel a sense of safety and security during the bath.
For stubborn babies that do not seem to adjust quickly to bath times, give her a quick bath on alternate days and a longer one in between. Within 12 weeks, she must have adjusted to enjoy her bath times the more.
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