Vernix/Not washing newborn?

lioness13

A friend mentioned that she asked that her babies not be washed following the birth because the stuff on the baby's skin (called vernix) protects it. Instead, she rubs it in and waits a week to wash them. After reading more about it, I'm thinking of doing this too - asking for the baby not to be washed. Anyone hear of this/do this? What do you think? Would you consider it?

Here is more info:

https://eco18.com/dont-wash-newborn/

https://www.birthresourcenetwork.org/resources/89-does-your-baby-really-need-a-bath

 https://www.medscape.org/viewarticle/519767

 https://birthbliss.wordpress.com/2010/09/01/benefits-of-vernix-its-amazing-stuff/

tantdylf

I'll be doing that this time.  DS waited more than 24 hours after birth to get a bath and this time we won't be bathing the baby until much later. 

ckettenb

We didn't bathe our son at the hospital.  The nurses asked, "would you like us to bathe him for you?" and we simply said, "No thanks."  it was no big deal.

RosyRed87

I probably wouldnt go for that...babies are really icky when they come out and although its my fluids on them, its still gross and has a "not so babyish" smell. Vernix "waterproofs" them while theyre in the amniotic sac because they're just soaking in there but both my kids have been fine getting bathed as soon as they were delivered. To each his own though; I just like all the ick gone as soon as possible.

ChristyD6

This is just another thing that I don't know about and will need to research a bit before this LO arrives! Geez, I thought I was a smart lady, apparently not related to babies!

ckettenb

For what it's worth - my son still smelled delicious even without a bath.  I'm sure everyone's nose is different, but I honestly can't think of anything sweeter than the smell of my brand new baby.

chelsmcl

ChristyD6:

This is just another thing that I don't know about and will need to research a bit before this LO arrives! Geez, I thought I was a smart lady, apparently not related to babies!

Me too!  Apparently without this board I would know nothing about babies!  I'm so grateful for all the info though, it's nice to be prepared.

Luthy

Another apparently uneducated FTM here! So, if I'm understanding this correctly, they wipe off the blood/amniotic fluid/whatever that's on the baby but leave the vernix on? Or do they leave EVERYTHING? (seems unsanitary) If they only remove the other fluids how do they keep the vernix from coming off too?

Sorry, all, I haz a dumb today.

ckettenb

Luthy:

Another apparently uneducated FTM here! So, if I'm understanding this correctly, they wipe off the blood/amniotic fluid/whatever that's on the baby but leave the vernix on? Or do they leave EVERYTHING? (seems unsanitary) If they only remove the other fluids how do they keep the vernix from coming off too?

Sorry, all, I haz a dumb today.

 

Basically (in an ideal situation):  Baby is born, they put the baby on your chest (all gooey), you grin the biggest grin of your life, they put a towel over the baby and do a quick wipe down/rub, they throw a hat on the kid and cover him/her with a blankie, after about an hour of snuggles and breastfeeding and pictures and more grinning, they take the baby over to a scale to weigh him/her, after than they wrap him/her up like a burrito and give him/her back to you for more snuggles.

Babies are covered in "stuff" but it's not THAT gross and it seems to just sort of absorb/go away pretty quickly. 

Luthy

ckettenb:

Luthy:

Another apparently uneducated FTM here! So, if I'm understanding this correctly, they wipe off the blood/amniotic fluid/whatever that's on the baby but leave the vernix on? Or do they leave EVERYTHING? (seems unsanitary) If they only remove the other fluids how do they keep the vernix from coming off too?

Sorry, all, I haz a dumb today.

 

Basically (in an ideal situation):  Baby is born, they put the baby on your chest (all gooey), you grin the biggest grin of your life, they put a towel over the baby and do a quick wipe down/rub, they throw a hat on the kid and cover him/her with a blankie, after about an hour of snuggles and breastfeeding and pictures and more grinning, they take the baby over to a scale to weigh him/her, after than they wrap him/her up like a burrito and give him/her back to you for more snuggles.

Babies are covered in "stuff" but it's not THAT gross and it seems to just sort of absorb/go away pretty quickly. 

That is excellent to know. I had already planned on asking them not to bathe our daughter right away -- I definitely don't mind the goo and things getting on me and I want to snuggle and feed her right away. I had never heard of them not bathing the baby AFTER that though, so it's great to know that everything sort of takes care of itself. So fascinating. I have a feeling there are going to be lots of things I won't even think to wonder about until June when they actually happen!

handsonthewheel

It's standard practice in England for babies not to be washed and only rubbed down with a towel. Our experience was very similar to what was described above: my daughter was delivered onto my stomach so that we could have skin to skin contact right away, after a few minutes the midwife gave us a towel to wrap the baby in, we breastfed/had skin to skin contact and lots of cuddles, and about an hour (?) later the midwife weighed her and rubbed her down with the towel and gave her back to us for us to get her dressed. 

FordFalcor

For being full term, Lucy had quite a bit of vernix. We let it be until I believe the 3rd day. She didn't stink, either.

skio

I'm delaying 24 hours. I'd like her to have a bath before we take her home, but I don't want her to be taken from me and thrown into a bath that will strip her down and make her cold.

We're delaying everything; cord clamping, bath, meds. She will stay with me and BF and can have her weight checks, vitamin K and eye stuff in the room with me after a few hours. My baby, my decisions. :]

iggles09

skio:

We're delaying everything; cord clamping, bath, meds. She will stay with me and BF and can have her weight checks, vitamin K and eye stuff in the room with me after a few hours. My baby, my decisions. :]

 This is what we are doing as well. I am planning on having them rub the vernix in, however I haven't decided when I think the first bath will be but I am leaning towards doing it at home and not at the hospital so at least 2-3 days. 

MrsKatieW

skio:

I'm delaying 24 hours. I'd like her to have a bath before we take her home, but I don't want her to be taken from me and thrown into a bath that will strip her down and make her cold. We're delaying everything; cord clamping, bath, meds. She will stay with me and BF and can have her weight checks, vitamin K and eye stuff in the room with me after a few hours. My baby, my decisions. :]

Ds1 I didn't know better so he got a bath about an hour after birth. DS2 was born at a different hospital that I chose because not only do they delay everything, it's all done in your room (there isn't even a nursery except for the NICU). We waited 24 hours for the bath, then we jusr asked for the items we needed then did the bath ourselves.  We'll be waiting at least 24 hours for the bath this time as well. 

courty625

smpeachey:

~~Chels&Ry~~:

ChristyD6:

This is just another thing that I don't know about and will need to research a bit before this LO arrives! Geez, I thought I was a smart lady, apparently not related to babies!

Me too!  Apparently without this board I would know nothing about babies!  I'm so grateful for all the info though, it's nice to be prepared.

Me three!

 

Add me to the list! This is interesting information to add to my list to research. 

tantdylf

I always find it kind of amusing how many people think that babies are gross when just born. I just assume that the same people think CM is gross and all bodily fluids are gross. 

Murphie82

Add me to the list of of people who knew nothing about this.  Kind of figured a bath was just a given. So good to know... 

MrsKatieW

tantdylf:

I always find it kind of amusing how many people think that babies are gross when just born. I just assume that the same people think CM is gross and all bodily fluids are gross. 

My toddler pretty much always has dirt under his nails, and will sit in the dog's water bowl any chance he gets. Not mention I'm sure he still pees in his bath water. He was way cleaner at birth than he is now .  

ilovemarfa

MrsKatieW:

tantdylf:

I always find it kind of amusing how many people think that babies are gross when just born. I just assume that the same people think CM is gross and all bodily fluids are gross. 

My toddler pretty much always has dirt under his nails, and will sit in the dog's water bowl any chance he gets. Not mention I'm sure he still pees in his bath water. He was way cleaner at birth than he is now .  

My toddler is a dirty boy too. He loves to splash around in the dogs water bowls as well.

My son was born at 41.5 weeks after they discovered my amniotic fluid was pretty much gone. As a result of having not much fluid he came out all wrinkly and dry. They didn't give him a sponge bath until the next day and he didn't smell or anything like that.

ilovemarfa

MrsKatieW:

tantdylf:

I always find it kind of amusing how many people think that babies are gross when just born. I just assume that the same people think CM is gross and all bodily fluids are gross. 

My toddler pretty much always has dirt under his nails, and will sit in the dog's water bowl any chance he gets. Not mention I'm sure he still pees in his bath water. He was way cleaner at birth than he is now .  

My toddler is a dirty boy too. He loves to splash around in the dogs water bowls as well.

My son was born at 41.5 weeks after they discovered my amniotic fluid was pretty much gone. As a result of having not much fluid he came out all wrinkly and dry. They didn't give him a sponge bath until the next day and he didn't smell or anything like that.

bumpuser8448316

DS didn't have a bath until he was almost a week old, but not on purpose. I had never heard of doing it before this thread, so I guess I'm Team Not Gross because DS was never gross!

I had meconium in my water so NICU was present at delivery and they took him right away to assess him and ended up taking him for a breathing treatment. Between that, and the fact that he was born during shift change (7 pm) and the nurses arguing over whether he was born at 7:03 pm or 7:04 pm, and all the other newborn assessments they need to do, he never got a bath. And then he never left our side until we left the hospital and by the time we got home we were so exhausted it took a few days to bathe him.

ohdrama09

LO will probably be born in water so kind of a bath?  We don't plan on doing a bath after with soap and all.  He'll probably just sit neck deep in the water with me for awhile and snuggle.  

LeggyNic

skio:

I'm delaying 24 hours. I'd like her to have a bath before we take her home, but I don't want her to be taken from me and thrown into a bath that will strip her down and make her cold. We're delaying everything; cord clamping, bath, meds. She will stay with me and BF and can have her weight checks, vitamin K and eye stuff in the room with me after a few hours. My baby, my decisions. :]

It all happens in the room anyway at our hospital.  Even after DD2's c-section, we weren't offered a bath till we were out of recovery and back in our room. We just waited for a weight check later on since they would strip her down for that.

Bonus points for nurses who give you a head's up to when checks need to happen instead of waking you up for them (ex."I need to weigh her between 11pm-1am so buzz me when you're up nursing, etc)

homebird

I wouldn't wait a week to wash a baby, personally. But they don't need a bath right away.