Baby right after birth - wipe down, bath or neither?

maureenmce · January 2016

Hi there ladies! At the hospital where I'll be delivering they have a questionnaire about birth preferences, and one of the questions asks your preference on the following:

a.) I would like my baby to be wiped down, wrapped in a blanket and then handed to me for one hour of uninterrupted bonding.
b.) I would like all procedures, including wiping down and bath, to be delayed for one hour after birth.

They place the baby on your chest for immediate skin to skin contact no matter what (unless there's an emergency or you request otherwise.) But then after those initial few minutes, to wipe down/wrap in blanket or not? I suppose this is a question for moms who have been there (or FTMs with a clear idea of what they want - unlike me!) - but what is your preference? Are you planning to have your baby wiped down and wrapped in a blanket before your bonding/breastfeeding time? Or just letting LO rest on your chest and try to breastfeed for an hour, then get wiped down or bathed and wrapped in a blanket after that hour?

I guess my confusion is, I think initially skin to skin, with no wiping down, sounds best - I want baby to be held by me before anyone else! But after a whole hour of baby just hanging out on my chest, without a blanket, wouldn't LO get cold? And all of the blood and goo and birth stuff is fine by me initially, but again, an hour seems like a long time. Anyway, I'd love to hear preferences and opinions. I know this is a kind of small detail and it's 100% personal preference, but for some reason I'm having a super hard time deciding! Thanks!

Achae · January 2016

maureenmce said:

Hi there ladies! At the hospital where I'll be delivering they have a questionnaire about birth preferences, and one of the questions asks your preference on the following:

a.) I would like my baby to be wiped down, wrapped in a blanket and then handed to me for one hour of uninterrupted bonding.
b.) I would like all procedures, including wiping down and bath, to be delayed for one hour after birth.

They place the baby on your chest for immediate skin to skin contact no matter what (unless there's an emergency or you request otherwise.) But then after those initial few minutes, to wipe down/wrap in blanket or not? I suppose this is a question for moms who have been there (or FTMs with a clear idea of what they want - unlike me!) - but what is your preference? Are you planning to have your baby wiped down and wrapped in a blanket before your bonding/breastfeeding time? Or just letting LO rest on your chest and try to breastfeed for an hour, then get wiped down or bathed and wrapped in a blanket after that hour?

I guess my confusion is, I think initially skin to skin, with no wiping down, sounds best - I want baby to be held by me before anyone else! But after a whole hour of baby just hanging out on my chest, without a blanket, wouldn't LO get cold? And all of the blood and goo and birth stuff is fine by me initially, but again, an hour seems like a long time. Anyway, I'd love to hear preferences and opinions. I know this is a kind of small detail and it's 100% personal preference, but for some reason I'm having a super hard time deciding! Thanks!

I asked for baby to be wiped down first because I didn't want to see the goop, etc. I still bonded immediately after birth when they placed her on my chest, I just don't like to see blood.

Jessdub10 · January 2016

I would probably choose a quick wipe down. Just posting to say don't worry about baby being cold - your body will work to keep baby warm. I've heard your body will naturally regulate its temp in reaction to baby's needs, like a human incubator. Also, you can have your blanket or sheet over the two of you if you need it.

slstickn84 · January 2016

We are delaying the first bath for 24 hours (until we get home) based on recommendations from WHO. It's certainly a personal preference and I don't think it's going to particularly negatively affect things if one chooses to allow a bath immediately, but delaying can supposedly make some things a little easier (breastfeeding, body temperature regulation, etc). Plus, apparently allowing the vernix to rub in is really good for their skin. We'll have her dried a bit on my chest, but not thoroughly rubbed down (don't want the vernix rubbed off).

Monilee1017 · January 2016

For me I had csections. For my first they completely knocked me out midsurgery and I woke up later in recovery. As soon as I woke up the baby was already cleaned and they gave him to me, or tried DH and the nurse just were holding him against me. For my second I had a csection, they took him out and brought him to my face and then took him to clean and I didn't get him until I was in recovery. This time, new doctor and hospital, they want me to hold him on my chest when they take him out. I told DH I am my comfortable with this and I want my hands strapped and he can hold the baby.

My SIL had two babies and I got to watch. They took the baby put it on her for a second, took it back did all the stuff, but not cleaning, then put the baby back on her chest. She was really hot at first and then about ten minutes later sad she was cold so they just put a blanket over the two of them.

maddisonwallace · January 2016

Our hospital doesn't give you an upfront choice. They immediately put baby on your bare chest for skin to skin for the first hour and do all that they need to while baby is laying on you. Then after that hour they get them cleaned up. They provided examples of research done that show it helps ease stress and trauma for the baby, level blood sugar, assists with breastfeeding, and helps with body temperature regulation. Our nurse explained it as you are home, and they've just been pushed OUT of their home. So whenever they're on you immediately, they hear your heartbeat and familiar sounds, they feel the same temperature they've been feeling, and they smell the amniotic fluid (big reason they don't do the bath) on you and themselves and somehow that helps them breastfeed. I wish I had links to all the studies they gave us. BUT. Even if I thought it was gross before that's all the convincing I needed to not have him wiped down until after the first hour

EC2016 · January 2016

I plan to have an "uninterrupted hour." So basically they just wipe the baby and put them on your chest for bonding and feeding for an hour. Usually the baby does have a blanket over them on your chest, but they are not wrapped/swaddled in a blanket. This is supposed to help with temperature regulation and bonding. Most things can be done with the baby on your chest, like the Apgar, shots, and foot prints etc.

Rach8672 · January 2016

We made that decision on the spot and I didn't even think about it prior. It's good that they are asking you in advance . I elected for a whipe down then bonding. It was literally like a 2 min whipe down then they handed her back un swaddled for skin to skin contact. I just wanted to avoid the goo and blood .

JuneyCleaves · January 2016

With my DD baby was placed on my chest for a brief moment immediately after birth then taken to be weighed and wiped as I delivered the placenta.

This time, the plan is to have the baby placed directly on my chest and left there for approx 2 hours before any workups are done.

Entirely a personal choice.

Good luck and congratulations!

failuretofly · January 2016

maureenmce said:

Hi there ladies! At the hospital where I'll be delivering they have a questionnaire about birth preferences, and one of the questions asks your preference on the following:

a.) I would like my baby to be wiped down, wrapped in a blanket and then handed to me for one hour of uninterrupted bonding.
b.) I would like all procedures, including wiping down and bath, to be delayed for one hour after birth.

They place the baby on your chest for immediate skin to skin contact no matter what (unless there's an emergency or you request otherwise.) But then after those initial few minutes, to wipe down/wrap in blanket or not? I suppose this is a question for moms who have been there (or FTMs with a clear idea of what they want - unlike me!) - but what is your preference? Are you planning to have your baby wiped down and wrapped in a blanket before your bonding/breastfeeding time? Or just letting LO rest on your chest and try to breastfeed for an hour, then get wiped down or bathed and wrapped in a blanket after that hour?

I guess my confusion is, I think initially skin to skin, with no wiping down, sounds best - I want baby to be held by me before anyone else! But after a whole hour of baby just hanging out on my chest, without a blanket, wouldn't LO get cold? And all of the blood and goo and birth stuff is fine by me initially, but again, an hour seems like a long time. Anyway, I'd love to hear preferences and opinions. I know this is a kind of small detail and it's 100% personal preference, but for some reason I'm having a super hard time deciding! Thanks!

I think you're overthinking this. Typically even if they don't get taken away for a wipe down, nurses will cover baby with a towel or flannel to stimulate/dry babe (especially if babe doesn't cry immediately), and they will cover the both of you with a clean blanket and your body temp will keep baby warm. I personally will opt for all the procedures/wipe down to be delayed for reasons mentioned above by PPs.

amargaret24 · January 2016

This is an interesting concept I read about recently, it's called the breast crawl and essentially the baby is wiped down but they leave amniotic fluid on only their hands to help initiate breastfeeding. It's interesting! I found a great video on a website but can't seem to remember where it was, here is a super science-y website.

https://www.breastcrawl.org/science.shtml

MissMheMhe · January 2016

Right after baby was born, the dr placed him directly on my chest while the baby nurse did what she could do, including passing a tube into his lungs to clear them out. She determined she needed to take him to the warming table to make sure he was breathing okay, but quickly returned him to me. While she had him, she quickly wiped him down. He didn't get is bath until about 16 hours after birth.

claireloSC · January 2016

We are asking she not be washed for the first two hours (at two hours in CA they have to start weighing her and all the other stuff they do). When they do wash her, we've asked them not to wash her hands. Exactly as PP said they use the smell of the amniotic fluid on their hands to help guide them to your breast, which also smells like amniotic fluid. You develop little bumps on your areola that mimic the smell so babe knows where to go. The breast crawl gives them a good start to the BF relationship. Since you're in CA too you only have about 1.5 hours for this to happen, then they will put the baby on your boob, then take her away to be weighed etc.

ETA posted too soon

danasphillips · January 2016

We are actually delaying bath until day 2. My OB is totally on board and said delaying can help with breastfeeding and temp regulation.

ainverso · January 2016

Baby was quickly wiped off after delivery to remove blood and immediately placed on my chest for over an hour. Breastfed then taken for weigh in and such. Bath didn't happen until 5+ hours later.

OrangeFox · January 2016

we didn't have DS wiped down at all. the midwife did all the initial check up stuff while DS was on my bare chest. we had placed a blanket over both of us shortly after he was placed on my chest, but he wasn't swaddled or wrapped up.

there wasn't a ton of verix or goo or whatever on his skin but what there was we rubbed in while we did skin-to-skin. he was nursing within just a few minutes of being on my chest. it is supposed to be very good for their skin.

edited because i posted too soon.

mg137 · January 2016

The stuff of baby's skin is protective and nourishing so recommendation now is not to bathe. No harm in lightly wiping down, but I wouldn't wrap in a blanket. The skin to skin contact is important and will make breastfeeding easier. I'm sure they'll drape a blanket over you both, and if no one does you can ask. My hospital delays everything for an hour, longer if baby needs a little time before nursing, but they dried her before and stuck a temperature strip under her armpit at one point. She was a little cold so they put an extra layer over us. When they checked her again she had warmed up.

Eta: she was born almost 3 days ago and still hasn't had a bath. We meant to wash her hair today but didn't have time so will tomorrow. We didn't bathe our twins for about a week. Just warm water wiped on diaper area and face before that.

Becky012016 · January 2016

Once baby is home, how often do you guys bathe him/her? Provided they didn't have a blow-out or other obvious reason to give a bath for the day.

Monilee1017 · January 2016

Dry bath with wet sponge or washcloth until their cord falls off. After that I always did everyother day a real bath and everyday I cleaned the creases. My boys pediactrican said bathing too often can dry their skin out.

jeanbug12 · January 2016

012016 said:
Once baby is home, how often do you guys bathe him/her? Provided they didn't have a blow-out or other obvious reason to give a bath for the day.

My son got a bath every other day or every three days after his stump fell off. My daughter hated baths as a baby so I didn't bother. She would scream anytime she was put in the infant tub until about 6 months, then after that she loved it. I would wipe her down everyday and we tried the bath every couple weeks, but regular baths in the tub didn't start until she would tolerate the tub.

MamaHolland · January 2016

I'm doing skin to skin with a blanket on top if needed. Immediate bathing causes their temperature to drop more so than cuddling up against warm mommy. I'm delaying everything so we have that bonding time & to try to breastfeed.

zg49 · January 2016

With our DD, I had her laid on my chest right away and they gave me a blanket to wrap around her. She wasn't too goopy, but I used the blanket they gave me to wipe her face and fingers myself. I don't think they would give you baby without a blanket but if they do just ask for one. After that 45 minutes - 1 hour they took her wrapped up to get all her measurements (we went with) and then washed her hair and wiped her down a bit.

ShannyFann · January 2016

With my first they handed him to me right away but he was kind of blue so the took him to get him stimulated and crying and whatnot then after all the stuff they do they wrapped him and handed him to my husband. I think I held him for a total of 20min between the time he was born and my relocation to recovery which was several hours. That hospital did not bathe the babies. You were on your own to do that at home. I only gave him a bath (sponge bath) once a week unless he had a blow out.
This hospital does a mandatory 2hr skin-to-skin immediately after birth so I'm pretty excited about that. I'll probably ask that they wipe him off a little at some point but then hand him back to finish the two hours. They do give baby the first bath but I'm going to ask that they don't, it was something I really enjoyed and it helped me bond with my son (I had some trouble with that the first time around).

BarrettJ89 · January 2016

For me, they had a thin sheet on my chest and laid DD on me while they cut the cord, cleaned/stitched me up, etc. They even wiped her down while she was on me. We got maybe 5 minutes or so like that before they took her to check vitals (which they did really fast) and handed her right back. We did skin to skin for probably an hour? Then just because her temperature was a little low, they encouraged us to put a shirt on her and wrap her up. Her first bath was about 8 hours after birth.

maureenmce · January 2016

Thanks so much, guys! This was super helpful!

ChrissyD1203 · January 2016

Had her wiped down while she was on me. Body contact kept her warm but also used a blanket. We delayed bath to day 2 - she was pretty clean from the wipe down

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