Bathing a Newborn
Bathing a newborn to cleanse the products of birth seems a logical choice, but there are actually many reasons why you might choose to refuse a formal bath.- A newborn's skin
is EXTREMELY
sensitive, not just to temperature, but to touch as well.
Think of this: before its birth, the only touch the baby knew
was the gentle waves of amniotic fluid that swirled around it,
caressing its body. What a contrast to the scrubbings of a
washcloth. Again, this is a prime opportunity to overload the
baby's sensory system.
- The
vernix which coats a baby's skin serves to soften, moisturize, and
protect from infection. It can be gently massaged into the
skin to provide long-lasting natural moisture which cannot be
duplicated by any man-made options.
- A bath will lower the baby's body temperature which may then prompt hospital staff to insist on placing the baby in a warmer until its temperature rises sufficiently. It'd be too risky to allow skin-to-skin contact with mom, wouldn't it?
Be aware that if you do choose to delay bathing your newborn or refuse a formal bath entirely, hospital staff may treat your baby as a biohazard. In the case of a homebirth, this is a non-issue. It's also important to note that in the case of a waterbirth, the water temperature should be warm enough to sustain the baby's temperature.
References
Moore ER, Anderson GC, Bergman N. Early skin-to-skin contact for mothers and their healthy newborn infants. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2007, Issue 3. Art. No.: CD003519. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD003519.pub2.McCall EM, Alderdice FA, Halliday HL, Jenkins JG, Vohra S. Interventions to prevent hypothermia at birth in preterm and/or low birthweight infants. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2008, Issue 1. Art. No.: CD004210. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD004210.pub3.
Giving Birth Naturally: Newborn Baby Care: Bathing a Newborn
