Will you insist on not washing baby in the hospital or letting them wash the vernix off? Mixed feelings...

Question

I know it's a couple months away but I'm trying to educate myself more on labor. Vernix is white residue that is supposed to strengthen baby's immune system after birth. I've read that you're not supposed to wash the baby first couple weeks nor use wipes, just wash up with water and may be use oil and cotton pads to wipe the folds, that's it. Is this correct? Thank you ladies for any suggestions ☺

Answer

Definitely no washing I even ask them not to rub my babies, there is no need for it (unless baby’s unresponsive obviously) I cringe when I watch videos of them being rubbed so hard. All mine have had their 1st proper bath 7 days after being born

Answer

The World Health Organization recommends waiting at least 24 hours so that’s the plan for me! Just towel him off and put him on my skin. Vernix isn’t dirty. Unless he comes out covered in poop, I think the bath can wait.

Answer

Make sure you put it in your birth plan if you don’t want baby washed!! Saving their first bath for a few days post birth is so beneficial to your baby’s immune system and if you don’t make it clear, the nurses will bath baby straight away without even asking!

Answer

The current recommendation at the hospital I work at is delayed bathing for the first 72 hours (minimum of 24 hours). If baby has alot of hair and has had a particularly gross delivery (thick meconium, lots of blood etc) we will wash babes hair after 24 hours just to get the really crusty stuff off or at 24 hours if they're really covered in blood or meconium and parents request an demo bath. Babies get a swaddled tub bath even if the umbilical cord is still on, the cord just needs to be dried really well after getting wet, no alcohol.

Answer

Check out the NPR story about the study that was just started about vaginal seeding for cesarean babies, it’s very interesting and related to this! It will be interesting to see the outcome.

Answer

Before they automatically did it and didn't even ask so you have to make it clear, at least that's what happened to me. There is honestly no reason for them to remove a healthy baby from it's mother's arms for several hours. They can do all tests and assessments right in your arms and bonding those first few hours is extremely important. 
This time I'm giving birth with a midwife in a freestanding birth center and she will leave the baby on my belly and arms for several hours to initiate breastfeeding and bonding.

Will you insist on not washing baby in the hospital or letting them wash the vernix off? Mixed feelings...

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