Within a few hours of our daughter Madi being born our nurse offered to help show us how to bath Madi. My husband and I watched attentively and thought how cute our sweet little Madi looked while getting her first bath. Little did I know, bathing a newborn within the first 24 hours of birth is not recommended and that many hospitals continue to give newborns baths despite the new recommendations by the World Health Organization.

At birth babies are covered in vernix. This is a waxy white substance that acts as a natural moisturizer and may have anti-bacterial properties. The World Health Organization recommends delaying the first bath for 24 hours. The rationale is that babies that get baths right away may become cold and this can increase their risk of hypothermia (body temperature drops below normal). The minor stress of the bath may also increase that risk of blood sugars dripping, known as hypoglycaemia. Also, the first 24 hours is important time for skin-to-skin and infant-parent bonding, two important factors in breastfeeding success. One study (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23635002/) found that by delaying bathing at least 12 hours there was an increased likelihood of breastfeeding initiation and in-hospital breastfeeding rates.

After reading this evidence, I now routinely share this information with my pregnant patients and delayed the bath of our second child, George. When do you give your newborn their first bath remember to try to keep the umbilical cord stump dry. The umbilical cord stump falls off faster and heals faster when keeping it dry. So, for newborns sponge baths are preferred. Newborns and babies don’t need to be bathed every day, for my babies, I bathed them 2-3 times per week. Sometimes bathing everyday can dry out an infant’s skin. As a child gets older, they may need baths daily as they become more active! 

 If you notice your little one is experiencing dry or irritated skin, consider adding Beta-Glucan to your bath. Beta-Glucan is a fiber that has been shown to help improve skin healing and hydration. Oats naturally contains 3-5% Beta-Glucan. If you want a more concentrated Beta-Glucan you can try by Dr Mom Beta-Glucan bath which contains 23% Beta-Glucan made from organic barley. (Bydrmom.com)

For tips on bathing, read our article: Baby Bath tips 101