Even though many hospitals may offer to give a baby their first bath soon after birth, parents may choose to delay this bath to keep the vernix in place. Nurses may remove blood and amniotic fluid with a soft cloth. And there is usually no need to give a newborn a bath so soon after delivery.
24 to 48 hours should be enough for your newborn to benefit from the vernix, but some parents choose to delay the child’s first bath for longer. Over these days, you may gently massage the vernix caseosa into your baby’s skin.
Key Takeaways
The vernix caseosa performs several important functions aside from protecting a fetus in the womb. The white, creamy, naturally occurring biofilm covers the skin of the fetus during the final trimester and also prepares the fetus for life outside the uterus. It provides a barrier that prevents water loss, regulates temperature, and provides protection against harmful microbes.
Due to these many benefits, parents may choose to delay giving their child a bath for a couple of days or even more.
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