Baby’s first bath… and why you should wait to do it

Baby’s first bath can be a fun moment that most parents look forward to, but it’s one that shouldn’t be rushed. And I’m not saying you should wait several hours after birth, I’m saying you should wait several days or more. You might think that bathing early is beneficial for keeping baby clean and germs away, but babies are born with a built in germ-fighter: vernix, that thick, white substance they’re born covered in. Vernix has been found to be antibacterial, antimicrobial, packed with amino acids and beneficial proteins, plus it’s the best moisturizer you’ll ever find.

Instead of washing the vernix away, it’s actually more beneficial to baby to rub it into her skin and allow it to absorb. Vernix doesn’t fully absorb until baby’s about 6 days old, so waiting until then to give baby her first bath allows baby to optimize its benefits.

It may sound counterintuitive to some of us - waiting a while to give baby her fist bath - but the more you research it, the more evidence you’ll find supporting waiting.

The benefit of vernix is just one of the reasons waiting to bathe baby is recommended. Another important reason to wait to give baby her first bath is to help with her temperature regulation. Think about those first few moments after you get out of the shower, even in the summer - your body feels cold. Babies lose heat even more quickly than adults (up to four times!) so imagine what it takes for them to warm back up.

When newborns are cold, all of their energy goes toward maintaining a proper body temperature. So you know what their energy DOESN’T go toward in those times? Gaining weight, breastfeeding, breathing smoothly - the very things you WANT their energy to be spent on. So instead of jumping to give that first bath, continue focusing on breastfeeding and skin-to-skin contact with your baby, which among a laundry list of other benefits, helps her better regulate her body temperature.