By: Dipesh Navsaria, MPH, MSLIS, MD, FAAP
Bathing your baby is an experience many parents treasure. It’s a great time to bond, distraction-free, as your tiny new family member enjoys the sensation of warm water on their skin. Yet this common parenting ritual often comes with questions, and sometimes anxiety, about when and how to do it well.
Here are some frequently asked questions from parents about topics related to baby bath timing, frequency, safety, and more.
When should newborns get their first bath?
The timing of your baby’s very first bath has changed over the last few years. While most institutions used to bathe babies within an hour or two of birth, many are changing their policies.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends delaying baby’s first bath until 24 hours after birth—or waiting at least 6 hours if a full day isn’t possible for cultural reasons.
Why wait?
Here are some reasons why it is now recommended to delay baby’s first bath:
- Body temperature and blood sugar: Babies who get baths right away may be more likely to become cold and develophypothermia. The minor stress of an early bath can also make some babies more likely to have a drop in blood sugar (hypoglycemia).
- Bonding and breastfeeding:Taking the baby away for a bath too soon can interrupt skin-to-skin care, mother-child bonding, and early breastfeeding success. Onestudyshowed a 166% increase in hospital breastfeeding success after implementing a 12-hour delay in baby’s first bath compared to those bathed within the first couple hours.
- Dry skin:Vernix, a waxy white substance that coats a baby’s skin before birth, acts as a natural moisturizer and may have anti-bacterial properties. Learn more about vernix here. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), it’s best to leave vernix on a newborns’ skin for a while to help prevent their delicate skin from drying out. This is especially important for preemies, as their skin is highly prone to injury.
Note: Babies of mothers with HIV or the Hepatitis viruses will still be bathed after the initial breastfeed in order to decrease risk to hospital staff and family members.
How often do babies need a bath once they are home?
Newborns don’t need a bath every day. They rarely sweat or get dirty enough to need a full bath that often.
Three baths per week during baby’s first year may be enough. Bathing more frequently can dry out your baby’s skin.
Last Updated 3/3/2020
Source American Academy of Pediatrics (Copyright © 2019)
The information contained on this Web site should not be used as a substitute for the medical care and advice of your pediatrician. There may be variations in treatment that your pediatrician may recommend based on individual facts and circumstances.
