Does baby get washed at birth?

[Sardinia]

Hi, i have got a very easy question for all the already-mums.
A friend of mine told me that babies dont get washed when they are born and you take them home still with your amniotic fluid dried out on their skin.

I know in italy 9where i come from), nurses and midwife washes them as soon as they are born, even before they give them to the mum.
How does it work here??
Thanks!!!!

 

[Nic'n'Keeley]

Keeley was never bathed til i took her home i wasn't even shown how to bath her

She was wiped over when she was born but not bathed

 

[elaine22]

My midwife said that they don't wash babies for at least a day or two after the birth as they can't control their body temperature and may get too cold.

 

[Sardinia]

Thank you girls!!!!!
So you are confirming.... I am actually a bit shocked about this...
I dont know ...that thing about the temperature sounds more like an excuse than anything else!!!
oh well.... i will have to stand up after labour and wash him myself then!

 

[Urchin]

Mine were both bathed by the MW in the delivery room.

They were born, put straight on me for a while, and wiped over with a towel, then after about 10 mins weighed etc. Then back to me for another 20 mins while a MW got a bath ready. Then about half an hour after birth the MW bathed them, very quickly, then got them dressed in their baby gros.

The way thats written makes them sound like twins but it was done exactly the same 4 years apart

 

[trixipaws]

no millie was not washed. she was put straight on me for awhile then taken and wiped and dressed while i had a shower (which i was made to do!). i was so bewildered from giving birth i wouldnt hav known whether or not she was bathed tbh but i knew coz the next day when i dressed her i could see some blood stains on her body!

 

[Squiglet]

Mine were both bathed by the MW in the delivery room.

They were born, put straight on me for a while, and wiped over with a towel, then after about 10 mins weighed etc. Then back to me for another 20 mins while a MW got a bath ready. Then about half an hour after birth the MW bathed them, very quickly, then got them dressed in their baby gros.

The way thats written makes them sound like twins but it was done exactly the same 4 years apart

The same thing happened to me... but she was whisked away for a while before they let me hold her, then it was only for a few moments before they bathed her and took her up to SCBU and me down to theatre.. dunno if that had anything to do with it... Tbh, I was kinda glad.. I'm dead squimish and the thought of all that blood and gore..

 

[Urchin]

I remember nagging OH to take loads of pics cos I couldn't see and was missing their first bath.

 

[laetitia85]

i would definately want mine to be bathed!

 

[Sardinia]

no millie was not washed. she was put straight on me for awhile then taken and wiped and dressed while i had a shower (which i was made to do!). i was so bewildered from giving birth i wouldnt hav known whether or not she was bathed tbh but i knew coz the next day when i dressed her i could see some blood stains on her body!

No surprises, then, if in Uk (let me say) there are always so many infections coming out.
There should be more hygiene.
I mean, a baby comes out from there. It's been in contact with blood, body fluids, bacteria. Now imagine how many relatives will come round and kiss the new born on the head... How disgusting to think there could be some blood.
i am definitely gonna ask my midwife to wash her, please!!!

 

[laetitia85]

no millie was not washed. she was put straight on me for awhile then taken and wiped and dressed while i had a shower (which i was made to do!). i was so bewildered from giving birth i wouldnt hav known whether or not she was bathed tbh but i knew coz the next day when i dressed her i could see some blood stains on her body!

No surprises, then, if in Uk (let me say) there are always so many infections coming out.
There should be more hygiene.
I mean, a baby comes out from there. It's been in contact with blood, body fluids, bacteria. Now imagine how many relatives will come round and kiss the new born on the head... How disgusting to think there could be some blood.
i am definitely gonna ask my midwife to wash her, please!!!

OMG you'v just reminded me of something that happened to me years ago, when i went to see my aunt who had just given birth. I kissed the baby's head but the poor little boy still stank of FISH, yes, FISH (sorry but it's true). Sorry but i would want my baby to be washed

 

[Lou]

no millie was not washed. she was put straight on me for awhile then taken and wiped and dressed while i had a shower (which i was made to do!). i was so bewildered from giving birth i wouldnt hav known whether or not she was bathed tbh but i knew coz the next day when i dressed her i could see some blood stains on her body!

No surprises, then, if in Uk (let me say) there are always so many infections coming out.
There should be more hygiene.
I mean, a baby comes out from there. It's been in contact with blood, body fluids, bacteria. Now imagine how many relatives will come round and kiss the new born on the head... How disgusting to think there could be some blood.
i am definitely gonna ask my midwife to wash her, please!!!

Its your baby though. You make it sound so clinical! Babies can't control their own body temperature so they can't always be bathed. My baby Isaac was wiped over when he was born then we bathed him once he was home. He did have blood on his head but babies wear hats to help keep them warm. Once you give birth the last thing you think about it whether the baby has had a bath or not. Well I didn't think it was a big deal anyway.

Lou

 

[laetitia85]

fair enough but i would have thought that the day you come out of hospital, you would wanna come out with a fresh and clean baby, in his gorgeous new clothes, smelling nice and clean, ... not dirty with blood stains on his head and smelling a bit fishy?

 

[Sardinia]

no millie was not washed. she was put straight on me for awhile then taken and wiped and dressed while i had a shower (which i was made to do!). i was so bewildered from giving birth i wouldnt hav known whether or not she was bathed tbh but i knew coz the next day when i dressed her i could see some blood stains on her body!

No surprises, then, if in Uk (let me say) there are always so many infections coming out.
There should be more hygiene.
I mean, a baby comes out from there. It's been in contact with blood, body fluids, bacteria. Now imagine how many relatives will come round and kiss the new born on the head... How disgusting to think there could be some blood.
i am definitely gonna ask my midwife to wash her, please!!!

Its your baby though. You make it sound so clinical! Babies can't control their own body temperature so they can't always be bathed. My baby Isaac was wiped over when he was born then we bathed him once he was home. He did have blood on his head but babies wear hats to help keep them warm. Once you give birth the last thing you think about it whether the baby has had a bath or not. Well I didn't think it was a big deal anyway.

Lou

definitely, it's my baby, even better i want him to be clean.
If they use warm water, it will be ok. And i am not talking about a long bath, just under the running water. Just to remove blood.
I think more than clinical, we should really think of basic hygiene rules.

 

[Urchin]

The bath didn't totally get all the gunk off my 2 anyway, especially Mason who had a lot of hair, it was all stuck in his hair for a few days but I wouldn't have wanted them to scrub it out.

 

[Misslarue]

No. As far as I can remember they just wiped him over. A few days later they washed his hair and then as we had to stay in for a week one of the MW showed OH and I how to bath him, which we were very grateful for as we didn't have a clue!!

 

[Minxy]

I absolutely LOVED that bloody womb smell

I couldn't stop sniffing his head I was shown how to bath Stanley on day 2. After nagging for a bath constantly

 

[Lou]

Yeah Isaac smelled lovely. Not fishy atall!!!

I know what your saying girls. Looking at it from the outside I would agree but honestly when you have been in labour for 24 hours and your baby is finally in your arms and you are tired and sore and emotional the last thing on your mind is baby having a bath. We're all diferent though aren't we. Maybe if I have another I will want them bathed as soon as possible. I don't know?

Just ask the midwives and if they are busy they can bring you a bath for you to do it yourself or let a relative do it for you. Maybe even put it in your birth plan if you want?

Lou

 

[enn]

yea she got wiped over abit then skin to skin with me then they cleaned her up some more

i was shown the night just before we left the hosp how to bath her but we now have a sponge that lies in the baby bath and she lays on that quite happily and both my hands are free to wash her

didnt have it tho when we left hosp , wish we had one then tho
we forgot how she showed us how to wash a newborn and its only once a week. certain way to hold them so they feel secure.

they cant be bathed straight away after birth tho certain amount of time forgot what tho i was told, belly button of babys has to stay dry also

 

[SarahH]

I cant beleive some of you said babies smelt fishy.... my parts have never smelt fishy before, during or after pregnancy.... thats a personal hygene issue there.

Back to bathing a baby.... babies shouldnt be bathes straight away for them controlling there body temperature (even if it it warm water!), as soon as baby comes out of the bath they could go into shock with the temp difference. Plus, the skin is not yet prepared for that...
the MW will clean them with warm towels and then you get your cuddle before dressing them.