The knee-jerk reaction to seeing a newborn baby covered in a white, creamy film may be alarm, confusion, or even the compulsion to yell, “ew, wash it off!” However, some experts believe delaying that first bath could have unforeseen health benefits that may make you wish your mother had waited.
According to a study from the Journal of Perinatology, vernix caseosa is unparalleled at protecting a newborn, aiding in heat regulation, immunity, and moisture retention in the skin. Dr. Ian Holzman, the chief of newborn medicine and professor of pediatrics at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, tells Teen Vogue, “The bacteria the baby has on his or her skin are supposed to be there. The vernix protective cover over the skin after birth is supposed to be there … The idea of washing all of that and the good bacteria off doesn’t make a lot of sense.”
More and more new mothers are requesting that the doctors and nurses leave the vernix caseosa as is, and short-term research seems to indicate that doing so is beneficial to a newborn’s health. Additional research still needs to be conducted regarding long-term effects of forgoing the post-delivery bath.
