
08/10/2025
Ever wondered why some babies enter the world wearing a beauitful white coat?
That coat is vernix caseosa (aka 'vernix') - a creamy film consisting of almost 80% water that covers the skin of the fetus during the last trimester of pregnancy.
It is a naturally occurring coating that has numerous functions before, during and after birth, including protecting your new baby's skin and helping them adapt life outside the womb.
What are the benefits?
• Protecting the skin from excessive water exposure during development
• Lubrication of the birth canal
• Temperature regulation
• Innate immunity
• Providing defence against bacterial infections
• Antioxidant, moisturising and wound healing properties
• Aiding in good gut health
Should I wash it off?
It was once common practice to wash babies as soon as they were born, but today we usually delay baby's first bath by at least six hours, up to a week.
So if your baby arrives looking like this, we recommend gently rubbing that natural 'body butter' into their fresh newborn skin!
Photo: