10/30/2024
No need to bathe the newborn instantly. The layer they are born with on the exterior of their skin is protective! Reposted from Maternativas Educación Perinatal https://bit.ly/maternativasmx and translated:
Repeat after me: "Babies aren't born dirty, there's no need to clean them."
This white substance that people want to clean up right away is vernix and it begins to form on the skin of your baby in utero around 20 weeks of pregnancy.
🤔 But what is this substance for?
🔹Acts as an antibacterial agent to protect your baby inside and outside the womb. A protective cover when crossing the birth canal: allows your baby to pick up good bacteria and allows bad bacteria not to grow too much.
🔹Acts as an insulator, maintaining your baby's body temperature. Babies who are washed immediately have a significantly higher rate of heat loss.
🔹 Acts as a lubricant and reduces friction during childbirth.
🔹Smell mom and help keep your baby calm after birth.
🔹Your baby swallows vernix in the womb. The same proteins found in the vernix are the same as breast milk. This helps the baby's digestive tract be ready for breastfeeding.
🔹 Keeps baby's skin soft and hydrated.
Many hospital system's policies are outdated, but still being practiced. We were taught that vernix was a danger to germs and that's why in some hospitals health staff clean the baby at birth. But you can ask the staff to reduce friction on your baby to preserve the vernix on their skin! When baby has their first skin-to-skin contact with you, this is the perfect time to feel it and not rub it.
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We have a Wise Traditions podcast "Childbirth: Keeping It Natural with Genevieve Howland aka Mama Natural" who says about vernix: "When the baby comes out with that vernix, you want to rub it in." https://bit.ly/keepchildbirthnatural
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❤️ MOST VERNIX IS ABSORBED 24 HOURS AFTER BIRTH. So don't rush to bath your baby. Nature is perfect and this cream[vernix] is exclusive, unique, natural and free! ❤️
