Get access to over 1,300 articles and reader Q&As
I’m nearing my due date with my first baby, and as we’re getting ready for delivery, I’m overwhelmed by all the little things I never thought about before. One of them is bathing: Am I supposed to bathe my newborn in the hospital or wait until we get home? Also, will that ruin the new baby smell everyone talks about?
—Miranda
It used to be common to wash the baby immediately, often before the parents even held them. This approach is largely gone. There is an increasing trend toward immediate skin-to-skin contact, which may increase breastfeeding success, and bathing can interrupt that. The data doesn’t suggest any reason to wash the baby, so even the possibility that there might be some downside is meaningful.
There are also some concerns, especially with preterm babies, that a full subversive bath may make it hard for babies to control their internal temperature. Your baby is likely to be given a sponge bath before they leave the hospital, but even that isn’t strictly necessary.
Once you are home, you really do not have to bathe your baby very often. Babies don’t get dirty, and a very occasional bath is fine. When you do bathe them, a newborn tub will make it much easier to control the temperature and hang on to them.
Community Guidelines
Log in