How to Delay Your Baby's First Bath

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Find out the hospital protocol regarding bathing newborns.

   In order to delay your newborn’s first bath you should find out what the bathing protocol is for your hospital.
   
   Ask your obstetrician or midwife when babies are typically bathed following delivery, and then you can decide if you want to make a special request.
   
   Some hospitals will bathe infants shortly after birth, while others will wait longer.For example, at Toronto East General Hospital, a healthy baby who has a stabilized temperature will likely be bathed around 8 hours after birth.
   
   In comparison, at BC Women’s Hospital an infant can be bathed at any point between 4 hours and 24 hours postnatal.
2. 2

   Step 2: Request to have your baby’s bath delayed.

   If you and your partner have decided that you want to wait a minimum of 24 hours before bathing your infant, depending on the hospitals bathing protocol, you may need to request to have your baby’s first bath delayed.
   
   You also may want to wait and bathe your child for the first time at home, using your own products.
   
   If this is the case, you should request that your baby is not bathed at all while in the hospital.
   
   Hospitals will typically honour requests to delay the first bath.If you are not comfortable bathing your baby on your own, then you might ask to have the first bath done at the hospital with a nurse to guide you through it.
   
   This may be especially helpful if this is your first baby.
   
   Make this request by talking with your doctor prior to the delivery of your child.
   
   You may be overwhelmed during the birthing process and forget to make a request during delivery.
   
   If you use a midwife or doula you should also speak with them about a delayed bath in advance of delivery. , If you have decided to delay your infant’s first bath make sure that this request is communicated to all hospital staff that will be involved in the delivery process.
   
   This includes all of the nurses and doctors that are present during the delivery and those that will be involved throughout your stay at the hospital.Your doctor will not always be available and may not remember to communicate your wishes to other hospital staff.
   
   Bathing is typically performed by nurses and as a result you may want to communicate directly with the nurses, rather than relying on your doctor to pass along the message. , Most pregnant women are instructed to create a birth plan prior to delivering their child.
   
   You can include a section on newborn baby care in your birth plan, and state that you would like to delay the first bath.
   
   This will ensure that your wishes are written on paper and will not lead to any confusion following the birth of your child.Be specific in your birth plan.
   
   For example, if you would like the bath delayed 24 hours that should be stated.
   
   That way hospital staff will know your exact wishes. , Another way to ensure that all hospital staff are aware of your wishes to delay your baby's first bath would be to put a note directly on the baby's bassinet that clearly communicates your request.
   
   For instance, the note could say "Please do not bathe me! My parents are delaying my first bath." This note may prevent your child from being bathed following the delivery while you and your partner are distracted with new parent responsibilities, or by well-meaning staff in the infant nursery.
   
   While many nurses or other hospital staff will not take the time to read an entire birth plan, a note taped to the side of a bassinet will be more visible and obvious.
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   Step 3: Talk with all hospital staff about your wishes prior to the delivery.

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   Step 4: Add a section on baby care to your birth plan.

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   Step 5: Place a note in the bassinet prior to delivery.

Detailed Guide

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