Scientists have found that it is better not to wash babies on the first day after birth

Those who have already been to the hospital, and not onexcursions, and for their intended purpose, they know how it happens: the child was born, screamed, he was put on his mother’s breast for a couple of minutes, and then carried away - to weigh, measure, wash. They will return it later, when Mommy is transferred from the hospital to the ward. However, now experts argue that it is time to break this procedure. According to scientists, you need to wait a day, or even more, before bathing your baby for the first time.A photo: GettyImages— It’s important to understand that children are not born dirty, ”explains Dr. Ira Jeff, a gynecologist. “They are born exactly in the form in which they should. Infants are born covered with a white substance that looks like wax.” That's what obstetricians are in a hurry to wash away, and the sooner the better. But now there is evidence that this substance - the original lubricant - is much more useful to leave on the skin of the child for at least a few hours. Research on this issue began to be carried out back in 2004. The Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology then published an article in which it says that the original lubricant softens and at the same time protects the baby’s skin and immunity, because newborns breathe with almost the entire body. In addition, this white wax contains antimicrobial substances that protect the baby from bacteria and fungi. Subsequent studies have shown that these substances are able to resist even pneumonia and meningitis.How to bathe a babyPhoto:GettyImagesThat is why in the West doctors have already begun to lean towards the idea that it is not worth bathing the baby right away. But it is worth leaving him with the mother - skin to skin. In this way, according to doctors, the baby feels safe, this reduces postpartum stress. - There is nothing better for a child than contact with the mother's body, - assures Dr. Jaffe. - When the baby is taken away from the mother and carried to be bathed, this reduces his body temperature. While the mother's body helps. However, there are no generally accepted standards regarding when it is worth bathing a child. Doctors hope that now the practice of "delayed washing" will be wider, because more and more women will learn about its benefits. Moreover, the World Health Organization has also joined the recommendations not to wash a child for at least a day after birth.