My daughter (second child so I was better read :D ) never did get bathed in the hospital. My husband has VERY dry skin and some areas of questionable eczema and I had read about the benefits of leaving the vernix on for an extended time and gently rubbing it in. Of course the nurses surely thought I was a nutcase but with my second child I didn't care what they thought after all it was MY baby. I really don't know why the nurses make extra work for themselves unless it is because they think the mother will be turned off if handed an unbathed baby. If you have no episiotomy there is no blood so no risk to healthcare workers (who should not be touching your baby anyway :O ) and I don't think a simple bath isn't going to get rid of potential infectious agents anyway. Just MHO. -- Warmllly, Ilene Please come to my "mall" http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/4558 "Contentment is not the fulfillment of what you want, but the realization of how much you already have!