The hospital I work at also delays baths for at least 6 hours until baby is stable.  If you bathe a baby early they get cold, then you spend the next 6 hours trying to warm them again.  I expect that early bathing also affects lots of other stuff.  We use a small basin, that is sent to SPD between uses for cleaning.  I feel our basins are not big enough, in the single room maternity care unit they have been using a plastic baby bath that is smooth, that goes to SPD for cleaning.  We did use tubs with a plug but had issues with the plug surviving the cleaning process.  I too have had babies practically fall asleep during bathing.  Oh here is a fun option that would also be easy to clean.... anyone see a tummy tub in use?  I used one with my daughter but didn't get it until she was older.  Looks like a clear plastic bucket and allows baby to sit in the water up to neck supported by the care giver's hand under the chin.  Little babies love this.  You can google for photos.

Cordelia Merritt RN BSN IBCLC


On May 21, 2011, at 9:00 PM, LACTNET automatic digest system wrote:

> 
> I was actually able to FINALLY effect some change in my local hospital with
> regard to bathing.  I presented my neonatal educators information from the
> WHO booklet entitled, "Thermal Protection of the Newborn" (because they use
> these same guidelines to define the varying stages of hypothermia in their
> own policies).  This booklet is available online for reading.  The WHO
> recommends putting off bathing for a minimum of 6-24 hours post birth, in
> favor of skin-to-skin care.  Our nurses had a long-standing tradition of
> bathing almost right away.  When I took a hospital-sponsored S.T.A.B.L.E.
> class, I questioned why we were bathing babies so soon if thermoregulation
> was so important.  FINALLY the policy has been changed and I no longer even
> entertain the idea of early bathing.  And of course I wait until
> breastfeeding is well established before doing so.
> 
> The WHO booklet also recommends immersion bathing (which is something I've
> always done anyway) in order to avoid excessive heat loss and to provide
> infants with a more gentle, humane experience.  And no, unlike someone else
> mentioned, no scrubbing of poor neonatal heads with toothbrushes!  I gently
> use a comb with the hair submerged and it works beautifully.  In fact, most
> of the babies I bathe actually sleep during their baths.  I keep them
> covered the entire time.  The tub we use is one made by a company called
> "Juvenile Solutions".  You can Google them and then type in "blue plastic
> infant bath tub".  I'm not endorsing them at all, just sharing that that's
> what we found to be in compliance with Infection Control.  It has a hole for
> a plug.  We simply removed the plug and don't use one.  We place a Tegaderm
> (clear occlusive opsite dressing) over the hole before bathing and it works
> well.  Because there is no plug involved, it is very easy to disinfect after
> use.
> 
> Hope this helps.
> 
> Christina Harris, RN
> Federal Way, WA

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