Interesting, this.

Babies very rarely get bathed when in the maternity unit in the UK.

I can't remember the last time I heard of a baby being bathed before 
the return home, and there's no encouragement to give a bath even 
then.....mothers are told there is no rush, as long as the babies are 
'topped and tailed' daily (a wash with cotton wool swabs and plain 
water).

I think all bathing stopped once women started being discharged home 
after a shorter time ie under 2 weeks, about 40 years ago - 35 years 
ago, I came home after 8 days, and my baby had still not been bathed.

I am pretty sure the bathing stopped because it took up too much 
staff time, and no one discovered any adverse effects so the impetus 
to bath just ceased.

Bathing is an intervention, and it's up to the 'intervenors' to justify it :)

Heather Welford Neil
NCT bfc, tutor, UK
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