A question of mine got buried in the rest of my post - so I'll ask it again!

Do you routinely bath babies after birth, and if so why?

We no longer do this in the UK, not for at least 20 years.

Here, the baby is wiped after birth, and then the mother is taught the next
day, usually,  about 'topping and tailing' - this is a little wash, done
with cotton wool swabs and warm water, of the face, ears, hands (top) and
nappy area (tail). It's done on the mum's lap or in the crib beside her
bed.

Bathing might be done when the baby gets home if the mother wants.

I have never really thought of this as important, but I think it is
relevant to bf.

If babies have to be taken away and 'processed' by the staff in this way, it's

i) an unnecessary separation of mother and baby
ii) a taking over of the baby by the institution and  a disempowering of
the mother
ii) a possible interference with the scents that draw mothers and babies
together

(I am pretty sure bathing in the UK was abandoned because of staff time
factors, BTW)

Thoughts, anyone?

Heather Welford Neil
NCT bfc Newcastle upon Tyne UK

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