I do not see the reason behind washing the baby right after birth.  And yes,
I've had yucky babies.  But I've also, while in labor and pacing the
hallways with my third, seen the maniacal nurse scrubbing the tar out of the
baby that had just been born.  No way was she getting her hands and brushes
on my baby.  He didn't have a bath.  I told them he wasn't going anywhere
and didn't need a bath.  We wiped him a little gently with the blanket.  But
it would have been cruel and unusual punishment to hand him over to Attila
the Nurse after his difficult labor (major shoulder dystocia).  And I also
wouldn't let the nurse take him to the nursery for morning pediatrician's
rounds.  Told them I would deal with the pediatrician's anger, of which
there wasn't any, not a trace.  I didn't let him out of my sight.

Katherine A. Dettwyler, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Anthropology and Nutrition
Texas A&M University