Delaying the baby's first bath helps breastfeeding

In the study, which began in 2016, study author Heather DiCioccio and nurses at Hillcrest Hospital compared 500 babies who were bathed immediately to those who didn't for at least 12 hours. They found that breastfeeding rates in the delayed-bath group went up from 59 per cent to 68 per cent. 'We're starting to see that the earlier we can get the babies to latch, the better the mom's milk supply will be,' DiCioccio was quoted as saying. 'In India, the first bath of the baby usually happens in the hospital itself, on the next day. Also, the baby is given a bath with lukewarm water. Go in for natural cleansers and avoid chemical based products for the baby's first bath,' informs Dr Rita Bakshi, Senior Gynaecologist and IVF Expert, International Fertility Centre. As and when a baby is born, he/she is first wiped off with wet cotton to ensure that the baby is free from any blood and this process usually takes place in the labour room itself. The newborn is generally given a bath after 12-24 hours which is usually the next day after the baby is born. This interval is generally given because as soon as the baby is born, it is given to the mother after half an hour to be held skin-to-skin which is essential for regulating the body temperature of the baby. The body temperature of the baby is usually disturbed after the birth and normalises after the skin-to-skin contact with the mother's abdomen or breasts, she explains. Dr Bakshi recommends, 'Also, this is really the time for the baby and mother to bond and unfold a beautiful attachment. It is always advised to never interrupt or compromise on this time as this also establishes an ease during breastfeeding. Bathing can definitely wait so, never settle on anything for the mother and baby bonding time. The newborn baby should never be bathed immediately.' Dailyhunthttps://visual.ly/users/yozkelvozkeeneens13/portfolio