Breast feeding is beneficial for both mother and child when possible. Not only does it increase bonding between mother and child, but it also passes on critical nutrition, immunity, and helps promote weigh loss in mothers. It can also lead to frustrations in making sure babies are consuming enough. latching in the first few hours can be tough, however waiting to bathe the newborn 12 hours or more after birth has shown to have the babies latch easier. The premise is, the fluids surrounding the baby smell like the breast, and as sense of smell is very primitive, the baby can sense this more effectively.

Key Takeaways:

• In a recent study Newborns who were not bathed right away had almost a 10% better success rate for exclusive breastfeeding.
• Delaying bathing by 12 hours gives the babies a chance to bond with their mothers more because of warmth and smell.
• The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding exclusively for the first 6 months of life and then and additional 6 months, while being introduced to other foods.

“DiCioccio points to several factors as to what may link the practice of waiting to bathe to the increased rates of breastfeeding, including skin-to-skin time between mother and baby, smell (the similarity in smell between the amniotic fluid and the breast may encourage babies to latch) and temperature.”

Read more: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/01/190121103334.htm