Learn about the benefits of vernix at birth and check out the deliciousness of vernix this baby was born covered with!
Vernix caseosa is translated from Latin as varnish cheese and it is the waxy white cheesy coating that often covers babies when they are born.
* It’s made out lipids, amino acids, proteins, antibacterial, and antimicrobial compounds that only humans can produce. Magic!
* It starts forming at 27 weeks of gestation to protect baby’s skin from becoming too waterlogged during pregnancy.
* It protects baby from meconium, which the first baby’s poo in the womb ( more on this on another post).
* It serves as a temperature insulator until baby can cuddle on mom’s chest, which the best and most powerful incubator ever invented.
* It is the lubricant of labor, helping baby having a smooth transition through the birth canal, thus minimizing possible birth trauma.
* It muffles sound.
* Some babies have more than others depending on the gestational week they were born.
Whether they were born vaginally or not. Also, if baby is overdue, vernix is not there because it has been already absorbed in the womb.
* The proteins found in the vernix and amniotic fluid are very similar to the ones found in breastmilk. Hence vernix is considered responsible for prepping baby’s digestive system for nursing. It’s way better moisturizer than coconut oil or shea butter.
* Vernix protects mom’s too from infections and facilitates healing from tearing.
These are only some of the benefits of vernix at birth!
For all these beneficial properties, Vernix does not need to be rubbed off. Rather it should be massaged on baby skin like a beauty lotion and let it be absorbed for about 5 to 6 days before giving baby a bath.
Fun fact: when my second baby was born at home, I had no clue about the benefits of vernix at birth.
To be honest, I was so stocked about my VBAC that cuddling with my baby was all that matter to me in the moment.
One of my midwives asked me if I wanted to ‘save’ some of the vernix. I, of course, declined to find out later on that she went trash diving to retrieve it and rub it all on her face.
Apparently the benefits of vernix at birth are more than health related. There are also other factors: some of the benefits of vernix at birth include the anti aging ingredients.
Was your baby born with lots of vernix? Did you know about the benefits of vernix at birth?
If you have more than one child, I’d be so curious to know if you noticed a huge difference in the amount of vernix each of your children were covered.
Often times, the hospital staff tends to rub off the vernix from baby right after birth.
One of the reasons is that they want to make sure baby is dry and warm enough since hospital rooms tend to be cold. But also there is this weird idea that babies need to be cleaned, when in reality they are not dirty at all!
And did you know that your hospital room can be adjusted to be as hot as a Caribbean Island if that is what you want for your birth?
Of course during a homebirth, there are no limits in terms of keeping baby warm and covered in vernix as long as you like.
In fact, you may hear your care provider encouraging you to rub the vernix on your baby’s little body to make sure she gets all soaked up with all the good vitamins and anti-bacterial elements that make this wondrous and natural cream so magical.
Leave me a note if you would like to learn more about the benefits of vernix at birth.
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