Vernix Caseosa: What Is It And How Can It Benefit Your Baby
WHAT IS THE VERNIX AND WHY IS IT ON THE BABY?
So you have just given birth.
NOW WHAT?
Well, the baby generally may or may not be placed on top of the mother for bonding depending on your method of birth and complications.
But wait...do you really want a baby on top of you when they have just come out of the womb? Why are they so white and what is that waxy substance on their body?
Well that my friends is called the VERNIX, VERNIX CASEOSA to be exact.
WHAT IS VERNIX CASEOSA?
The short name for this is vernix and this is a waxy white substance that is usually covering the newborn’s body after birth. This coating starts developing in the womb at around 20 weeks gestation and it serves as a protective layer. Since they are submerged in amniotic fluid their entire time in the womb for 9 months and if they did not have a protective covering on them then they would be more likely to develop wrinkly or chapped skin.
Vernix consists of water, lipids, and proteins. The composition of the vernix is a waxy cheese like covering mainly made up of shed skin cells and sebaceous secretions. The covering starts to slough off in the womb and by 40 weeks gestation, it can be mostly gone. If you deliver prior to 40 weeks gestation then they may still be well coated in vernix.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF THE VERNIX?
The main benefit it offers is that it provides a protective layer between the baby’s skin and the amniotic fluid. The main purpose is to protect and hydrate the baby while in the womb.
OTHER BENEFITS:
1. It protects the baby from harmful bacteria. It acts as a cleanser and provides a barrier against bad bacteria all while still letting the absorption of the good bacteria occur. Once the vernix sheds in the womb, the baby can swallow it which helps nourish the developing gut microbiome.
2. Helps control the baby’s internal temperature. The vernix’s thick, waxy coat helps insulate and control the baby’s internal temperature. However, there is great debate whether or not the vernix truly helps control body temperature or if it is the warmth of the skin-to-skin contact that occurs between mother and baby following childbirth. Sometimes, heating lights are also used to help control the infant’s body temperature if the mother’s chest is unavailable or does not help regulate the baby’s body temperature.
3. Provides protection from potential meconium exposure. Sometimes the baby can pass their first poo in the womb. The first poo is referred to as the meconium and is usually dark brown to green in color. If this is passed in the womb prior to labor starting, it can become dangerous. The vernix, therefore, plays a role in helping to protect the baby from being exposed to the meconium in the womb.
4. Research shows a potential link between delayed bathing upon birth and increased hospital breastfeeding rates. Patting the baby dry instead of fully washing the baby, increases the ability to make neural connections for breastfeeding. A particular study conducted by Preer et al. at Boston Hospital found that the delay in getting the first bath significantly increased breastfeeding rates from 32.7% to 40.2%
SHOULD IT BE WIPED OFF UPON BIRTH?
Vernix has some great antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties along with its numerous other benefits previously discussed. Humans are the only species that produce this covering while in the womb. Research has shown that holding off on giving the baby their first bath for at least 24-48 hours can greatly benefit the baby and protect them from infections following birth. The International Childbirth Education Association states that there is no set time frame as to when the baby should be given a bath so it is best to do what is most comfortable to the parents.
It is preferred that giving the baby their first bath should be delayed for at least a week but some can even delay it till the day they are getting discharged from the hospital. You can request the baby not be wiped down completely, but instead, ask for them to use a light washcloth and gently wipe them off. Rubbing the vernix into the baby’s skin is also beneficial as they are able to absorb all the nutrients and beneficial properties into the skin. Don’t be surprised if you see some in the crevices of the neck, arms, and legs. It tends to hide and linger in folds. You can leave it and rub it into the skin.
There are times when it is recommended for the baby to get a bath immediately upon birth. These cases occur if the mother is HIV positive or has some other infectious disease that can be transmitted to the baby in gestation.
xoxo,
Unnati
REFERENCES:
Akinbi, H. T., Narendran, V., Pass, A. K., Markart, P., & Hoath, S. B. (2004). Host defense proteins in vernix caseosa and amniotic fluid. American journal of obstetrics and gynecology, 191(6), 2090–2096. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2004.05.002
Nishijima, K., Yoneda, M., Hirai, T., Takakuwa, K., & Enomoto, T. (2019). Biology of the vernix caseosa: A review. The journal of obstetrics and gynaecology research, 45(11), 2145–2149. https://doi.org/10.1111/jog.14103
Preer, G., Pisegna, J. M., Cook, J. T., Henri, A. M., & Philipp, B. L. (2013). Delaying the bath and in-hospital breastfeeding rates. Breastfeeding medicine : the official journal of the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine, 8(6), 485–490. https://doi.org/10.1089/bfm.2012.0158
Righard, L., & Alade, M. O. (1990). Effect of delivery room routines on success of first breast-feed. Lancet (London, England), 336(8723), 1105–1107. https://doi.org/10.1016/0140-6736(90)92579-7
Singh, G., & Archana, G. (2008). Unraveling the mystery of vernix caseosa. Indian journal of dermatology, 53(2), 54–60. https://doi.org/10.4103/0019-5154.41645