Don’t be surprised. If at birth your baby’s skin is covered with a white coating. This creamy substance called vernix appears during the second part of pregnancy, starting week 20 She plays a protective role for the baby, in association with the lanugo (light down).
To protect the baby’s skin, the sebaceous glands of the fetus make a fat film, the vernix. It acts like a waterproof barrier protecting the baby’s skin from the effects due to months of immersion in amniotic fluid. Scientists argue that it could also have antiviral properties. In addition, during childbirth, it makes it easier to remove the baby by lubricating the skin. The is composed of sebum, dead skin cell debris, as well as water. According to current knowledge, the production of vernix is unique to man.
As birth approaches, the child continues to grow, grow, her nails and hair grow. At the same time, the vernix caseoa, which forms small white particles in amniotic fluid, is starting to diminish. Some traces, however, remain at birth. The amount of vernix is different from child to child, and don’t be surprised if your child is born with very little of this coating on the skin. In general, he is more present on his back than on the chest. Early-born children present a greater amount of caseosa vernix than term-born children. After birth, what happens to the vernix? A few more years ago, newborn babies were always washed. That’s not the case anymore.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommended that the bath should be postponed to a minimum of 6 hours after birth. She also recommended to wipe the child to remove blood and meconium, but not to remove the vernix. This coating continues to protect the baby’s skin. It reduces thermal loss and is skin skin in the first days of life. In any case, the last tailings will be eliminated during the first bath.