A newborn's first bath: when?

OBJECTIVE

To determine the effects of early admission bathing on thermoregulation in newborns.

DESIGN

Randomized, comparative study.

SETTING

A regional hospital providing primary and secondary newborn care.

PARTICIPANTS

One hundred healthy, full-term newborns.

INTERVENTIONS: Newborns in the investigational group with a minimum rectal temperature of 36.5 degrees C. were bathed after the newborn admission assessment examination was completed (M = 61.15 minutes of age), whereas newborns in the control group were bathed at the standard of 4 hours of age (M = 252.12 minutes of age).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Rectal temperatures were measured using a Diatek thermometer. Rectal temperatures were recorded during the newborn admission assessment examination, immediately before bathing, immediately after bathing, 1 hour after bathing, and 2 hours after bathing.

RESULTS

No significant differences (p < .05) in rectal temperatures, were found between the groups during the admission assessment examination, before bathing, immediately after bathing, 1 hour after bathing, or 2 hours after bathing. No significant differences were found between the groups in type of delivery, time of birth, gestational age, birth weight, Apgar scores at 1 and 5 minutes, air temperature, apical heart rate, or respiratory rate.

CONCLUSIONS

Healthy, full-term newborns whose rectal temperatures are greater than 36.5 degrees C can be bathed immediately after the admission assessment examination.