Is it true that after you give birth you can't take a bath for several weeks?

Question

I'm 30 weeks along and last night in our birth class our teacher said something about the fact that we shouldn't take a bath for six weeks after giving birth. She made it sound like this was a very well known fact so I was too embarressed to ask her about this at the time.
I don't see why you couldn't have a bath straight after delivery...and in fact, I was looking forward to a nice long warm soak in the bathtub (it's been so hard in pregnancy to not take my usual hot steaming baths.) Thank you for your answers

Answer 1

Unless you have a c-section I don't see why you can't take a bath! I had one and my doctor let me take a bath after 10 days once the cut closed a bit just hot water no bubble bath. And I took a bath the day I got home with my other births. Come on now women give birth in a bathtub! I am guessing she means the discharge you get after you give birth but if you breastfeed it is not much at all
Ask your doctor to be sure or an Rn Midwife
Most hospitals give you a sitz bath to help heal you it is an attachment for the toilet. And see if you can get a rail for the tub like older folks use so you can get in and out of the bath
And is she a teacher or an RN Midwife? There is a big difference!

Answer 2

This is totally not true. I took a bath while I was still in the hospital. It was pretty gross though since I was still bleeding and the water had these weird green chunks of cooked blood. It was definitely a short bath. What your teacher is advising is that you not take a normal bath tub bath were the tub may not be totally sanitary. Your best bet is to make sure you scrub the tub well and then use alcohol or bleach on it to kill anything growing there. In fact you should still be able to take baths while you are pregnant as long as you don't slip and fall in the tub and you don't overheat yourself. A bath is safe as long as it doesn't raise your temperature above like 102 degrees. A warm soak should be fine. Your best bet is to talk to your doctor about this so that you can get the best information. Some say yes, some say no. Plus a teacher isn't required to know the latest information on everything.

Answer 3

Well, at first, you will be bleeding so much, it will turn the water red or pink in a matter of minutes. If you end up needing a c-section ( I did) then you will have to wait for the incision to heal, else it gets infected. But the first six weeks your body is doing the most healing and your uterus needs to contract a lot to heal properly, and if you get in a hot bath and relax completely, then it's not going to go so well. I know how you feel, I have a 7 week old and just got to take my first bath. But you can take nice warm baths, I admit I took hot ones all the time right up until about a week before I delivered. I know it wasn't recommended but I tried anyway and my little girl is just fine, cept that she likes her bottles very warm, as well as warmer than usual baths. Lol, just have someone on hand to haul you out of the tub, should you need it. Plus, you won't really have the time after baby is born, all you want to do is stare at them and sleep. Lol. It'll fly by faster than you know! Good luck!

Answer 4

I had never heard this, so I did some checking on the web.

Apparently, you shouldn't take a bath for about six weeks in order to give yourself time to heal. Skin split from the birthing process needs to be stitched up and needs time to heal itself, so soaking in a tub won't help really.

However- I'm not 100% sure, and there's not really a lot of other information besides that. Ask your doctor. They won't laugh at you, and they'll be able to give you a better answer!

Hope this helps!

Answer 5

Thats craziness both of my kids were c-section and i just had baby #2 in 2005 and i took sponge baths the first 3 days after and on the forth day i was able to take a regular shower ( im not a bath person) and on the forth i left the hospital and i was never told not to shower with either child ,thats just crazy how are you supposed to keep your areas clean i mean if waiting to bathe isnt asking for a infection and bigger complications with healing i dont know what is!

Answer 6

I couldn't tell you how long you are suppose to wait after having a vaginal delievery but i had a c-section and the doctor/hospital told me not to take baths because of the incision cannot get wet. So i just had to sponge bathe my body. I done this for about 3 weeks.

Answer 7

I believe traditional eastern teaching advice you not to bathe after giving birth for a few weeks. Something to do with the body having to recuperate after the long ordeal.

I also heard No fruits either.

Initially you wont noticed it however when you get older then you can compare yourself with non believers. Woman who dont bathe after birth stays healthier........ Well thats was what we were told.

Answer 8

Well, you probably won't want to take a bath right after delivery, considering your going to be bleeding. I think it depends on whether you have an episiotomy or not and have to get stitches. They did tell me that it's best to wait 2 weeks though, to give yourself time to heal. Swimming in a pool was 6 weeks. Ask your doctor what's right for you, they won't think it's a stupid question.

Answer 9

No you can not take a bath for 6 weeks. Because of infection and to give you time to heal. You can not have sex or any heavy house work or lifting for 6 weeks. You can how ever take a shower.

Answer 10

I took a shower after i felt well enough to get up. Tub baths to. Maybe things have changed. Ask her why. Sitz baths made the bottom feel better to. Ask about that. Things are always changing!