Ghanaian dermatologist Dr. Roseline Osazuwa has cautioned against the excessive use of the local sponge for bathing.

With newborns, a little bit of bathing goes a long way ... Jennifer Shu, MD (cont.) Sponge baths are especially useful during the first few weeks, before the umbilical cord stump falls off ...

Also, if your baby is circumcised, pediatricians recommend sponge bathing until the circumcision site is healed, as well. "The sponge bath should start with washing the face and working downwards ...

Bathing has also been shown to destabilize temperature and vital signs in premature infants. [19] The AWHONN Neonatal Skin Care Guideline [8] recommends that the first bath be given between 2 and ...