How soon after birth should an infant be baptized?

Liturgy and Sacraments
#1

I am just curious if there are any guidlines on this. I am a first time father to be. Knowing the significance the Church attaches to baptism, my inclination is to pull the baby out of the birth canal and hand him right to a priest.

What are all of your thoughts?

#2

My three daughters were baptised at the following ages.

6 months
5 months
and 3 months.

No real reason for waiting on the first two, except to plan a reception that out of staters could attend.

#3

Hmmm… maybe baptism of desire would fill in the usual gap between the baby’s birth and the actual water baptism. After all, the parents are the ones making the decisions for the child, and they desire the child’s baptism. God is merciful, and I believe He is especially merciful to innocent children.

I think I was a month old when I was baptized. Many parishes have set times each month (like the second Sunday after the last Mass) for baptisms, and I don’t think any of them baptize during Advent and Lent. I know my parish doesn’t baptize or marry during Advent or Lent (thank you, marriage prep!).

#4

As soon as reasonably possibe. I couldn’t deal with everyone’s social schedule. I just wanted the God Parents to be there and the baby. My daughter was at 3 months, my son at 6 months. Both should of been sooner, but there was a lot of family politics.

#5

In scheduling the time for the baptism you need to consider:

  1. If you want a specific priest to do it, their schedule
  2. How long after your wife gives birth, she feels comfortable going out.
  3. Whether you want just the baptism, or the baptism with a large party. Since invites take time.
  4. When you feel comfortable taking your baby out, the “experts” now suggest not taking a baby out into large crowds until they are a month old.
  5. Whether you can take the required class or classes before the child is born.
  6. the schedules of your Godparents.

Don’t forget that in an emergency anyone can baptise your kid, including you as long as you use proper form and intent. You can later have the baby conditionally baptised.

We baptised our first born after about 3 months. We wanted to do it a little earlier but due to the timing of the babies birth the baptism fell during a real busy time in church scheduling (Easter).

#6

The Orthodox church baptizes 40 days after birth. I don’t know if the Eastern Catholic Rites follow this symbolism.

#7

Hi,

My parish priest recommends as quickly as possible. 2 wks or even quicker. Things like cot death etc can unfortunately happen. And the baby may be denied heaven, and go to a sort of state of perfect natural happiness. Which is not as good as Heaven.
Hope this helps.

Yours in Jesus, Mary & Joseph,

John
Saints are just sinners who keep trying.http://forums.catholic-questions.org/images/icons/icon7.gif

#8

as soon as reasonably possible. you and the godparents will be required to take pre-baptismal classes. In our parish they are 6 weeks, we baptize 4 times a year, so 4 classes, you can take them while you are still pregnant, godparents can take them in their home parish and get a certificate. ordinarily one of the deacons baptizes.

#9

ASAP, why would you want to keep your child from the saving grace of baptism? What parent would want to wait to have their child become a brother of christ, child of God?

#10

Times sure have changed. :stuck_out_tongue:

In 1942 I was baptized ten days after my birth before my mother left the hospital. She wasn’t there (I was told later I was a tough package). :rolleyes: Some people still say that. :stuck_out_tongue:

There weren’t any options about who was going to baptize. The celebrant of the last Mass baptized. Generally, that was the Pastor. No choice.

And I think the “rule” was that you had the child baptized on the second or third Sunday after birth.

(By the way, my Mom was in the hospital for 11 days after my birth. The total bill was something like $100. :smiley: Those were the days, my friends.

#11

AGREED…
why would you take a chance… i’m not talking about the day of delivery or probalbly a few days after that… but as soon as baby is healthy and assuming mother is to… go… no good reason not too… :thumbsup: :twocents:

#12

Hi Pittsburghjeff: In my parish they baptize on the 3rd Sunday of the month or you can request a private baptism. My baby should be born the 3rd or 4th week in April (c-section) so I will be looking at May 21 if I go with the public baptism.

#13

Ditto.

Our daughter was recently baptized at the ripe old age of 50 days.

#14

In 1949, I was baptised three days after my birth. I don’t know if there was a specific reason for being so fast or not, but I had reason to look at my baptismal certificate recently, and noticed the three days.

Here, the custom is to baptise them sometime during their first year (usually at one, three, six, or nine months).

John

#15

The Catechism says that it is a grave obligation that parents see that their children are Baptized as soon as possible after birth.

I suggest within two weeks. Immediately if anything is medically wrong.

#16

I was baptised 3 months after birth. I personally think baptism should take place within a month. Just as early as possible, you know…

#17

I was baptized while still in the hospital, I was supposed to die and it was an emergency. ><

But I’m good, I think I was baptized again in the church when I was better and a bit older.

#18

I had four, 2 were Baptised at one month, 2 were Baptised at 2 months.

These days you have some what I call “screwball” parishes. They want to wait until there are 25 to 30 babies to be baptised. Some of the kids maay be a year old. I dont like that. The Evil one can cause sickness and problems when you do not Baptise the child.

#19

Pro-Life-Teen,

Just so that you know you were hopefully not re-Baptized but the additional Rites that usually accompany Baptism, the white garment, candle, anointing with Sacred Chrism were then supplied.

#20