Bathing a baby after baptism?

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aras6217

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Our baby was baptized yesterday and after a day full of people touching her and children and food, we bathed her and realized maybe we shouldn’t have? I had tried to find information for the Catholic church’s standing on this but I haven’t found any information. Is it okay if we bathed her? If not, what can we do?
 
aras6217 said:
Our baby was baptized yesterday and after a day full of people touching her and children and food, we bathed her and realized maybe we shouldn’t have? I had tried to find information for the Catholic church’s standing on this but I haven’t found any information. Is it okay if we bathed her? If not, what can we do?
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Is this a serious question?
 
paperwight66 said:
Is this a serious question?
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That’s rude. Yes, its a serious question. I’ve read things for other churches not the Catholic church though that you cant’ bathe the baby for 3 days after. I’m wondering if its the same for Catholics.
 
aras6217 said:
Our baby was baptized yesterday and after a day full of people touching her and children and food, we bathed her and realized maybe we shouldn’t have? I had tried to find information for the Catholic church’s standing on this but I haven’t found any information. Is it okay if we bathed her? If not, what can we do?
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Please give your child a bath ASAP.

Luna
 
We have no restrictions on how soon you may bathe your baby. Baptism is effected immediately; the grace does not take any time to set.
 
Your baby is fine. We’re not superstitious, unless you happen to be the mixture of a Catholic and a Voodoo witch doctor.
 
Spirithound said:
We have no restrictions on how soon you may bathe your baby. Baptism is effected immediately; the grace does not take any time to set.
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Are you sure? I thought you had to wait three days before washing to allow for oxidization? :confused: No, wait, that hair dye. Sorry. My bad. 😛
 
Spirithound said:
We have no restrictions on how soon you may bathe your baby. Baptism is effected immediately; the grace does not take any time to set.
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This question is not a stupid question. Yes, the indelible mark of Baptism takes place immediately and one could bathe their baby immediately afterwards. But what is so wrong or supersticious about wanting to savor the memory of the holy event by allowing the fragrance of the holy oils to linger a bit?
 
aras6217 said:
Our baby was baptized yesterday and after a day full of people touching her and children and food, we bathed her and realized maybe we shouldn’t have? I had tried to find information for the Catholic church’s standing on this but I haven’t found any information. Is it okay if we bathed her? If not, what can we do?
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There is no official Catholic teaching on this as far as I can tell. There is nothing immoral about bathing your child the day of the Baptism.

I do like the smell of the chrism, which I always feel sad having to wash off. :o But they do need to be bathed eventually. And, you’re right, with all the people and the food, it’s usually not a bad idea.

So be at peace! You did nothing wrong.
 
zab said:
But what is so wrong or supersticious about wanting to savor the memory of the holy event by allowing the fragrance of the holy oils to linger a bit?
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Hygiene comes to mind.

Luna
 
zab said:
This question is not a stupid question. Yes, the indelible mark of Baptism takes place immediately and one could bathe their baby immediately afterwards. But what is so wrong or supersticious about wanting to savor the memory of the holy event by allowing the fragrance of the holy oils to linger a bit?
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And the Orthodox (Coptic, don’t know about others) restrictions on waiting before washing after Baptism are to let the holy oil linger—there’s no superstition connected, it’s not a stupid question. I think it’s nice to let it linger a bit.
 
zab said:
But what is so wrong about wanting to savor the memory of the holy event by allowing the fragrance of the holy oils to linger a bit?
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Sure, that’s fine, as long as that’s the only thing…lingering…
 
Spirithound said:
Sure, that’s fine, as long as that’s the only thing…lingering…
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That is a rather rude insinuation. I think the mothers know how to change diapers and wipe their babies without having to submerge them in a tub of water every day.
 
As others have already said, you’ve done no wrong. You can’t wash away your baby’s Baptism as if it were simply something on the surface.

The Chrism oil used, OTOH…

I am very sensitive to strong odors of any kind, which is why I never personally wear perfume (and tend to get an itchy nose and watery eyes around those who do). Father used so much blessed oil on our son at his Baptism that it got all over the car seat and blankets and others things. SO much so that I was smelling it for DAYS afterwards before I finally figured out what was going on and threw everything in the wash! 😛

There’s something to be said for that freshly washed and powdered baby smell…but does the freshly washed smell of a newly baptized soul have to make my eyes water?? 😃
 
zab said:
This question is not a stupid question. Yes, the indelible mark of Baptism takes place immediately and one could bathe their baby immediately afterwards. But what is so wrong or supersticious about wanting to savor the memory of the holy event by allowing the fragrance of the holy oils to linger a bit?
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I love holding babies that have just been baptized. :’) I love the smell of the oil, haha.
 
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