Shahnta Hoare is a mother of four and a true TikTok star who has become known for her rather unique views. Of course, like any mother, she wants the best for her newborn son, but she has some unconventional beliefs that she refuses to give up.
Shahnta recently posted some shocking views on social media and users’ opinions were strongly divided on the issue. The woman revealed in one of her videos that she does not believe in cleaning newborns. At birth, the skin is covered with a gray, tallow-like, dense substance (vernix caseosa or fetal enamel). It consists of shed epithelial cells and fat-like substances and has a protective role.
It’s quickly cleaned off by hospital staff or nurses in the delivery room, but Shahnta says it’s much better if the material stays on the baby’s body until it wears off naturally.
Shahnta did not become a mother for the first time, but in the case of her previous births, she had not yet fought for what she believed in. Her first-born son and later her twins were washed by the nurses in the delivery room before she could say anything.
However, in the case of her third pregnancy, she has already made her will clear.
“Ozzy wasn’t washed,” she explained in the video. “What you can see on the video of his birth is that it stayed on until it came off on its own.”
According to the mother, fetal glaze is particularly good for the baby. “Vernix is actually a really good thing to leave on your little one’s skin, it’s super moisturizing and quite greasy. It remained in the folds of her neck, ears, fingers and toes. This is the best,” she explained.
Although this position may seem rather strange, experts agree with the woman. According to Dr. Harvey Karp, ᴀᴍɴɪᴏᴛɪᴄ ꜰʟᴜɪᴅ keeps the baby warm and helps the immune system develop.
Even the World Health Organization recommends not removing ᴀᴍɴɪᴏᴛɪᴄ ꜰʟᴜɪᴅ from newborns for at least 6 hours, but preferably 24 hours after birth. However, it is not necessarily a good idea to wait longer than that before washing.
Hoare is aware that many people don’t share her views: “I know it might be off-putting to some people, but when it’s your own baby, you realize it’s really good,” she said.
She also added that although she did not wash the precious material off her little son, she always made sure to properly clean the sensitive areas when changing diapers.
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