Final answer:
Drying the baby immediately after delivery has multiple reasons. It helps prevent hypothermia, stimulates breathing, and removes vernix caseosa.
Step-by-step explanation:
Drying out the baby immediately after delivery is done for several reasons:
- To prevent hypothermia: After birth, babies are at risk of losing body heat rapidly, so drying them helps to prevent hypothermia.
- To stimulate breathing: Drying the baby's body can help stimulate their breathing reflexes, encouraging their first breath.
- To remove vernix caseosa: Vernix caseosa is a thick waxy coating that covers the baby's skin. Drying the baby helps to remove this coating and expose the baby's skin.