LOOKS AREN’T THE MOST IMPORTANT THING: Wait To Bathe Newborns. “Newborns are born with vernix covering their bodies, Buss said. It is a white substance with a texture like a heavy lotion, she said. Vernix, which forms in the third trimester, is water resistant and is like an extra layer that keeps babies warm and regulates their temperatures, she said. It fights infection and helps skin continue developing after birth.”