When can I baptize a child after birth?

Baby was born, all relatives are delighted and you hear a lot of congratulations. Particularly believing relatives insist that the baby is christened, almost the day after he was born. They explain this by the fact that the crumb will have protection, it will become calmer, etc. When it is possible to baptize a child after birth - a question, the answer to which will help to give the church.

Why not hurry?

If you want to visit the sacrament of Baptism, and not sit at home, then you need to know that to baptize a child after birth follows when you have run out of postpartum discharge from the genital tract. They worry about a woman for about 40 days. After this period, you can safely prepare for baptism.

If you turn to the rites of the ancient church, then this ordinance was performed on the 8th day after the birth of the child. But there is one small nuance that, apparently, was not taken into account before: they baptize a child after birth only when he has fully healed umbilical wound and he will get stronger with health.

Existing Exceptions

Sometimes there are cases when it is necessary to baptize a child after birth immediately, without waiting for the 40th day. This is necessary for those kids whose lives are in danger. Ideally, a clergyman is invited to the hospital for a baptism, but if there is no such possibility, then the mother of the child or other relatives should read "The prayer of the holy Baptisms in brief, fear for the sake of the mortal" and sprinkle the baby with water. It can be any, not necessarily sanctified. After the child is well, the rite of Baptism must be supplemented by visiting the temple.

40th day after birth

It has long been believed that the Orthodox Church held the sacrament on the 40th day after the baby was born. This date is not chosen by chance, and it takes into account the state of the newborn and the mother. The church says that this is the day when to baptize a child after birth is right and necessary. But if for some reason, it's impossible to get together at this date, or someone has become unwell, then a child can be baptized any other day and this will not be considered a mistake.

However, it happens that the 40th day falls on a church holiday or on a fast. In either case, the sacrament is performed, and in the Bible there are no prohibitions on the baptism of children these days. But if the date fell on a big church holiday, then in the sacrament you can be denied, not because there is a ban, but because the clergymen have a lot of work on such days. Therefore, you need to contact the temple in advance and talk with your father for permission to hold the sacrament.

So, on the 40th day of the life of the baby and after it - this is the time when it is customary to baptize a child after birth, and there is no specific date here. It depends, first of all, on the desire of the parents and the opportunity of the relatives to gather together.