kii said:

Michael V said:

Divine Angel said:

Back in ye olden days the midwives would remove it before handing the baby to mama. These days they leave it alone for as long as possible. Some babies have a thicker vernix than others.

I don’t remember the term “vernix”. I think it was called “cheese”, of all things.

Together with the placenta it can make a tasty after birth snack…

Just in case some are unaware of the tradition…some people eat the placenta, making a tasty stew with onions, carrots and potatoes.
Or plant it under a tree to honour the new baby.
When I was giving birth in the early 1980s eating the placenta was enjoying a revival amongst the hippies. I didn’t do it. We were vegetarians.