I bathed my newborn three days afterbirth. Critical things to note:
1) Have to support her neck firmly (physically it's important, emotionally, the baby should feel totally safe)
2) Test the temperature of the water first
3) Apply soap every other day. Baby's skin tend to dry out easily anyway, too much chemcial on her skin dries it up even faster. However, soap removes dirt better than just water
4) Rub her scalp gently, slowly and carefully