The phrase "throwing the baby out with the bathwater" means to discard something valuable or essential while disposing of something unwanted. Its origin is often attributed to German culture and has an interesting historical and literary background. 

The phrase originates from a German proverb, "das Kind mit dem Bade ausschütten," which translates to "to throw the baby out with the bathwater." The first recorded use of this proverb in German dates back to the early 16th century. It appeared in a book by Thomas Murner, a German satirist and poet, titled "Narrenbeschwörung" (Appeal to Fools) in 1512. 

The phrase likely emerged from a time when bathing practices were less frequent and more cumbersome than today. In medieval times, families would typically bathe in a single tub of water. The head of the household would bathe first, followed by other family members, with the baby being bathed last. By this time, the water would be quite dirty. The saying humorously implies that one should be careful not to throw out the baby along with the dirty bathwater. 

The phrase was introduced to English-speaking audiences much later. One of the earliest recorded uses in English is found in Thomas Carlyle's work, "Sartor Resartus," published in 1837. Carlyle, a Scottish philosopher and writer, used the phrase to caution against discarding valuable elements when attempting to eliminate unwanted ones.