How to Bathe a Newborn Baby?

October 24, 2016

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Firstly, congratulations for becoming a proud mother! There are many things you have to keep in mind while handling your baby. Make sure your hands are clean. So, the main task comes when you have to bathe your baby. It isn’t only about bathing a newborn baby, but also you have to handle them with love and strength because at first, your baby will cry. Don’t panic. It is common. Make sure you understand what your baby needs are. Some babies like bathing in warm water, some like cold water. Based on how your baby reacts, some take a time to understand the new sensation on their skin. The first bath should not exceed more than 10 minutes.

Bathing a Newborn Baby

1Preparation Time

Before bathing a newborn baby, prepare for that because once you cannot leave your baby in the middle. Before bath time, gather all stuff needed. Here is the list you need:

Tub
A cup of pouring water
Baby soap
Two washed clothes
Cotton balls for cleaning baby’s eyes and ears
Baby shampoo
Few bath toys to play with
Towel
A brush or comb
Lotion or oil
A diaper

Make sure you have all the above stuff before you take your baby for bathing.

2Dress Appropriately

Make sure before you bathe a newborn baby, You should wear simple clothes in which you don’t mind getting wet. Don’t wear any jewelry or accessories like the watch, bracelet, rings, etc. Cut your nails and file the neatly because there are chances of baby getting hurt if you have big nails. Remember not to wear any top which has zips, sticker, or anything which can harm your baby. Make sure you wear a plain top.

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3Prepare the Bath Tub

To bathe a newborn baby, you need a baby tub. Usually, baby tubs are of different shapes and sizes. Most of them are shaped in such a way that it can support the infant’s head and neck. The bath tub also consists of a mat or sling which prevents the baby from getting submerged in the water. If you don’t have a baby bath tub you can use the kitchen sink for bathing. Before you start to make sure the kitchen sink faucet doesn’t come near the baby’s head.

You can buy faucet covers either online or at any store for baby proofing your sink. Never use adult bath tubs because they are too deep and you cannot manage to take care of the baby. Now fill the water in the bath tub. The water shouldn’t be too hot or too cold. You can check the temperature of the water either by using your elbow or wrist or by placing bath thermometer. Always make sure the water temperature is according to the baby’s preference. It should be between 90 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Never fill the bathtub full. Note that your baby should never be submerged in water.

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4Bathing Time

Now take your baby near the bath tub. Be very careful. Now keep one of your hands on baby’s back. And now slowly put him in the bathtub. Some baby’s cry, but some doesn’t. So as one of your hands is busy supporting his back, use your second hand to pour water on the baby.

You can pour water using a cup or your hand. For washing baby’s face, body, arms, and legs, use a soft washcloth. Don’t use the same washcloth to wipe baby’s eyes and ears. Instead, use cotton balls. Babies are very delicate, so be very careful when washing their eyes and ears because moisture tends to collect behind the ears and under the neck. For cleaning baby’s hands and feet, use baby soap with help of washcloth. The baby’s genitals should be cleaned in the last, using baby soap. Based on gender genitals are cleaned. If you have a baby girl then wash from front to back in order to prevent infection. If you have the baby boy, gently wipe his genitals with the washcloth.

Now for washing hair, firstly pour water over the baby’s head slowly. The shampoo is optional as baby already have enough oil on their scalp and using shampoo can spoil it. Baby shampoo can be used, but make sure you protect your infant’s eyes from burning by using ‘visor’ which is a kind of helmet used while bathing babies.

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5Post Bathing Care

Now bathing is over, take a towel and dry baby’s body first. Clean the water behind the neck, ears, and genitals. Dry baby’s hair also but not with hairdryer; use towel. Using hairdryer is very dangerous because it contains hot air, which can damage baby’s skin.

Now you can apply some baby cream, lotion or oil, but it is not compulsory. Apply some baby powder and make your baby wear diaper and fresh new clothes. The clothes should be comfortable for the baby. Depending on the weather condition you can choose the clothing.

Here are some other tips for new mothers:

Newborn babies who still have an umbilical cord should be sponge-bathed till the cord is removed or it falls off.
Bathing your baby is a great opportunity for you to bond with your baby. Take enough time and enjoy your baby moment.
Some babies love soft music. So, you can either sing yourself only if you have a sweet voice. Otherwise, you can play a soft music while bathing.
Don’t scrub babies back with scrubber as it is very rough. You can just massage with your hands for 2 minutes.
Babies should be bathed only three or four times a week.
Usually, some babies sleep in the morning more, some sleep in the night. Some babies keep sleeping almost throughout the day. So based on when your baby is awake, you can bathe him/her.

Some babies cry when bathing. So, what can you do is you can bath along with your baby.

BY M. DIVYA SRI