Bathing your newborn baby is not only good for keeping baby fresh and clean, it’s also a soothing method for fussy babies as well as bonding time between parent and baby. Most babies love to be bathed and as they grow, it’s becomes a fun playtime as well! Many pediatricians recommend bathing new baby 3-4 times per week but if your babies skin seems dry then reduce that to a couple of times per week. As baby grows you can increase that to every day if you want as long as baby’s skin is not drying out.
Giving baby his first bath can be frightening and anxiety provoking for many parents, especially first-time parents, but it needn’t be. Bathing should and can be a joyful and relaxing time for the BOTH of you so just try to relax and have fun! Remember that baby can sense your anxiety so if you want baby to enjoy bath time, you should always remain calm and smile and talk soothingly throughout the bathing process. Babies also love music so bathtime is a great time to sing lullabys to baby or put on some soft calming lullaby classical CD’s.
Being prepared ahead of time with all of the necessary bathing items will help you remain calm if you are at all nervous. I would recommend keeping all of baby’s bath products in one easy to use carrying caddy or store all of the necessary bathing items right in baby’s tub. Next, you should make sure you turn off the phone and plan on not answering the door. If you find either of these not an option for you, then plan on taking baby with you when you do so, as baby should never be left unattended in water…not even for a second.
Make sure your home is set at a warm temperature at least 15 minutes before bathing, a 75 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal. Also be sure there are no direct breezes blowing in baby’s direction, so you don’t want any fans running or windows open even if it feels like a warm breeze to you. Newborns like to be warm, so keeping baby comfortable throughout bathing will help to make a happy baby
Bathing A Newborn
When baby first comes home from the hospital, there is still a small portion of the umbilical cord attached to his belly button. For this reason, you only want to sponge bath baby at this point. It’s extremely important that you do not wet the cord as it needs to completely dry in order to fall off, a process which can take anywhere from 10 to 21 days or so.
Bathing baby at this stage can be done almost anywhere in the house you find comfortable. I always liked to use the kitchen counter because I preferred to stand while bathing my kids without having to bend over at all. Some moms actually prefer bathing on the living room floor, it’s really a personal choice at this point. The most important thing is that you make sure baby is comfortable and as long as he’s kept warm during his bath, he should be comfortable no matter what room in the house you choose. Always line whatever you are using as a bathing area with a warmed towel. Remember, we are only sponge bathing at this point so no water is necessary in your tub but you can towel line and sponge bathe baby in it.
Many pediatricians recommend water only when bathing a newborn but if you can’t resist a baby smelling of Johnson & Johnson or some other fresh baby bath scent, then just use a little bit on your fingers to rub around baby’s neck and chest area and a very small amount of non-tear formula baby shampoo for washing baby’s hair. You should avoid lotions as they can clog baby’s pores and talc is also not recommended as baby can breathe it into his lungs. There are many natural organic baby bathing products available as well.
After removing baby’s clothes, you want to wrap baby up in another bathing towel exposing only the parts of the body you are washing at the moment, this will help keep baby warm and comforable throughout his enire bath. Most important areas of concentration will be the face, neck and diaper area. First you want to wet a washcloth with warm water and squeeze out any excess water and clean baby’s face. You can also use moistened cotton balls for cleaning baby’s eyes, cleaning from the inside to outside. Move next to the neck area and torso down to those tiny little toes. Pay attention to creased skin areas such as leg and neck area (sometimes baby can dribble formula down into the creases of the neck). Next move on to baby’s diaper area and clean well with the warm cloth and water.
If you are bathing a baby boy whom has been circumcised, you will want to be extra careful in this area until completely healed. Gently pull back the remaining amount of foreskin and gently cleanse by using a wet warm cotton ball and gently squeeze excess water over the penis and then dry completely before diapering. For baby girls, when washing the genital area, always wash front to back so baby does not get a urinary tract infection.
Save washing baby’s hair for very last. It’s easiest to pick baby up and hold football style with one arm and hand supporting his body and head, then you have the other hand free to wash. You can tilt baby slightly (very slightly) while rinsing hair with warm water which will help to avoid getting water in his eyes. Gently comb out baby’s hair with a fine-toothed baby comb to help prevent cradle cap, common form of dermatitis found in infants. That’s it! Dress baby up nice and warm and then snuggle for a bit! Baby will love bath time and as he grows, it gets to really be fun!
Bathing Checklist
- A warm dry towel – You can line a newborn tub or newborn chair with towel first.
- A source of warm water (either from sink or a prepared pitcher of water)
- Bathing soap and/or Shampoo
- Wash Cloth
- Cotton Balls (Optional)
- Baby Nail Clippers
- Diaper Cream
- Dry Diaper
- Clean Outfit or Pajamas
What is The Best Time for Bathing Baby? Usually in the morning after breakfast or at night a half hour or so before bedtime. You just want to make sure that baby is not hungry and not too tired which can make for a very cranky baby and ultimately making bath-time not much fun for either one of you.
*After baby’s umbilical has fallen off, you can begin bathing her in a tub filled with water.
Bathing Safety Tips
- Always check the temperature of the water before placing baby in it. It’ should be at 90 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Many tubs can be purchased that contain a built-in thermometer or you can purchase a thermometer at your local drug store. Another way to test the water is with the inside of your wrist or your elbow. If it feels too hot on your skin in these two areas, then it will definitely be too hot on baby’s sensitive skin. You also want to make sure your water heater is turned down (long before bathing baby to no higher than 120°F. Lowering the setting prolongs the time to burn and reduces serious scald injuries
- Use a baby newborn tub. When baby out grows the tub or can easily sit on his own you can use the kitchen sink and even take baby into the bathtub with you! Place a towel on the bottom of the tub or sink to keep baby from slipping and for added comfort.
- Fill the tub with 2-3 inches of water. You can add more for older babies and children but never more then waist high.
- As baby grows, teach him to never stand up in the tub and never to touch the faucets. Again, never leave baby or small child unattended. Young children are so quick, it only takes a second for you to turn your back or walkaway and children can be seriously hurt or burned by scalding water.
- Keep electric appliances out of reach (hair dryers and curling irons) and away from the tub area.
Bath-time Toys
Make bathtime more fun with bath toys!
Sophie The Giraffe Bath Toy
For lots of bath time fun and splashing! Here comes Sophie the Giraffe again, this time as a floating, squirting toy for baby to play with in the bath. She squirts water when squeezed.
$15.99 Buy Here
Under The Nile Duck Wash Mitt – Organic Egyptian Cotton
Make bath time fun with this great duck wash cloth puppet! Have playful conversation with your child to encourage imagination! Made of the finest 100% organic Egyptian cotton.
$15.99 Buy Here
Classic Rubber Ducky Trio-Set
This pretty toy, ”L’IL Duck” by Megcos Toy Company LTD, will help you r little one exercise their coordination skills while offering hours and hours of fun as they play with this classic bathtub companion, the yellow rubber duckie that bobs around in water, floats upright no matter what you do to it, and squeaks when you squeeze it. The set includes three duckies: one big and two little ones.
$5.95 Buy Here
Sassy Bathtime Pals and Float Toys
Sassy bath time pals is a great bunch of little characters for the tub. A set of 5 squirt and float characters in a variety of colors and textures. They are perfectly sized for little hands to grasp and squirt.
$4.49 Buy Here
Newborn Bathing Tips Video
Baby Bathtime Gift Ideas
If you are in need of a baby gift to give at a baby shower, a baby tub filled with bath products and bathing essentials make an exceptional gift because of it’s complete practicality!
The Spa Baby (Girl)
The Spa Baby (Boy)
Baby Shower Deluxe
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