Newborn Baby Bathing Basics

It’s time for baby’s first bath! This should be fun, right? Not necessarily – parents can get awfully anxious about how to bathe a newborn, and for good reason. Newborns are small, fragile, and helpless. But you can enjoy bath time with your baby with a few newborn baby bathing basics. Here are some tips.

Sponge Baths

A sponge bath – that is, a bath that does not involve immersion – is recommended until the baby’s umbilical cord stump falls off. And there’s no need for daily sponge baths; once or twice a week is fine. The rest of the time, just clean baby’s face, neck, and diaper area as needed.

Here are some sponge bath tips.

* First, you’ll need a few things, including a thick blanket or towel, another towel, a soft cloth, and a basin or container to hold warm water. You don’t necessarily have to use soap on a newborn, but if you choose to, use a mild baby soap.

* Bathe your baby on a flat surface such as a changing table or kitchen counter. Lay the towel or blanket on this flat surface and work from there.

* Make sure you always have one hand on your baby while you bathe him or her.

* Have a change of clothes and clean diaper handy for when the bath is over.

Gather Your Supplies First

Because it’s dangerous to leave a baby alone in water for even a minute (babies can drown in less than an inch of water), make sure you have everything you need for the bath nearby (see above list).

Immersion Baths

For a baby’s first bath in an actual tub, consider getting a specially-made newborn tub that fits down into your sink or bathtub. These plastic tubs are made for a reclining baby body and are very helpful for the first six months of life when your baby can’t sit up on his or her own.

You only need a few inches of water in your baby’s bath. Make sure it’s warm, but not hot. If you’re doing the sponge bath thing, then you’ll want to lay your baby on a clean, dry towel after the bath; don’t wrap him up in the wet towel that you used while bathing him.

Hot Water

Before your baby is even born, make sure your hot water tank is turned to 120 degrees, no higher. This helps prevent scalding should the hot water somehow get to baby’s skin. Also along these lines, don’t let your baby touch the faucets. That’s a good way to get the water too deep or too hot.

Keep Baby Warm

Once baby’s skin is wet, she will get chilled easily. Keep the room where baby is being bathed nice and warm, and when the bath is finished, wrap her in a towel. If you have a towel with a hood, all the better.