How to bathe your baby
One of the first things you will have to face when you get home from the hospital is to bathe your baby.
For the first week the best is to give to your newborn sponge baths with a warm, damp washcloth. Wash his face and hands frequently, and clean him after each diaper change. After the first week you should bathe your baby regularly.
After the umbilical cord stump dries up, falls off, and the area heals, you can start giving your baby a tub bath every few days. It’s easiest if you use the kitchen sink or a small plastic baby tub filled with warm water.
It is not really necessary to bath your baby more than three times a week during the first year. Bathing your baby too often can dry out her skin.
Baths don’t need to take up a lot of time, five minutes is enough to get your baby clean before the water cools down too much.
You should never leave your baby unsupervised, if the phone rings and you must answer it, take your baby with you.
Don’t put your baby into a tub while the water is still running because water can get too hot or deep quickly.
Steps to bathe your baby
To bathe your newborn you can follow this steps:
| 1. Make sure the room is comfortably warm. |
| 2. Prepare all bath supplies: soap, washcloth, towel, clean diaper and clothes. |
| 3. Fill the tub with about 3 inches of warm but not hot water: about 90º Fahrenheit (32ºCelsius). |
| 4. Bring your infant to bath area and undress him completely. |
| 5. Slide your baby’s feet first slowly into the tub and hold his neck and head with one of your hands |
| 6. Use not too much mild soap. Wash him with a washcloth from top to bottom, front and back. Start by washing her scalp with a wet, soapy cloth. Rinse the soap from the cloth and use it to gently clean her eyes and face. |
| 7. Rinse your baby thoroughly. Then very carefully lift her out of the tub with one hand supporting her neck and head and the other hand supporting her bottom. If it’s possible, have another adult help by receiving your baby in a dry towel. |
| 8. Wrap your baby in a hooded towel and dry him. If his skin is dry you can apply a mild baby lotion after his bath. Then diaper and dress him. |
Bath tub
Using a bath tub makes easier to bathe a baby at the best height for parents. Bath tubs provide a comfortable incline for baby and it can be placed in sink or bath tub.
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