|
Giving your baby his first bath at home can be an intimidating experience for some new parents. You are not sure of the water temperature, what kind of soap, or how thorough to be. Here are some tips to get you started and put your mind at ease.
The First Two Weeks
There is no need to immerse baby in a tub the first few weeks home. Experts recommend against getting the umbilical area wet and even daily bathing. Babies really don’t get that dirty so there is no need to go overboard with a regime of cleanliness. Until they are crawling around and smearing spaghetti sauce in their hair, most children only need a bath two or three times a week. You may not even need to use soap most of the time. A damp washcloth is often sufficient for baby’s hygiene needs. In fact, keep the use of powders, lotions, etc. to a minimum unless your pediatrician recommends something. It’s best to leave baby’s skin alone as much as possible.
Gather all your materials together first so that you have everything within arm’s reach. You’ll need: a soft washcloth, bowl of tepid water, towel, and a safe comfortable place to set the baby. Make sure the area is warm and comfortable as well as free of drafts.
Start by dipping the cloth in the warm water and gently wiping out baby’s eyes from inside to outside using a different area of the cloth for each eye to make sure you avoid spreading germs from eye to eye. Gently wipe the baby’s face and head making sure to clean out any spit up that might be inside the folds of the chin and neck. There is no need to clean the ears with q-tips. As the saying goes, nothing larger than your elbow should be put inside baby’s ear. Undress the baby and fold the towel over his or her skin while you quickly and gently wipe down the rest ending with the diaper area. If you have a boy it may be a good idea to keep an extra washcloth covering his diaper area to avoid getting an unexpected shower yourself. It is not necessary to pull back the foreskin of the penis. If your baby is circumcised, talk to your doctor about recommended care. Usually they will say a gentle rinse with water is all that is necessary.
To wash your baby’s hair, you can lay baby in the sink or baby tub and using a drop of baby shampoo rubbed between your hands just gently rub baby’s damp head then rinse with a cup of tepid water. Another method would be to hold baby as you would hold a football under your arm cupping the head in your hand. Use your other hand to scoop water over the head. You can simply rinse baby with plain water or lather up a drop of baby shampoo about once a week or so. Avoid holding baby directly under running water as that can be startling to infants and a change in water temperature could also be quite unwelcome.
Baths in the Tub
Once the umbilical stump has healed, your doctor may give you the o.k. to immerse baby in an infant tub. However, baby may have other ideas. Don’t be surprised if your infant does not take kindly to water at first. And don’t feel that you must immerse them in water if it is not going well. It’s perfectly fine to continue the sponge baths and try a tub bath every week or so until you find the idea has grown on your child. Most babies love the bath and enjoy splashing around in the water. Do make sure you find a safe infant tub and gather all your supplies together before starting the bath in a well-heated room. Do not for any reason leave your child in the tub alone. In fact, until he or she is sitting up confidently you will likely want to have one hand on the infant at all times.
Special Skin Conditions
Babies have a myriad of sing conditions that include tiny whiteheads called milia, newborn acne, and cradle cap. Most will dissipate on their own and only need gentle cleaning with soap and water. Talk to your pediatrician for recommendations on how to treat your child’s condition.
| 
