Bathing Your Baby: Essential Tips For A Stress-Free Time
Bathing your baby can be an enjoyable bonding experience for you both, but at times it might be stressful, and it’s important to follow the safety guidelines. Here are some tips for a happy and successful tubtime with your little one.
Safety should always be your first priority when bathing your little one. The NHS advises that newborns don’t need to be bathed everyday, as you can just give them a ‘top and tail wash.’ This involves washing their face, neck, hands and bottom with warm water and a towel, rather than placing them in a bath or bowl.
To carry out a top and tail wash, you’ll need a changing mat, a bowl of warm water, a towel, cotton wool, a fresh nappy and some clean clothes or a babygro. Ideally, your changing mat should be water resistant and made of wipe-clean hygienic materials that can withstand regular sanitising.
They are available in a variety of colours and styles, so you may want a changing mat that coordinates with the colour of your nursery, or a fun design such as Disney characters to add some interest for your baby. If your baby is tired and sleepy, wait until they are more alert before washing or bathing them.
Talk or sing to your baby as you go along to get them used to your voice and help them develop their listening and language skills. As your baby gets older, you may notice that they make noises such as burbling in response, as they make early attempts to communicate. This can help bathtime to be a relaxing and fun time for you both, rather than a battleground!
Start by removing your baby’s outer clothes and washing gently around their eyes with cotton wool dipped in warm water, using a separate piece of cotton wool each time. Clean their ears, face, neck and hands in the same manner and then gently dry them with a clean towel.
Next, remove the baby’s nappy and wash their lower body with clean cotton wool and warm water. Dry them thoroughly, including in between any folds in the skin to prevent the risk of rashes and fungal infections. Put on a clean nappy and a clean set of clothes or nightwear.
If you prefer to give your baby a full bath, you’ll need a baby bath filled with about three inches of warm (but not hot) water, cotton wool or a soft cloth, and a mild unperfumed soap. However, you should not add any liquid soap to the water nor apply any lotions or creams to your baby until they are over one month old, because it may irritate their skin.
The room where you are washing your baby should be warm, because they feel the cold quickly. Do not linger over bathing or washing your baby to prevent them from becoming too chilled. Wash their hair separately from the bathtub with the baby supported on your knee, and never attempt to submerge any part of their head in the bathwater.
Place your baby gently in the bowl of warm water and support their upper body with one arm. Use your free hand to gently wash your baby as previously described. Lift your baby out when you have finished and pat them gently dry with a clean towel, paying attention to skin folds as before.
Never leave your baby alone in the bath even for a few seconds, because babies can quickly drown even in very shallow water. You should not leave your baby with older siblings in the bath; they must have adult supervision at all times. If you are unavoidably called away, take your baby out of the bath, wrap them in a towel, and take them with you.
If your baby has long fingernails or toenails, cut them with round-ended safety scissors or clippers that are designed for babies, or alternatively file them with a fine emery board.
Not all babies enjoy being bathed at first, but will get used to it in time. Try to stay relaxed and keep chatting to your baby as you go along, rather than getting cross and irritable yourself if they are being uncooperative.
Make sure that your baby isn’t hungry or too tired when you bath them; try experimenting at different times of the day. You only need to give your baby a full bath two to three times a week, unless you wish to bathe them daily.
