Creating A Calming Bathtime For Your Baby - Part 1 - Just Got Home
Congratulations you have just given birth and bought your new precious bundle of joy home. This maybe your 1st or 5th child, the one thing most new parents have in common is their fear around bathing this tiny new baby. Many new parents chat about how they have forgotten just how little newborns are.
We at Baby Patent are delighted to share some easy-to-do tips that will make bathing your newborn babies your favorite part of the day.
There are many traditions that your mom might suggest, and well-meaning family and friends who want to help guide you through the early days and weeks with your newborn. This can lead to conflicted and confusing times.
The first question is “When should you give your newborn baby a bath?”
The answer is anytime you want to! It’s that simple, although it is best to pick a time when you’re relaxed and you won’t be interrupted. It’s also better to try and find that magic window between feeds. This is hard in the first few weeks as your world seems to be one long continuous feeding changing or preparing for the next feed whirlwind. Try to avoid baths when your baby is hungry or has just finished a feed. Many new parents use bath time as a time to prepare for bedtime so the early evening is a great idea.
The specially designed unique ergonomic shape of the tub has, along with an anti-slip feature, been created to hold babies up to six months old in the perfect position for bathing.
Here is your step by step guide!
Don’t wash the babies face in the bath, you can use some cotton wool and cool boiled water, wipe the babies face using a different piece for each side of the face. Stay away from the eyes unless sticky then wipe once only from the inside out. Take care not to put anything into your baby’s ears or nose.
- Gather all necessary bath supplies, and lay out a towel, a clean diaper, and clothes. Make sure the room is comfortably warm so your baby doesn’t get chilled.
- Fill the tub with water, The Aqua scale has a built-in thermometer that automatically monitors the temperature of the water to ensure that the baby is comfortable, enabling you to make any necessary adjustments to the water temperature.
- Bring your baby to the bath area and undress her completely. Leaving the diaper on.
- Wash her hair first and dry it with the towel
- Gradually slip your baby into the tub feet first, using one hand to support her neck and head. Use the pincer grip. Pour water over her regularly during the bath so she doesn’t get too cold.
- Use mild soap and use it sparingly (too much dries out your baby’s skin). Wash her with your hand or a washcloth from top to bottom, front and back. If dried mucus has collected in the corners of your baby’s nostrils or eyes, dab it several times to soften it before you wipe it out. You can gently wash your baby’s genitals and bottom last, remembering to clean out any bits of poo or vomit from your baby’s body creases.
- Rinse the baby thoroughly with water, and wipe her with a clean washcloth. Then very carefully lift her out of the tub with one hand supporting her neck and head and the other hand supporting her bottom. Wrap your fingers around one thigh. (Babies are slippery when wet.)
- Wrap your baby in a hooded towel and pat her dry. If her skin is still peeling from birth, you can apply a mild baby lotion or olive oil after her bath, but this is generally dead skin that needs to come off anyway, not dry skin. Then diaper her, dress her.