Welcome to motherhood. You have completed phase one of being a good mother: keeping your child safe and in good health for nine months inside your body. You also bore the pain no man can imagine. Now the wait is finally over. Your newborn has arrived in the world. And looks at you for more caring days and nights. That’s right. Being a mother isn’t easy. It won’t be wrong to say that it’s a full-time job with no off days.
When we talk of newborns, many things may come to your mind:
- Preparing baby food
- Changing diapers
- And bathing your newborn
While we’ll talk about pregnancy and newborn care in the future, today, we’ll only focus on how to bathe your newborn. It gets challenging for young parents to cleanse their children for the first time. So in this post, we’ll first tell you how to wash your child for the first time.
Do you know the right time to start brushing your baby’s teeth? Here’s a quick brief about brushing your baby’s teeth for the first time.
Bathing for a newborn baby can be a nerve-racking task, especially for first-time parents. You might not know the process or think you aren’t ready for this task. We’ll make it easy for you by giving you a step-by-step guide to washing your child:
Step 1: Preparing for Baby Bathing
It’s safe to bathe your baby after its umbilical cord stump has fallen off.
- The first step in bathing your baby is preparing the station where you’ll undress and dress your child. Find an ample space (such as a large table or bed) in your house and place a large clean towel on it.
- Set the room temperature to 74 degrees (if living in San Francisco, California) fifteen minutes before undressing your baby.
- Before taking your child to the bathing area, place clean clothes on the station. You may also put q-tips, cotton, a stack of clean washcloths, a comb, and a hooded bath towel.
- Undress the baby at the station and take them to the bathing area.
Always make sure to keep your baby warm and comfortable. They’re pretty sensitive to the environment. If you forgot to follow these steps or are worried that something may have gone wrong, it’s better to contact your pediatrician rather waiting long.
Step 2: Setting Up the Bathing Area
Now that the station is ready, it’s time to set up the bathing area.
- Before pouring water into the bathtub, place a large towel so the baby doesn’t slip.
- Don’t fill the water with warm water only. Mix hot and cold water and fill the tab. Make sure the water is 90 degrees or less. Test the water with your elbow before you start bathing the baby. Don’t fill the tub more than 2-3 inches or never leave the baby alone, even for a minute.
Since babies don’t go out or don’t create a mess, they don’t require regular cleaning. Bathing them once or twice a week is enough for the young ones.
Parents with a 1-week baby should check this checklist before taking their baby for a well-child visit.
Step 3: Bathe Your Baby
The tricky part starts now – it’s time to bathe your baby.
- Put your baby into the tub. Place one hand behind the baby so that the baby doesn’t fall into the water.
- Use the cotton soaked with soap and clean up the baby’s eyes.
- Then use the q-tips to clean the ears. Don’t stick the q-tip into the ear.
- Now use the washcloth to wash all the baby parts. Start with the face.
- Gently pull up the face and wipe the baby’s neck.
- Clean the belly with a clean washcloth.
- Don’t forget to clean the between the folds.
- Gradually move downwards to the bottom, cleaning every part of the body.
- Washing the baby with soap isn’t necessary. If you plan to use a product to clean the body parts, make sure it’s mild and tear-free.
- Ensure the baby doesn’t get an infection. Gently wash the body parts.
- Avoid using the soap in sensitive areas.
- Remove the baby from the tub, put on the hooded towel, and wrap it up except for the head.
- To clean the head, put the baby above the tub and pour water on the head. You may use baby shampoo to clean the head and the hair. Avoid the shampoo from entering the eyes.
Step 4: Dry with Soft Towel
Now that your baby is cleaned wipe the water off the skin with a soft towel. Don’t harshly rub the skin. Remember, it’s your baby you are cleaning up.
Make sure gently rub every part of the body, including the fingers, toes, folds, and genital parts.
Step 5: Dress Up
It’s time to take the baby to the initial station, where you undressed your child.
Now that your baby is all neat and clean, dress up with neat and clean clothes. Use a comb to brush the little hear on the head. You may also use baby powder to enhance your baby’s fragrance.
Does your baby love bedtime stories? We have a list of exciting bedtime stories for your child.
