Bathing your baby may be one of the most beautiful bonding experiences a new parent can have, and it is also, however, one of the most daunting.
Many questions come up when it comes to bathing your baby. When should you first bathe your baby? How often should you bathe them? What are you supposed to clean exactly?
Don’t worry; here’s everything you need to know about bathing your baby—including fun tips like how much time they can safely spend in the water and whether or not you should bring her swimming with friends.
When Should I Bathe My Newborn? The first bath should be given within 24 hours after birth when the umbilical cord stump is still attached.
The cord stump becomes dry and separates from the baby’s belly button within one to five days after birth. Once that happens, you can give your baby a sponge bath or use lukewarm water on a washcloth to clean their body.
It’s important not to give a newborn a full bath until their umbilical cord stump falls off because it’s possible that water could enter the baby’s lungs and cause breathing problems.
If you have concerns about how often you should bathe your newborn, speak with your pediatrician.
How often should I bathe my newborn?
When it comes to bathing your newborn, there is no one-size-fits-all answer. The frequency of baths will depend on a few different factors, including the following:
- How old your baby is. Generally speaking, infants should be bathed no more than every two days.
- What the weather’s like outside. If it’s hot out—like in summertime—you may want to bathe your newborn more often.
Babies are more susceptible to heat rash in humid conditions. They can cause heat exhaustion if they’re left sweating in heavy clothing after being taken out of an extremely warm bath (so take caution when drying them).
On the other hand, if the temperature outside is less than ideal (think wintertime), you may find yourself bathing your baby less often because they won’t need as much moisture from baths at this point (though you’ll still want them dressed appropriately for outside conditions).
- Your baby’s skin type: Some babies have dry skin while others have oily skin right after birth; these types require different moisturizing levels.
A pediatrician will help you determine what type of cream or lotion would work best according to how many times per week they’re getting washed up over five years old.
However, some case studies show mixed results when using certain products on babies with sensitive skin, so make sure before buying anything.
How do I clean my newborn?
Cleaning your newborn is simple and easy. Use warm water and mild soap to clean their skin. Rinse well and dry with a soft towel.
Do not use anything that has alcohol in it, like rubbing alcohol or alcohol-based wipes, as these can irritate the baby’s skin and cause dryness or peeling. Also, avoid using brushes or combs on their head; they need to be able to flop around freely.
Cleaning a newborn’s skin and hair differs from cleaning an older child’s. The secret to keeping your baby’s skin and scalp healthy is to keep it clean, dry, and free of irritants.
Skin care tips for babies:
Wash your hands before touching your baby. Wash your hands with soap and water before touching your baby. Don’t share towels, washcloths, or clothing with anyone else.
Use lukewarm water that is not too hot or cold for bath time; the ideal temperature is about 98 degrees Fahrenheit (37 degrees Celsius).
Use only mild soap on your baby’s skin. If you use a sponge or washcloth, rinse it in clean running water after each use.
If you use a bathtub or shower for bathing, make sure it has nonslip side walls at least 6 inches high so that if you slip, you won’t fall into the tub with your baby in tow.
Dry off your baby immediately after their bath, so your baby doesn’t get chilled from being wet too long — especially if their room isn’t warm enough.
What if my baby has a rash?
Your baby’s skin is very sensitive, so you’ll want to be careful when bathing them.
While they’re still inside the womb, they don’t experience too much friction on their body (since they’re floating in amniotic fluid), so once they’re born and begin crawling and moving around more, their skin will become used to different levels of roughness.
When you begin using a washcloth or sponge on your newborn’s delicate skin, you need to be careful not to scrub too hard—this could cause irritation or even tears in their baby-soft skin.
For most babies with normal amounts of moisture in their system (an average amount would be between 10% and 20%), bathing should only be done once per week as needed.
However, some recommend waiting two weeks before giving your newborn their first bath—this allows time for natural oils from their mother’s breast milk or formula feeding sessions with Dad.
These oils protect against harmful bacteria like E. coli that can cause diarrhea if ingested through contaminated food sources.
FAQs
Is it okay for me to get in the bath with my baby? In general, getting into the bath with your child is not recommended. While there are many benefits to bathing your baby, submerging their head under water is not one of them.
If you choose to bathe with your newborn, be sure that their face never goes below the surface of the water and that there is always a towel or something else between them and any part of the tub (i.e., suction cups).
Additionally, if you have little experience with swimming or feel nervous about being left alone in a tub with your newborn while submerged in water—which can happen if they wriggle away from you while bathing—consider taking them out before getting into yourself.
When should I start taking my baby to the pool or beach? The first thing you should do after deciding to take your baby to the pool or beach is to check the weather.
The temperature of the water can affect your child. If it’s below 70 degrees, it’s best to keep them out of the water (including lakes and oceans).
If you’re taking your baby outside in cold weather, make sure they are bundled up well with several layers so they don’t get too cold and can still move around freely.
If it’s warm outside, make sure there is shade around where you’re playing so they won’t get sunburned while enjoying their day at the beach.
The next step is ensuring everyone knows how important this trip is for everyone involved: parents and children alike.
So if we want a successful experience together, then all parties involved need some preparation time before going out into public places like these, especially since we’re talking about babies here;
One thing I would recommend doing beforehand: research what types of things each person needs for this trip; especially when traveling abroad, because sometimes people go years without visiting certain countries due to a lack of interest or knowledge about what things might be available nearby them when planning out their upcoming travel plans.
When Should I Bathe My Newborn? If you’re still overwhelmed, don’t stress. Just remember to clean your baby whenever they have had a dirty diaper.
You can use a wet washcloth for cleaning and drying. If you decide to bathe your baby, know that this is also an opportunity for bonding—so take some time to relax and enjoy the experience together.