When you become the mother or father of a newborn, you may become a little overwhelmed with all of the responsibility that is involved in taking care of this new, little person. Often new parents feel extremely inadequate, and they may question whether they are capable of being good parents. All of these feelings are perfectly normal. It doesn’t help, however, when you have so many other people offering you advice and critiquing your every move.
The prospect of bathing your baby for the first time is a daunting task in itself. It really isn’t that difficult, however. Most pediatricians and pediatric nurses recommend that you refrain from giving your baby a tub bath until the umbilical cord has fallen off. This may take anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks.
You can still clean your baby, however, even before the cord has dried up and fallen off. Newborns need to be held close or wrapped tightly to prevent their “startle reflex”. The startle reflex occurs when the baby can throw his arms back and his legs out. When he becomes startled, he often becomes frightened. To help your baby adjust to bath time, try to hold him close.
Once you remove his clothes, wrap him in a hooded towel to prevent him from becoming chilled. Take a clean, soft, damp cloth and gently wipe his eyes from the inside to the outside corners. You can then proceed to wash his face. You should not need to use soap on his face; water will be sufficient.
Be sure that you have purchased a body wash, soap, and/or shampoo that are made specifically for babies. Many babies have extremely sensitive skin, and regular shampoos and soaps can cause their skin to break out. You will only need to put a small amount of shampoo or soap on your wash cloth. You should clean your baby beginning with the neck and working your way down his body. Save his private areas for last.
If you are bathing a little girl, you need to clean her bottom working from the front to the back. This will lessen the chance of a urinary tract infection. If your baby boy has been circumcised, you will need to use caution around his penis until it has healed. You won’t want to use soap on this area until then. After you have finished bathing him, be sure and treat this private area as your doctor has instructed. Many pediatricians recommend keeping a layer of Vaseline along with some gauze wrapped around the penis until it has healed.
Once you have washed your baby’s body, you can place a small amount of shampoo on a wash cloth or your hand and wash his hair. You should still be using baby shampoo so if any soap gets into his eyes, it doesn’t irritate him.
Once your baby’s umbilical cord has fallen off, you can begin giving him tub baths. Don’t be surprised if he doesn’t like his baths in the beginning. Some babies love their baths immediately, while others tend to cry during bath time. It will probably be easier to bathe your baby if you have purchased a baby bath tub. If you do not have a tub, you might want to lay a small hand towel in the sink to keep your baby from slipping as you wash him.
You will wash him in the same manner that you did before his cord fell off. It is important to try and keep your baby from becoming chilled. Make sure the room is warm, and also make sure the water is warm, but not too hot. Now will be the time to set your water heater so that it doesn’t reach a temperature above 120 degrees.
Once you have finished bathing your baby, you will need to wrap him in a towel, dry him off, and dress him. After you have given your baby a couple of baths, you will feel much more confident in handling him. As your baby grows, his baths will become more enjoyable for you both.
