You must have seen your baby's first bath in the hospital. The midwife quickly undressed the little one and washed it under the tap in no time. So why is bathing your own baby now scaring you so much?

Shaking hands, anxiety in the eyes - this is what moms who are to bathe a newborn baby for for the first time in their lives look like. Are you also afraid that you might hurt your baby by accident? Don't get too excited - it's really not complicated. It is enough to follow a few simple rules presented below. And if you are very scared, ask for help from someone who is already behind them for the first time - a friend, someone from your family, a midwife. If this is not possible, practice dry bathing beforehand, on a large doll (as women in birthing school do). Remember that it is best to bathe your baby after feeding in the evening - it is easier to fall asleep then and is more likely to sleep peacefully for at least a few hours.

Find a comfortable place to bath

Think about the best places to bathe your baby. You can use it in the bathroom (it is a good idea to put the necessary towel on the washing machine then), but if you have little space in it, it is better to place a baby bathtub in the room, on a special stable frame or simply on the table. Regardless of where you will bathe your baby, remember - the room must be warm - the optimal temperature is 22-25 ° C. Therefore, on colder days, it is worth to additionally heat up the bathing area, e.g. with a portable stove.

Important

Prepare before bathing:

  • a large bath towel (preferably terry cloth) to wrap your baby in after bathing; a new towel should be washed before the first use, because it will not absorb water straight from the store; Special towels for children are also comfortable, with a hood sewn on to dry the head after washing
  • two tetras diapers - put one on a towel to wash the baby's head before bathing, put the other in the bathtub
  • cotton pads
  • sterile navel gauze
  • a bowl of warm, boiled water to wash your mouth
  • sticks with cotton wool for washing ears (special for children - they have a thicker center, thanks to which you will avoid accidental damage to the eardrum in the ears)
  • gauze or cotton baby washcloth
  • bath gel or baby soap
  • olive or po lotionbath
  • ointment for buttocks
  • clean diaper and clothes
  • wet wipes for cleansing the butt (they can be useful if it turns out that the diaper is dirty after undressing the baby)
  • a soft hairbrush.

Note: place all the accessories within easy reach - the ones you will need at the very beginning should be the closest.

How to prepare for the first bath of a newborn?

Pour water into the bathtub

For bathing a newborn baby, the water should be boiled, then you can give it up. Boil it in a large pot without a lid to let the chlorine evaporate. Do it an hour before your bath to let it cool down. However, the water you pour into the bathtub should be warmer than the one needed for bathing - it will cool down when you wash your baby's face and hair on the changing table. Bath water should be 37 ° C. You can check it with your elbow or measure it with a special thermometer (available at children's stores). Do not check the temperature with your hand as it is not sensitive enough. There is no need to have a lot of water in the bathtub - just pour enough water so that it reaches 10 cm above the bottom of the bathtub. Line the bathtub with a cloth diaper. Instead of a diaper, you can put a special rubber mat or set up a lounger for bathing newborns, preferably made of fabric, because it slightly collapses under the influence of the baby's weight, besides, using such material you can wash the baby's backs.

Wash your baby's face and face

On the changing bag, spread a towel and a cloth diaper on top of it. Undress the baby, place it on the changing table, wrap it in a nappy or cover it with a light blanket. Use a swab moistened with saline to wipe the eyes, starting from the temple towards the nose. Use a cotton stick to clean the ears - just remove the secretion you can see (don't push the stick deeply, because you can damage your baby's eardrum!). Use a water-moistened cotton swab to wipe your face, and then dry it by gently pressing the towel. Don't rub your skin. Now it's time to wash your hair. Soak the washcloth and apply a little skin cleanser or baby shampoo on it. Gently rub the hair with circular movements. Do not rinse - you will do it in a moment, when you put the baby in the bathtub.

Start a bath

Before you put your baby in the bathtub, measure the water temperature again. If it is too cold, add a little warm (do not add water when the baby is already in the bathtub, because you may burn it!). If the water is okay, move the baby from the changing table to the bathtub. Place your right hand under the buttocks, and support the head and neck with the left hand (preferably rest them on your forearm - this way it is easier to protect the baby's head and neck from accident altrauma). Place your left hand in such a way that the fingers hold the child's forearm. Slowly immerse your baby in the water - too fast movements may scare him. When you feel that your pupa is firmly resting on the bottom of the tub (or on a bunk), remove your hand from under it. Wash and rinse your baby, starting with the soapy hair. Gently sprinkle them with water, taking care not to run down the child's eyes and ears (it's best to start from the forehead, then rinse the sides and back of the head). You have to hold the baby gently and firmly at the same time - soapy skin is slippery and the baby may slip out of your hands. The bath should not last longer than 5 minutes because the water dries out the skin.

You must do it

What to wash your newborn baby with

  • Use only cosmetics for children under 1 month of age. The practical ones are packed with a pump - just press the dispenser and the required amount of the cosmetic flows into your hand (this is especially important when you are bathing your baby alone).
  • Use preparations sparingly: this will reduce the risk of irritation. It is difficult to rinse a large amount of the cosmetic - its residues may remain on the skin and sensitize the baby.
  • You can pour a little lubricating emulsion into the bathtub. The cosmetic leaves an oily layer on the skin that retains moisture in the skin. Note: the body of a child in such a bath becomes very slippery, so keep it especially carefully.

Take the baby out of the water

Wrap it with a towel, quickly dry the body, starting from the head (this is where the baby loses the most heat). Do not rub, just touch the skin with a towel. Thoroughly dry the folds on your thighs, neck and bends at the knees and elbows to prevent chafing.

Moisturize and lubricate the skin

If it is dry and flaky, you can brush it with olive oil or a fatty baby cream. If not, a regular moisturizing baby lotion is enough. Only the folds of the skin should be smeared with olive oil. Before putting on the diaper, be sure to lubricate the baby's bottom with anti-chafing cream. Do not fasten the diapers too tight, but also not too loosely.

Take care of the navel

Try not to wet the umbilical cord stump or the unhealed navel. However, if it does get wet, dry the navel with a sterile gauze pad and rinse thoroughly with alcohol. Until the wound heals, do not press the diaper on the navel (air should reach it unhindered). If the skin around the belly button turns red or pus oozes from the wound, be sure to contact your pediatrician.

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