The Crib: A Blog for New Parents

Posted by pecuellar on 03/26/08 - 06:07 PM

Giving your newborn a bath can sometimes be a little tricky. That delicate little bundle can be slippery when wet and full of surprises. Some children love bath time and others want to convince the neighbors that you are trying to drown them. Here are a couple tips to help make bath time a little easier on everyone.

Have everything ready before you get started. You don’t want to be looking for a diaper for too long after the bath. You may get an unexpected shower your self.

Just like adults, babies have a preference when it comes to water temperature. Experiment until you find out if your child likes a cooler bath or a warmer one. Be careful not to get the water too hot. Infant’s skin is very sensitive. If you are not sure, you can pick up a bath tub thermometer pretty inexpensive.

When washing your babies face, use a different corner of a fresh cloth to clean each eye. Wipe from the inside corner away from the eye. This will prevent the spread of infection from one eye to the other.

Try using the disposable wash cloths that come preloaded with soap. This makes it easier to wash your baby with one hand.

Keep baths short. Get in, get washed and get out. There will be plenty of time for bath play once your child gets a little bigger and interested in splashing and bath toys.