How to Bathe Your Baby
When it comes to bathing your infant, there are a few tips and tricks to make it enjoyable for baby and parents.
⏰ PICK THE RIGHT TIME. Your baby should be content and well fed. For example, some families try their baby’s first bath at home about 30 minutes after a feed when baby is awake. If your baby’s not happy, wait to take a bath.
🚼 GET SOME HELP AND MAKE IT SAFE.🌡
🌟 Have a helper--your partner, your doula, or a family member--by your side.
🌟 Test the water temperature with your elbow or wrist (not your hand/finger which can tolerate hotter temps). It should feel lukewarm.
🌟Keep a hand on your baby to avoid slipping. Keep a towel underneath to prevent slipping.
🌟 You don’t need a lot of water. Use a small baby bath or the kitchen sink. Avoid fully immersing your baby in water if they are still healing from umbilical cord cutting or circumcision.
🌟 Keep them warm by putting a wash cloth their tummy in the bath or keeping swaddled (see swaddle bathing below).
🛁 PICK YOUR BATHING METHOD.
🌟Sponge/submersion bathing involves placing your baby in small bath and a few inches of water to cover their legs and lower torso.
🌟Swaddle bathing involves having your baby swaddled (to keep them warm and comfortable) and unwrapping one limb at a time to wash and then reswaddle. Start at the top and work your way down your baby.
Author, Kathleen, bathing one of her children.
🧼 DON’T STRESS, INFANTS AREN'T GETTING REALLY "DIRTY."
🌟A bath can be a relaxing ritual for your baby, but it doesn’t need to happen more than once a week.
🌟Use gentle soap (like Dove, or unscented shampoo) or even just water.
🌟If you want to forgo a full “bath,” you could wash those cute baby neck rolls and their hands with a warm, wet washcloth in the evening.
🌟 An option: brush their scalp gently with a soft toothbrush to remove cradle cap.
🤱🏽GATHER YOUR SUPPLIES
🌟Baby bath
🌟Towel
🌟Fresh clothes and diaper
🌟Washcloth (2 if you’re using one to cover their tummy), or swaddle if you’re doing swaddle bathing)
🌟Lotion, soap or shampoo
🧸 MAKE IT FUN!
🌟Sing and hum.
🌟Pour water over their head rhythmically if your baby likes it.
🌟After, wrap them in a towel, snuggle and/or feed them.
About the Author: Kathleen Stern is a certified labor and postpartum doula and founder of Boston Area Doulas. Kathleen believes in the power of support, connection, increasing access to resources and increasing one’s confidence in parenthood. She lives in Massachusetts with her two girls and husband…and loves a relaxing shower or bath.
