A few weeks ago Noah and I visited my sister and my new nephew Thomas. Here is a picture that I took of him. We had an impromptu photo session. 🙂 He is so stinkin’ cute!!!
While we were visiting I assisted my sister in giving Thomas his first bath. I thought I would share some of the tips that I passed on to her as well as a picture of Thomas getting his first bath!
Top 10 Tips for Bathing Your Baby!!
1) ALWAYS have everything you need within arms reach and NEVER leave your baby unattended in or near water!!
2) Make sure the water is not too hot, but it still needs to be warm or you will have an unhappy baby!!! Use your wrist to test the water. If it hurts it’s too hot, but it should still be warm. Many of the tubs these days have a “white hot” sensor. As I have learned, this sensor will always “say” HOT when warm water touches it, you just need to make sure it doesn’t turn white.
3) For the newest of newborns you can just use a sponge pad on the counter top. Remember, no tub baths until the umbilical cord falls off. Support their heads with your finger tips over the sink to wash their heads.
4) It helps to have extra washcloths. You need two for little girls and three for little boys. One to wash with, one to soak in the warm water and put over their bellies to keep them warm, and for little boys – one to cover their “business” because 9 times out of 10 little boys pee up into the air when getting a bath. 🙂 The fish cloth in the picture is great for this.
5) Always wash their hair last. Most babies love getting their hair washed, but once it’s over their wet heads make them much colder. This should be the last thing you do and then rinse and wrap them up in a towel.
6) Once baby can sit up, the white hot duck tub is awesome!!!
7) If you don’t have a tub to put on the counter top a large sponge in the bathtub works just fine. The Winnie the Pooh tub (from babies r’ us) shown here in the picture is awesome. Side note: The frog tub that we received for Noah leaked after the second or third time we used it, I would stay away from expandable tubs.
8 ) Once babies are more observant there is a great trick for washing in the folds under their chubby little chins. Instead of prying their chins up in the air and scrubbing underneath, take a bath toy and dangle it above their heads causing them to crane their necks up to look at it. Take this opportunity to run a wash cloth across their necks and get all that milk/formula that dribbles onto those sweet little necks. 🙂
9) Newborns don’t need a bath every day. They don’t get that dirty and their skin is already pretty dry to begin with. Most days a wet washcloth on the changing table is enough. In the first couple of weeks a “bath” ever couple of days will be fine. Once they become mobile every day to every other day, or as needed, will work. Also, our pediatrician recommended using olive oil instead of lotion since newborn skin is so sensitive. We did and Noah’s skin was amazingly soft. However, he did smell like a little basted turkey!! 🙂
10) Warning!! Wet babies are super slippery!!! If you are unsure of your hold don’t try to maneuver the towel and baby at the same time. Lay the towel on the floor, or a large section of counter top, and place the baby on the towel. Once you get more adept at handling your little bundle of joy you can hold the hood of the towel under your chin and place the baby with their back to your front and then wrap them up!
Bonus Tip!
I know I’ve said it before, but newborns hate to be cold! I thought it was just because Noah was born in December, but Thomas hates it too and it is as hot as hades outside. When you get your baby on the changing table and he’s wrapped up in the towel, get that diaper on as quick as possible (especially if you have a boy) and have a dry towel on hand to wrap them up in. I only uncover whatever body part I am putting lotion on. Noah hated, and continues to hate, laying on the wet towel while I dry him off and put the lotion on him.
I hope this helps and please share any additional tips or advices you might have in the comments below!
Thanks! – Tracy (I am 31!! today and Noah will be 9 months next week!)