How To Dry A Newborn After A Bath
Heres how to wrap up your babys bath, including a bit about rinsing, drying and using lotion:
- Rinse well. Use clean, warm water for that final rinse cycle, holding your little one football-style, with the back of his head cradled in one hand, his body draped along your arm, and his head over the basin. Fill the cup with water and gently pour it over your baby’s head and then the body parts.
- Dry her gently. Next up, pat your baby’s skin with a soft dry towel. Be sure to thoroughly dry her bottom and any other areas where there are folds of skin. Chubby babies have lots of those!
- Go easy on the baby lotion. That beautiful and ultra-sensitive skin doesn’t need much, if any, in the way of lotions, oils or creams, though a little baby-safe lotion is okay. But avoid baby powders, which can irritate an infant’s breathing passages. If your practitioner recommends it , massage a hypoallergenic lotion into her skin after warming it in your palms.
- Diaper and dress. Slip on a fresh diaper and dress your baby in some clean clothes. If she needs a little soothing after the sponge bath, swaddle her up in a blanket, then get settled in for a snuggle with your clean, sweet-smelling baby.
How To Measure The Baby Bath T Emperature
The best way to try if the bath water is too hot is by dipping your wrist or elbow in the water.
We use our elbow or wrist because our hands can tolerate much higher temperatures. Before you check the bathwater, stir the water to get an equal temperature in the babys bath.
It is very important that you never add hot water while your baby is still in the bathtub.
How To Bathe Your Baby
Also Check: How To Add Newborn To Blue Cross Blue Shield
Where To Bathe Your Baby
Most people will buy a smaller baby bath that they can put on the bathroom floor or inside their own bath, but the most important thing is to make sure both you and your baby are comfortable.
- Bathing your newborn in a baby bath. While your baby is still small, bathing them in a baby bathtub can be the easiest option as theyre often shaped to help support your babys head10.
- Using a full-sized bath. Using a full-sized bath can be a bit trickier until your baby is big enough to sit up properly and support themselves, usually at about six months old3.
- Sink bath. Bathing your baby in the sink is an old tradition, but just take care if you choose this option. Always remember to turn the tap away to avoid injury and use a foam insert or soft towels on the bottom of the sink to make it more comfortable for them.
For more tips for bathing your baby, head to the JOHNSONS Bathtime hub, where youll find more information around making the most of bathtime.
How To Dress Your Newborn For Bedtime
Simple is best and safest. Dress your baby in a base layer like a onesie or a one-piece sleeper and skip the hats, socks, and other accessories.
The AAP recommends that babies be lightly clothed for sleep and that the room temperature be kept comfortable for a lightly clothed adult.
Generally speaking, you should dress your baby with one more layer than what you are wearing in the same environment. So, if you are wearing a sweater and jeans in the winter, you might dress your baby in a onesie and a warm sleeper that fits well. It’s important that you not overdress your baby.
Likewise, the AAP also recommends that you not use loose blankets in cribs. As a result, many parents opt for sleepsacks or wearable blankets, especially in the winter months. To determine which sleepsack is best for your baby, look at the product’s thermal overall grade , which indicates how many blankets the sleepsack is equivalent to.
For instance, sleepsacks with a TOG of 1.2 or lower are recommended for use in the spring and summer, while those with ratings of 2 to 2.5 or higher are recommended for fall and winter. Likewise, you should dress your baby for bed in one more layer than you would use in the same room. For most babies, this includes a onesie and a sleepsack or a sleeper that fits appropriately.
Also Check: How Do You Get Social Security Card For Newborn
Bath Time Goal # : Safe Calming And Fun
Bathtime can be a calming experience for your children. Most babies enjoy being bathed, as the warm water reminds them of their beginnings in the womb, which provides a comforting feeling.
But to ensure the bath is as perfect as possible, you really need to get the temperature just right. As I said above, remember Goldilocks. Not too hot, or else you risk causing serious burns to babys delicate skin , and not too cold, as it can shock and upset your little one.
Topping And Tailing Tips
- Hold your baby on your knee or lay them on a changing mat. Take off all their clothes, apart from their vest and nappy, and wrap them in a towel.
- Dip the cotton wool in the water and wipe gently around your baby’s eyes from the nose outward, using a fresh piece of cotton wool for each eye. This is so that you don’t transfer any stickiness or infection from one eye to another.
- Use a fresh piece of cotton wool to clean around your baby’s ears, but not inside them. Never use cotton buds to clean inside your baby’s ears. Wash the rest of your baby’s face, neck and hands in the same way and dry them gently with the towel.
- Take off the nappy and wash your baby’s bottom and genital area with fresh cotton wool and warm water. Dry very carefully, including between the skin folds, and put on a clean nappy.
- It will help your baby to relax if you keep talking while you wash them. The more they hear your voice, the more they’ll get used to listening to you and start to understand what you’re saying.
Read Also: How To Sign Newborn Up For Medicaid
Do I Really Need Special Soap
To bath your baby, support the head, neck and back on one arm, while using your free hand to gently wet, wash and rinse their body.
Only use soaps that are specially formulated for babies. Adult soaps contain ingredients designed to remove oil and cleanse the skin. These detergents tend to dry out a babys skin very easily, says PaedIQ paediatrician Dr Iqbal Karbanee.
When To Bathe A Newborn Baby
Your baby shouldnt be given a bath straight after theyre born as they need to stay warm8. But dont worry, the nurses will have given them a good clean8.
Many parents prefer to give babies a while to get used to their new surroundings, so will just give them whats known as a top and tail bath the first few times5.
Read Also: How To Bathe Newborn After Cord Falls Off
What Temperature Should The Bath Water Be
In order to prevent both cold stress and scalding during the newborn bath, water temperature should be kept close to body temperature at 37 – 37.5 °C . Before the newborn is placed into the bath, the water should be mixed to ensure even heat distribution. The nurse or parent must make sure that the newborns temperature is stable before proceeding with the bath. In addition, the area should be absent of drafts and room temperature should be a minimum of 21 – 22 °C throughout the bath.
Recommendations
- Bath water temperature should be maintained between 37 – 37.5 °C
- Bath water should be mixed prior to placing the newborn in the tub to ensure even heat distribution
- Room temperature should be a minimum of 21 – 22 °C and there should be no drafts
- Always make sure the newborn’s temperature is at least 36.5 °C before administering a bath
Tips For Safe Baby Bath Temperature
Here are some simple tips for preventing scalds in the bath:
- Check the bath temperature using a thermometer. You could also test the temperature by putting your arm in. If your skin goes red, the water is too hot for your child.
- Ensure that the water coming out of your taps is at a maximum of 50°C. This is a low-risk temperature for scalds. Talk to your heater manufacturer, local gas supplier, plumber or gasfitter about a temperature control device for your hot water system.
- Install anti-scald devices on taps and shower outlets. These are available from hardware and safety product shops.
- Consider child-resistant taps or tap guards in the bath.
- Turn on the cold water first, then the hot to get the right bath temperature for your child. When turning the water off, turn off the hot water first so the cold water can run through the tap and cool it down.
Heated water needs to be stored at above 60°C to prevent the formation of Legionella bacteria. This is why its good to have a temperature control device fitted to lower the temperature of the water coming out of your taps.
Read Also: How Much Milk Does A Newborn Drink
Bathing Your Newborn: Step
Bathing your newborn neednt be a difficult experience and once youve done it a couple of times it will feel like its second nature. Follow our simple guide for a bathtime that should be easy and stress-free for both you and your baby.
How To Give A Baby A Sponge Bath
The AAP advises following these steps to sponge bathe your newborn:
You May Like: When Should I Bathe My Newborn
How To Keep The Water Temperature Safe For Your Childs Bath
A babys skin is very delicate, and he can get scalded in just seconds. It is therefore very important to check the water temperature before you bathe your baby.
- You can check the temperature of the water with a bath thermometer. If you dont have one, you can dip your elbow into the water to gauge the temperature.
- When adding water to your babys bathtub, fill cold water first, followed by hot water. Mix the water well to avoid any hot or cold spots.
- Keep checking the water temperature at regular intervals to know whether it is becoming too hot or too cold for your baby. Again, use your elbow to detect whether the water is too hot or too cold for your baby.
- Try keeping some bath toys or floating thermometers handy to indicate the temperature of the bathwater.
Tips For Bathing Your Baby
There’s more than one way to do things when it comes to any aspect of caring for babies, and bathing is no exception. That includes when, how and how often to bathe them.
I tend to bath babies around their evening feed. Parents often tell me their baby becomes over-stimulated when given a bath. If that’s your experience I suggest looking at how long they have been up during the current wake cycle and also what is happening, i.e the length of time it takes to undress, to bath, to dry and to dress a baby. If it’s longer than they’d normally be awake then I suggest making the wake time shorter and taking less time to bath the baby.
Pre-bath
When your baby wakes, offer a full feed. Arrange your baby’s clothes in the order in which they will be put on. For example, bottom of the pile should be the outer clothes, next the nappy, and on top the vest. Lay out a towel and any other bathing products you need. Place your baby on the floor to kick while running the bath. I would take their nappy off for some nappy free’ time. The room needs to be warm – not draughty or too hot.
Products I recommend for bathing a baby
- Olive 0il
- Mild shampoo with no paraffin or sulphates
- Mild body soap – again, I recommend products without paraffin or sulphates
Running the bath
Eyes and face
Putting your baby into the bath
Drying
Dressing
How often should you bath your baby?
For more baby care advice and resources, visit the ecostore Mother and Baby website.
You May Like: Why Is My Newborn More Fussy At Night
Where Do I Start
A babys hair tends to get greasy quite quickly, so its best to wash their hair every time you bath them, advises Gray.
Undress your baby and wrap them in a towel to keep them warm, . Then carefully hold your baby over the bath and gently scoop the warm water, over their head to wet it, apply a small amount of baby shampoo, lather and rinse.
The Suitable Baby Bath Temperature
Most mothers, especially the new mothers struggle with the right temperature for their babys bathing water. The perfect temperature for your babys bathing water gets based on several factors like the weather and the age of the baby. When it comes to the newborns, you can never guess on his/her bathing water temperature. It is essential because newborns are not able to regulate their bodies temperature. New babies are renowned for losing heat four times quicker than adults.
The ideal temperature for a babys bath water should be between 36 degrees Celsius to 38 degrees Celsius . These temperatures are close to the body temperature of a baby. We may know the right bath water temperature for our infants and children but, are we aware of how to measure it? It is a question that troubles many mothers. If you are one of them, here is how to measure a babys bath water temperature.
Also Check: How Much Should You Feed Newborn
How Often Can I Bath My Baby
For newborns and very young babies, you dont need to bathe them daily 2 to 3 times per week is a good guideline. Babys skin is soft and full of naturally occurring, moisturizing oils. Bathing new babys too frequently can dry out their skin. Be sure to use a baby safe soap and cleansers that are delicate enough for their soft skin.
If you find they are still dirty between baths, from a messy dinner or play time, you can also give your little one a sponge bath between bath days to keep them healthy and clean.
When your little one is a little older you may want to develop a bath-book-bed routine as part of your wind down routine before bedtime.