How To Clean Sanitize And Store Infant Feeding Items
Follow these steps for cleaning your infants feeding items to help prevent germs from contaminating the milk you feed your baby. If your baby is hospitalized, follow your health care providers instructions for cleaning infant feeding items.
Infant feeding items include bottles and the nipples, rings, and caps that go with them. Certain bottles also may include valves or membranes. Some infants may be fed with a syringe, medicine cup, spoon, or supplemental nursing system.
Before Your Babys First Bath
While most parents are eager to give their babies the experience of their very first bath, it is important to ensure that your baby is truly ready. When you first bring your newborn home from the hospital, the stump of their umbilical cord must be kept clean and dry. While it is still attached, sponge baths are the best option for your baby.
Typically, after about 1 to 3 weeks, the umbilical cord stump will dry up and fall off. It is important to continue caring for the umbilical cord until the area completely heals. The ideal way to do this is to moisten one end of a cotton swab with water, gently clean around the base of the umbilical cord stump, and dry with the other side of the cotton swab.
Although moisture and drops of blood around the belly button is normal during this period of time, keeping the area clean and dry will help fight infection and prevent delayed healing. Check out our blog post on bathing a baby with an umbilical cord for more information.
Combatting Knots In Your Babys Hair
Haircare isnt just limited to bath time. Parents should use soft brushes to keep hair from tangling as it grows, lest they be cursed with a night of combing knots out of a screaming childs hair. But, as hair gets longer, tangles are inevitable, as is a very unhappy child dealing with parents tugging through their hair. Tackling those knots depends on the cause.
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A lot of times its food, snot, things they put their hands in, so some parents opt for a quick wash to deal with knots, says Stampflee. With longer hair, if you start brushing from the bottom and work up it tends to work a little bit better. But for babies, theres really no great way.
This also applies to babies with thicker and curlier hair, though parents should brush their manes more frequently and exercise more caution: They shouldnt brush hair when its dry, and a natural moisturizer should be used to prevent pain and extra tangling.
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How Often Does A Newborn Need A Bath
Growing up, you may have heard that babies and children must be bathed daily for optimum cleanliness. However, this isnt the case. Especially with a newborn, bathing daily can actually dry the skin, and irritate it.
Additionally, most newborns do not get very dirty, so its not necessary to fully immerse them in a bath each day or night. You can spot clean any areas of concern in between baths.
For these reasons, most doctors recommend only bathing your newborn baby a few days per week.
AAP recommends bathing your baby no more than three days per week. Of course, even that is not a hard and fast rule.
If you want to bathe your baby more often, thats fine, and if you only bathe your baby one or two days per week , thats fine too!
As your baby gets older and ventures into the toddler years, they are going to get dirtier, because they will be exploring everything and playing outside. Your bathing frequency will likely naturally increase during this time.
How Long After Birth Should I Wait To Bathe My Baby
Dr. Dina Kulik answers the question that pretty much every new mom is faced with: When should I give my baby her first bath?
Depending on where you give birth, your baby may be offered a bath before you go home. This old-school practice is becoming less common, because the World Health Organization suggests waiting at least 24 hours after birth to give the first bath in order to keep the baby warm. Otherwise, the timing is up to personal preference.
Why you should delay baby’s first bath I didnt bathe my children for a couple of days after birth because some of the substance that coats newborns skin has immune properties that may help babies stay healthy. This waxy coating is a natural cleanser and moisturizer, and it protects against infection that could enter through the skin. It also helps regulate the babys temperature.
Babies have sensitive skin, so use gentle, hypoallergenic soap and avoid washing them too frequently, as that can lead to irritation and dry skin. Bathing twice a week is reasonableyoull be cleaning the diaper area all the time anyway.
Read more:
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How Often To Bathe A Newborn According To Pediatricians
- The World Health Organization recommends that parents wait 24 hours to give their baby its first bath.
- After that, pediatricians recommend no more than three times a week for 10 to 15 minutes at a time.
- For the first two weeks, or so, pediatricians recommend sponge baths.
- This article was reviewed by Sara Siddiqui, MD, who is a clinical assistant professor with the Department of Pediatrics at NYU Langone.
Your baby is finally here and it is now up to you to set a routine for their day-to-day life.
This includes bathing. But when, how often, and how to bathe your child isn’t as obvious as you might think. Here’s what you need to know about keeping your baby clean, healthy, and happy.
How Hot Should The Water Be
The water temperature to bathe your baby should be warm, never hot. The ideal temperature is 98.6°F . You can use a bath thermometer to monitor the temperature, or check the water with your wrist or elbow to confirm its warm and not hot.
Also, check different sides of the tub or baby bath to confirm there are no hot spots. If using a tub or basin, turn on the cold water first and then the hot water to fill it.
If you live in a house, you can also adjust the water heater to ensure it doesnt go above 120°F , which can badly scald your babys skin. You likely cant adjust the water heater if you live in an apartment complex or condo.
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Can You Give Your Baby Bath Toys
Keep in mind that for infants, you donât need any bath toys at all, as splashing around in the water will be enough entertainment. As your baby gets older, you can add some floating baby toys or even waterproof books to keep him occupied.
Eventually, your baby will start to enjoy baths, and at some point, it will become more like playtime than bath time. When sheâs bigger, let your little one splash around and have some fun in the water.
Between your babyâs baths, youâll probably be doing a lot of diapering. Why not get rewarded for all your efforts? Download the Pampers Club app to turn your Pampers purchases into rewards like coupons, gift cards, and more.
How we wrote this articleThe information in this article is based on the expert advice found in trusted medical and government sources, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. You can find a full list of sources used for this article below.The content on this page should not replace professional medical advice. Always consult medical professionals for full diagnosis and treatment.
- See all sources
Taking Care Of Baby: Cradle Cap
It’s common for babies to develop flaky, red patches of skin on their scalp called cradle cap. It’s not a big concern and is easy to treat. Here’s how:
Cradle cap should get better on its own. If it sticks around or spreads to baby’s face, neck, or other parts of the body, see your doctor. You may need a stronger prescription shampoo for your baby’s hair and a cortisone cream for your baby’s body.
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Use A Humidifier Or Steam Treatment
Humidifiers are a great way to help break up mucus, specifically when you opt for the cool mist. You can leave it running all day, but especially while your baby is sleeping. And even if you dont have a humidifier, you can run a hot shower to produce steam and sit in the bathroom with your child for a few minutes. You can do this several times a day.
Bathe Thrice A Week After The Umbilical Cord Falls Off
Your baby doesnt need a daily bath in the early days. Bathing thrice a week will suffice during this period. In fact, more frequent baths may dry out their skin. Patting your baby dry and applying a hypoallergenic, fragrance-free moisturizer immediately after their bath can prevent dry skin. You could also use a natural moisturizer like virgin coconut oil.4
To give your baby a bath: Fill a basin with about 2 inches of comfortably warm water. Place your baby in the tub as soon as you undress them so they dont get cold. Support their head with one hand and use the other hand to gently guide them in. And tenderly clean them with a mild soap. Pour warm water over the body frequently so that they keep warm. Your babys first baths should be as brief and gentle as possible.5
Ayurvedic practices advocate a gentle oil massage using coconut, olive, or sesame oil before a bath. Wait for 15 to 20 minutes after the massage to bathe your baby. Finely ground green gram powder with 5 to 10% of soap nut powder mixed in can be used instead of soap to wash your baby. But do remember to do a patch test to ensure your babys not allergic to these or any massage oil that you use.6
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Your Baby’s First Bath
Your midwife or public health nurse will show you how to bathe your baby for the first time. Don’t be afraid to ask for help or to see it done once or twice before you try.
You can also give your baby a ‘top and tail’ clean instead of a bath. When you are more confident, you can wash your baby in the main bath or in the sink, or in their own small baby bath. You could also have them in the bath with you.
When To Call Your Doctor
If your baby has any of the following symptoms, let your pediatrician know right away, as they could be a sign of an infection or another problem:
- Persistent bleeding or more than a quarter-sized spot of blood on his diaper
- Redness that gets worse three to five days after circumcision
- Yellow discharge lasting more than a week
- Foul-smelling drainage
- Crusty, fluid-filled sores
- Not urinating or dribbling urine within eight hours after circumcision
Once your babys circumcision is fully healed, youre home-free. Continue to keep his penis clean by wiping away any stool that gets on it. Plus, make sure you gently wipe the groove under the head of your babys penis at diaper changes and in the tub. Not only will you be keeping him clean, youll be teaching him good personal hygiene.
From the What to Expect editorial team and Heidi Murkoff, author of What to Expect When You’re Expecting. What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected health organizations. Learn how we keep our content accurate and up-to-date by reading our medical review and editorial policy.
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Proper Bathing And Skin Care For Your Newborn
A newborn’s skin is soft and delicate. Proper skin care and bathing can help maintain the health and texture of the baby’s skin while providing a pleasant experience for both of you.
Contrary to popular thought, most babies don’t need a bath every single day. With all the diaper changes and wiping of the mouth and nose after feedings, most babies may only need to be bathed 2 or 3 times a week or every other day.
Baths can be given any time of day. Bathing before a feeding often works well. Many parents prefer to bathe their baby in the evening, as part of the bedtime ritual. This works well especially if bath time is relaxing and soothing for the baby.
Sponge baths are needed at first. To prevent infection, bathing in a tub of water should not be done until the baby’s umbilical cord falls off, and a baby boy’s circumcision heals.
Do I Need To Clean My Babys Ears
Yes, but not the way you might think. Make sure you clean behind their ears and dry them well after a bath. If the water gets into their ear, just gently move their head from side to side to help drain it. If earwax does end up outside your babys ear canal, you can gently clean it with a towel or tissue.
But dont use cotton swabs to clean the inside of your babys or childs ears . Resist the urge, Mama.
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