What To Do If My Puppy Is Dirty
In your puppy is evidently dirty, we recommend cleaning the puppy immediately. For example, if the dog has become soiled in a specific area, you can use wet wipes and rub the dirty area gently. There are also dry dog shampoos specific for puppies. There are homemade dog shampoos you can try, but before using them make sure that you know how to bathe a puppy for the first time.
If your puppy is really dirty or smells, it will be imperative to bathe it. Make sure the process is as gentle and positive as possible. Observe your puppys behavior and, if they seem nervous, make sure you calm them and help your puppy feel safe and secure.
Why Is It Important To Bathe A Newborn Baby
The benefits of bathtime go way beyond a basic cleanup! Heres why baths are good for babies:
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They boost bonding. Bathtime quickly becomes a highlight of the day because its all about time spent together. Taking care of your baby lets her know you care, so gaze into her eyes, kiss that yummy baby belly, count those tiny toes and sing silly songs as you wash. Feeling your gentle touch and hearing your voice will let your little one know how much she’s loved.
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Theres so much learning. Yup, there’s plenty to learn in the tub. Tickle your little one’s senses by trickling water gently onto her tummy or teach a lesson in cause-and-effect by showing how to kick the water and create a splash. And don’t forget a play-by-play as you wash name her little body parts as you bathe and she’ll be learning a tub-full of words!
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They can be soothing. You probably already know this from your own bathing experience, but nothing’s more calming and comforting than a soak in a tub after a long day. Up the relaxation even more by trying your hand at infant massage afterwards. While most little ones love it, if your baby balks , don’t sweat it just cuddle instead.
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They may induce sleep. There’s even more reason to love bathing your baby, especially if you add it to her bedtime routine. The warm water, warm room and warm feeling of being safe, secure and loved work magic and will put your baby in the mood to snooze.
How To Give Your Baby A Sponge Bath
- Keep things simple, but make sure you are prepared beforehand with supplies, such as a washcloth or baby sponge, a basin of water, and a towel.
- Clean your baby on a secure surface such as a changing table or bed. You can also lay a towel or blanket on the floor to soften it, or place your baby in your lap. If your baby is on an elevated surface, you must keep on hand on your baby at all times so they dont fall.
- Be careful not to get water in your babys eyes, and dont directly sponge their healing umbilical cord stump.
- Make sure you keep your baby warm during this process. You may consider wrapping your baby with a towel and only uncovering your babys different body parts when they are ready to be washed.
Your babys umbilical cord stump should fall off within the first one to two weeks of life, at which point you can immerse your baby in water.
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What Is A Sponge Bath And How Does It Compare With Other Types Of Baths
Sponge baths are a great option when your baby isnt ready for a regular tub filled with warm water and shiny bubbles.
During a sponge bath, just like during a regular bath, you give your baby an all-over wash and rinse. But there are two differences:
- Your baby lies on a towel instead of in a tub.
- You wash and rinse one section of their body at a time.
Keeping Your Newborn Clean
Until the umbilical cord falls off, it is best to give your baby sponge baths. This will help keep their little hands, feet, faces, and bodies clean, while keeping their umbilical cord stump clean and dry! A sponge bath is truly only needed 1-2 times per week, as too frequent bathing can cause newborn skin to become dry or irritated. Check out our blog post on how often you should bathe a baby for more information on this.
Before you start, be sure to gather all of your needed bath items and keep them within arms reach. You will want to have mild soap, a couple of washcloths, a plastic cup filled with warm water, a bigger towel, a clean diaper, and a fresh change of clothes nearby. Your newborn will be more comfortable if the room is warm and cozy before getting them undressed.
While some parents choose to lay out a towel and sponge bathe their baby on any soft and comfortable surface, others find it easier to place their little ones in an infant bathtub lined with a large, dry towel.
When you are ready to begin sponge bathing your newborn, start from the top of their head and work toward the tips of their toes. Use a wet washcloth with a dime-sized amount of mild soap to wash your baby with soft, gentle strokes. Be mindful of their eyes, ears, nose and mouth, avoiding any prolonged contact with the suds from the soapy washcloth.
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What Kind Of Soap Should You Use To Bathe A Newborn
Use very small amounts of natural, organic soap.Or, better yet,try slathering baby with coconut oil in areas where dirt collects like around neck, in thigh creases, on bum, and hands. Coconut oil is moisturizing, and yet antimicrobial and antibacterial so acts as a cleansing agent. In fact, coconut oil is often used in soap recipes.
Just take extra care when handling babycoconut oil can make baby even more slippery than usual.
When Should Baby Have Their First Bath
Your newborn will probably get bathed at the hospital for the first time, meaning you might even be able to wait a day or two after youre released until you tackle their first bath at home.
The Mayo Clinic recommends not immersing your baby in water until their umbilical cord falls off, which should happen sometime in their first couple weeks of life. So until that happens, stick with a sponge bath.
Bath Tips
Bathing babies can be fun, but it can also be a bit challenging and slippery. So if you want to ensure your baby has a clean and safe bath, here are some tips to get started.
- Make sure the bathroom door is closed so that theres no draft in the bathroom.
- After the bath, wrap your baby in a warm blanket immediately.
- Make sure to clean behind their ears, and between their finger and toes. Its often overlooked and you want to ensure every part of your babys body is squeaky clean.
- We all know bubble baths are fun, but avoid having them so often. Too many can allow bacteria to form in your little princesss vaginal area.
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Lather And Rinse Carefully
As were sure you already know, babies have extremely soft, delicate skin. That means you need to be very gentle when lathering on cleansing products and shampoos.
You may choose to use an ultra-soft washcloth, or you can simply use your hands. If you prefer to use your hands, remove any rings, bracelets, or watches youre wearing.
After lathering, use a small plastic cup to rinse your baby off. Just scoop up a cup-full of water and gently pour it over a soapy area of your babys body. Be careful so that no soapy water gets in your loved ones eyes or nose!
Drying And Dressing Your Newborn After A Bath: Steps
Heres how to take your newborn out of the bath, ready for drying and dressing:
Bathing your baby takes practice, so try to relax and take your time. You might like to start by bathing your baby when someone else is around to help. If youre worried about losing your grip on your baby, you can make the bath less slippery by lining it with a clean cloth nappy or towel.
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Washing The Head Last
The last place you want to wash is babys head. I leave this for the end of bath time because the fastest place babies lose heat is from their head. Once you get their head wet, they can get very cold and very upset. Many people may think that washing babys diaper area should come last, but that is always the second to last place that I wash. I keep lots of wash cloths handy so that you can use separate, clean cloths for the body, diaper area, head, and face. The head is last, so we dont make baby cold. This will help avoid any tears.
Babys First Bath At Home
Once you get your little one home, theres no set timetable for when to give baby her first sponge bath. Experts agree that the timing for bathing a newborn is up to the parents, and that theres no big rush. Many families are excited about giving a baby their first newborn bath at home, but waiting a few days is fine, says Justin Smith, MD, a pediatrician at Cook Childrens Medical Center in Fort Worth, Texas.
Holly S., a mom of two, gave birth to her second baby at home and didnt bathe him for more than a week. Theres no need to wash them right away in most circumstances, she says. Any blood from the birth can be wiped off, and you just need to wipe their diaper areas thoroughly in the meantime. She also made sure to rub the vernix into her babys skin to get the most out of its antimicrobial and moisturizing properties.
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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.
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Should You Use Lotion After Bathing A Newborn
Take a peek in any baby store, and youll see two items always side-by-side: baby soap and baby lotion. Its understandable to think you need to apply a moisturizer daily, but babies dont need lotion after baths. In fact, many pediatricians dont recommend it. Too much moisturizer on a newborns skin can interfere with the skin barrier function.
What if babys skin is looking a bit on the dry side? Or maybe baby has eczema or cradle cap? Rub a little coconut oil on those patches instead.
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How Often You Should Bathe Your Newborn
Newborns dont need daily baths in their first few months of life. In fact, bathing your loved one too often may dry out their delicate and easily irritated skin. Three baths per week is plenty, as long as youre following a basic daily hygiene routine.
For example, always clean your babys bottom thoroughly when changing a dirty diaper. Your babys diaper area needs to be kept clean to avoid infections and rashes.
Use gentle baby wipes, like Mustelas Soothing Cleansing Wipes or Stelatopia Cleansing Wipes. This will keep your little one clean while protecting their delicate skin.
On the days when you arent bathing your newborn, you can use micellar water to cleanse their most important areas. Mustela No Rinse Cleansing Water is both gentle and effective! Use it to keep your little one clean without drying out their skin.
When using micellar water, focus on your babys face, hands, feet, neck, armpits, and the backs of their knees. These areas need to be cleansed more often than their arms, legs, and tummy.
How Often Do You Bathe A Newborn
Newborns need not bathe daily, and two to three baths a week are sufficient to keep them clean . Take the pediatricians opinion if you wish to bathe the newborn more than thrice a week. You may wash the babys face, hands, neck, and bottom every day with water or a sponge since these areas are most likely to become dirty easily.
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How Often Should You Bathe Your Newborn
Until a baby starts getting down and dirty on the ground, a daily bath isn’t needed . Your baby only needs a bath two or three times a week and in fact too much bathing can dry out your infants delicate skin. Newborns should only have sponge baths until their umbilical cords dry up and fall off.
If your baby’s umbilical cord stump is still intact or if a circumcised newborn’s penis hasn’t healed, avoid tub baths altogether and just use your hands or a baby washcloth for cleanups. When your baby is ready to give it a go, find a flat surface bathroom or kitchen counter, bed, even the floor and keep washing up with the sponge gently and briefly until she gets used to it.
When youre ready to graduate from a sponge bath, move the fun to a baby bathtub and eventually the big tub when your baby can sit up on her own and outgrows the infant tub. There’s nothing cuter than seeing a baby splashing in the bath, soapy suds dotting those chubby folds and dimples but always keep safety in mind. Never leave your baby alone in the bath water even for a second.