Your newborn doesn’t need  much bathing especially if the diaper area is washed well. Giving the baby a bath 3 times a week for the first year may be enough. Giving the baby lots of baths can dry her skin especially if you use soap or if the moisture  is allowed to evaporate from the skin. It is important to  pat your baby skin dry and use a fragrance free moisturizer right after a bath. This will prevent the skin from getting dry.
 

 

Different ways of bathing your newborn.

Spong bath :  The newborn needs only sponge baths during the first week or two  until the umbilical stump falls off. Lay the newborn on a flat comfortable surface in a warm room. You can use a changing table, bed, floor or counter  next to a sink. Lay a blanket or fluffy towel on hard surfaces.  If the baby is on a surface above the floor, you have to take precautions to prevent the baby from falling. You can do this by using a safety strap or keeping one hand on the baby all the time.

• gather all the items you need for the bath such as basin of water, a  clean wash cloth  and mild baby soap
• keep your baby wrapped in a towel
• expose only the areas of her body that you are actively washing
• first , you need to wash her face with a damp cloth with no soap This will prevent soap from getting into the eyes and mouth
• dip the wash cloth in the soapy water in the basin and use it to wash all the other body parts
• lastly wash the diaper area
• It is important to pay special attention to the creases under the arm, around the ear, behind the neck and the genital area

Tub baths : After the umbilical cord heals, you can give the newborn tub baths. The first bath should be gently and short as much as possible. It may be easier to use a plastic baby bath or kitchen sink instead of a standard bath tub.

• fill the tub with  2 inches (5.08 cm) of water that feels warm not hot. You can use the inside of your wrist or elbow to test the temperature of the water
• make sure you have all your supplies ready and the room is warm before undressing the baby
• you will need a clean wash cloth, mild soap , cup for rinsing the body with clear water and  shampoo for the child’s hair
• place your undressed baby immediately in the water to prevent her from getting cold
• use one hand to support the baby’s head and the other to guid the baby in the tub, feet first
• lower the rest of her body gently until she is in the tub
• most of her body and face should be above the water for safety
• you need to pour warm water on her frequently to keep her warm
• use the soft cloth to wash her face and hair. You may shampoo her hair once or twice a week
• gently massage her scalp including the area over her Fontanelle (soft spot)
• cup your hand across her forehead when you rinse or shampoo from the head to prevent soap from getting into her eyes
• if soap should get into her eyes, use a wet wash cloth and liberally wipe her eyes with plain, lukewarm water until any remains of soap are gone
• wash the rest of the body from top down

 
If  the baby enjoys the bath, give her extra time to splash in the water. Bath toys are not really necessary for young babies

Newborn Bath safety

 
• never leave your baby unsupervised even for just a minute
• do not put your baby in the  tub when the water is still running
• set the water heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. A child can get third-degree burns in less than a minute at 140 degrees.

 
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