Proper bathing of a newborn: rules and recommendations for parents

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Bathing a newborn is a very exciting event for many new moms and dads. How to properly hold a tiny man so that he is not scared and does not slip out of his hands? Boil water or disinfect with potassium permanganate? What should be the room temperature when bathing a newborn? Let's try to answer these and other questions that concern many happy parents.

Buying a bath

Even during pregnancy, parents think about where to bathe the baby. The "adult" bath does not restrict the movements of the baby, after active swimming in it, the child is provided with an excellent appetite and sound sleep. At the same time, it is more difficult to disinfect. Even after careful cleaning, there may be dangerous germs or detergent residues inside.

The baby bath is safer. It is easier to fill it if the hot water is turned off. It is convenient to take herbal baths prescribed by a doctor. The conclusion is simple: such a purchase is included innumber needed.

There are several types of baby baths on the market:

1. Classic. These are smaller copies of an adult bath. They are made from plastic. Products are suitable for both newborn and one-year-old baby. The only negative: the mother will have to constantly support the head of the crumbs, which makes washing difficult. You can fix this by purchasing special tools.
2. Antibacterial. Their special coating prevents the formation of microbes, disinfects the water. Ideal choice for babies with sensitive skin. Products have a fairly high price.
3. Anatomical. They are produced with a built-in slide that copies the natural curves of the back of a newborn, fixes the head, arms, buttocks. The baby is in a reclining position, and it is convenient for mom to wash him. However, after six months, when the child grows up, you will have to choose a different bathing container.
4. Inflatable. They are soft, can have a built-in slide, armrests, and a relief bottom. Great for a trip to the country, but fail when damaged by a sharp object.
5. "Mom's tummy". This device was developed by physicians, and is more like a bucket in shape. The baby is in a familiar fetal position for him, which soothes the baby, relieves stress, relieves colic. True, bathing him in such a tight design is inconvenient. Yes, and he grows out of it by 2 months.

Additional accessories

Make bathing experience more comfortable for parents andcrumbs will help special devices. Which of them can be useful already in the first days of staying at home? Consider popular bathing devices for newborns:

1. Stands for the bath. They can be attached to the sides of a large bathtub or installed on the floor. Mom does not have to bend low to reach the child. The height of the floor stand is usually adjustable, thanks to the rubber nozzles, the legs do not slip. The design folds easily and takes up minimal space.
2. Gorki. If there are no anatomical inserts in the bath, this acquisition will be very useful. Mom does not have to soap the baby and at the same time make sure that he does not slip out of his hands. Slides can be made of plastic (it is better to cover them with a diaper during hygiene procedures) or fabric-covered metal. True, for newborns with low body weight, the device may be too big.
3. Hammocks. For bathing newborns, you can also use mesh models that are hooked to the sides of the bath. They are more convenient for children with small weight and height, they last up to about 4 months. Over time, the mesh stretches, the product sags heavily under the weight of the child and becomes unsafe. Therefore, pay special attention to the strength of the material.
4. Mattresses filled with silicone balls. With their help, you can bathe a baby weighing 3-8 kg. They have protective sides along the edges and a pillow with a notch for the head. The main disadvantage is that the baby can roll over if he actively moves his legs and arms. Therefore, it has to be constantly insured. Besidesthe material is easily soiled, after taking herbal baths the mattress quickly changes its color.

When to bathe?

The first bath of a newborn after the hospital raises many questions. Chief among them: “Should I wait until the umbilical wound heals?” Modern doctors allow water procedures from the first day of stay at home. This allows the baby to feel in a familiar environment, calm down, relax. You will have to limit yourself to wet rubdowns only if there are any problems with the healing of the navel: for example, it gets wet or fester. You will be warned about this at the time of discharge.

Most often the first bath occurs on the second day of stay at home. During this time, the child and parents manage to adapt a little to each other. In addition, newborns are usually given a BCG vaccination, immediately after which you can not wash.

It is better to bathe the baby in the evening, before the last feeding. Then he will sleep soundly at night. At the same time, the newborn should not be hungry, otherwise you will be provided with a loud roar during the procedure. Some babies get excited after bathing and cannot fall asleep. In this case, the procedure should be postponed to the daytime. Never bathe the baby immediately after eating, this will provoke regurgitation. Please wait at least an hour.

What to prepare for swimming?

It is better if during the responsible procedure everything you need is at your fingertips. Rinse the bath for bathing a newborn with soda, rinse asfollows and pour over with boiling water. Do the same with a slide or a hammock. In addition, for the first bath of a newborn you will need:

• a jug from which you will pour crumbs at the end of the procedure;
• water thermometer;
• diaper in which you will immerse the baby in water;
• washcloth or soft cloth;
• soap and shampoo for newborns (you can use them once a week);
• natural towel;
• clothing for changing clothes (diaper, vest or jumpsuit made of knitwear, diaper, bonnet);
• baby oil cream;
• doctor recommended umbilical wound treatment;
• blunt comb;
• cotton pads and flagella.

Picking up water

Do I need to boil water to bathe a newborn? Or is it enough to disinfect it with a light solution of potassium permanganate? Modern doctors say that none of this is required. In the maternity hospital, children are washed with ordinary tap water without the addition of potassium permanganate. It has already been proven that it dries delicate skin, causes irritation or burns if diluted incorrectly, and if swallowed, it poisons the baby.

Boiling is only necessary when you are in doubt about the quality of the water you are using. If it is drawn from a well or has an unnatural color, a foreign smell, it is better not to risk it. But even in this case, it is necessary to boil water for the first 10-14 days - until the umbilical wound heals.

The optimum water temperature for bathing a newborn is 36-37 °C. You can pour itwater 1°C lower. For the purpose of hardening, this temperature is gradually reduced and brought to 30 ° C. Fill the bath about 15 cm. The air temperature in the room can be 22-23 ° C.

Baby's first bath

Babies up to 6 months are bathed daily, then every other day. A young mother should involve the child's father or grandmother in this procedure. While one fills the bath, prepares water for dousing, measures its temperature, sets up a slide or a hammock, the second undresses the baby, rinses if necessary.

Let the baby lie naked for 5 minutes. During the first air bath with a newborn, you need to talk affectionately, stroke the back, arms, legs, massage the tummy clockwise. There may be crusts on the baby's head. Lubricate them with vegetable oil 15-20 minutes before immersion in water.

When everything is ready, wrap the newborn in a diaper. Carefully lay it on a slide or hammock, immersing the legs in water first, then the buttocks and back. If you bathe your baby without appliances, hold it with your left hand. At the same time, the head is located on the elbow bend, support the baby under the knees with a brush. So that he is not afraid, talk to him, explain what is happening. With the right hand, you need to gently wash the body. If you have an assistant, support the newborn by the shoulders and under the bottom. His head rests on your wrist.

First, wash your face with some water. Then lather the body with light movements, paying special attention to the folds of the armpits, on the neck, in the groin.area, between the fingers, behind the ears. If the water in the bath has cooled, add warm water and stir. Gently lather the head, massage, rinse from the face to the back of the head. Wash your genitals last. The boy is rinsed with the penis, scrotum, while the foreskin is not even touched. Girls are washed from front to back.

If the child is nervous, swing him right in the water. It happens that the baby fell asleep during the bath, burst into tears or went to the toilet. Then we interrupt the procedure. Pulling out the newborn, we release him from the diapers, carefully turn him back up. At this time, the assistant rinses the baby with water from a jug, wraps it in a towel and takes it to the changing table. The whole procedure should take about 5 minutes. In the future, this time can be increased, focusing on the well-being of the child.

After swimming

A newborn cannot be dried. Gently blot the body, dry the folds with a diaper. Unfold gradually so that the baby does not freeze. Using a cotton pad dipped in boiled water, wipe the eyes towards the nose. Clean both nostrils with flagella, twisting them counterclockwise. Also wipe the ears with flagella. You don't have to worry about water getting in. If this happens, just turn the baby first on one barrel, and then on the other.

Wipe the umbilical cord and treat as directed by the doctor. Most often, hydrogen peroxide and brilliant green are used for these purposes. If there is redness in the folds or on the ass, a special cream or ointment is applied. When dryskin use baby oil. The crusts on the head soften after bathing. They are smeared with a fat cream and carefully combed out with a comb. It is impossible to scrape off unseparated residues, be extremely delicate. Repeat the procedure once a week.

Try to do all these operations quickly and confidently, with jokes and songs, so as not to cause a negative reaction in the crumbs. A tired baby is changed, fed and put to bed.

Herbal decoctions

Pediatricians do not recommend bathing newborns in baths with herbal or other additives, unless there are special indications for this. The fact is that the skin of the crumbs is very sensitive. Many herbs dry it. Even the most harmless additive can cause an allergic reaction. Usually this becomes clear after 15 minutes after the start of bathing - redness, small spots appear on the baby's skin.

It's another matter if you were prescribed baths with medicinal herbs at the clinic appointment. They are useful in the treatment of diaper rash, diathesis, for relaxation with hypertension and other problems. Consider the most common types of medicinal herbs:

1. Chamomile for bathing newborns relieves skin irritations, reduces itching, gently soothes restless children, has a good effect on the girl's genitourinary system.
2. St. John's wort is good for boys. In addition, it heals wounds, helps with diathesis.
3. Nettle softens delicate skin, promotes hair growth, has an anti-inflammatory effect, improves the condition of the entire body of the baby.
4. Baby bath line reducesrash, helps with crusts on the head, but it dries the skin. You can’t swim in it more than 1-2 times a week.
5. Lavender and valerian are recommended for restless babies. They improve sleep, relieve spasms, and are effective for rashes.
6. Bearberry or motherwort will save you from colic, help regulate bowel function.

Brew grass

Buy the prescribed remedy at the pharmacy. If you purchased filter bags, you will need 5 pieces for 1.5 liters of water. A handful of dry grass is diluted in 5 liters of liquid. Use enameled or faience dishes. Remember that aluminum reacts with components. The decoction is infused for at least 1 hour, then carefully filtered through a sieve or gauze. It is enough to pour 30 g of infusion into the bath.

Before bathing a newborn, test by spreading the decoction on a small area of the baby's skin and making sure there is no reaction. Use only freshly prepared herbs. Don't bathe your baby in baths with additives more than 3 times a week.

Bathing in a big tub

"Adult" bath allows babies to move more actively. In it you can conduct special gymnastics, learn to swim. Newborns begin to bathe in a large bath only after the umbilical wound has completely healed, at the age of 2-4 weeks. Before this, the surface is washed with soda or laundry soap, rinsed with boiling water.

Children of this age usually float well. Lower them into the bath gradually, allowing them to get used to the new sensations. In position onhold the baby under the back of the head with both hands, his tummy and breast will float up by themselves. When the baby swims on the tummy, we put one hand under the chin, the other under the breast.

If parents are afraid of a large amount of water, you can practice swimming together with mom. Before that, a woman should take a shower. For many families, purchasing a special circle for bathing newborns is an excellent way out. From how many months can it be worn on a baby? The optimal age is from 5 to 7 weeks. This device allows the baby to stay on the water well and move actively without putting pressure on the neck or spine.

However, there are times when a circle around the neck for bathing a newborn cannot be used. These include:

• high intracranial pressure;
• cervical spine injury;
• cold;
• rash or redness on the neck.

You need to put on and take off the device outside the bath, preferably with an assistant. While swimming, do not leave the child for a minute, constantly maintain contact, encourage them to turn around at your call, get toys.

Bathing a newborn is not just washing the body. During the procedure, hardening occurs, muscle clamps are removed, the child actively moves, spends energy. After the bath, he eats better, sleeps more soundly. Many babies love to swim. If properly organized, this daily event will bring much joy to both parents and newborns themselves.