Baby's First Bath: Tips and Tricks

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

One of the most important and exciting events in the life of new parents is the first bath of a baby.

If an adult perceives taking a bath as a relaxing procedure, then with a small child the situation is completely different. It is very important that the baby receives only positive emotions from taking the first water procedures, as this is the foundation for the further perception of the bathing procedure.

When to start bathing

In the maternity hospital, where the mother and the baby were for several days, the child cannot be bathed. Upon returning home, you should definitely start water procedures. Parents themselves choose the optimal time to start the first water procedures. However, it is worth listening to the recommendations of specialists in the field of children's he alth.

Baby bath is a daily body cleansing routine that allows the skin to breathe clean and fresh.

There is an opinion that a baby should be bathed for the first time on5-10th day after birth. To a greater extent, it depends on the healing process of the umbilical wound. In this matter, each mother makes her own decision regarding her child, since the opinions of doctors and experienced mothers differ. But, of course, it will be good if mommy consults a pediatrician on this issue.

Preparation for water procedures

Bathing of a newborn baby will occur regularly, so you need to prepare in advance. List of items that are required:

1. Baby for baby. You should not bathe a newly born baby in an ordinary bath in which the whole family bathes, even if you clean it well before each water procedure. The immunity of a small child is not yet formed, so hygiene should come first. There are many baths in children's goods stores: with sides, a slide, classic and others. It will not be difficult to find a suitable one in all respects.
2. Thermometer for water. The skin of the baby is very sensitive, and before starting the bathing process, parents must check the temperature of the water without fail. You should not rely on your feelings, they will be completely different with a newborn who has not yet “tuned” the thermoregulation mode.
3. Anti-slip base on the bottom of the bath, which allows the baby to be safe and feel confident. As such a surface, you can use a dense diaper made of natural fabric, it will reliably protect not only from the slippery bottom, but also protect the delicate skin of the babyfrom chafing.
4. A medium-sized jug is better to choose from light and safe materials. You will need it to rinse the baby or wash off the foam.
5. When choosing a bathing product for babies, give preference to products with the most natural and hypoallergenic composition.
6. Soft towel and washcloth.
7. Cotton buds and discs will be needed to clean the ears, nose and face of the child.

Buying a bath is the decision of the parents only. But what advantages in such an inexpensive acquisition!

Bathing according to the Komarovsky method

It is impossible not to pay special attention to the bathing system according to the method of the famous pediatrician Komarovsky. He shares the procedure for taking water procedures in two directions: it is necessary to bathe the baby after natural emptying, and also to constantly arrange hygiene procedures for the baby. Bathing a baby Komarovsky considers it is not necessary to carry out in boiled water if the baby has clean and he althy skin.

It is recommended to take a general bath only after the umbilical wound has completely healed. Healing depends on proper care of the baby. Those parents who do not overheat the child and constantly ventilate the room will see the healing result much earlier. On average, the wound heals 2 weeks after the birth of the baby.

Accordingly, in the first 2 weeks of life, the pediatrician does not recommend using soap. But if this is necessary, then the remaining foam must be thoroughly washed off the delicate skin of the newborn.

After the end of the water procedures, you can’t dry the child with a towel, but you just need to gently blot the delicate body.

Water temperature

Parents themselves should decide what water to bathe the child in. Someone prefers early hardening of the body, some are afraid that the baby will freeze. Water for bathing a baby should be at 36.6 degrees. You can check if the baby is hot with the back of your hand, there is very delicate skin, and the assessment will be relatively correct.

It's better if parents buy a thermometer in advance and don't guess. Yes, and at first, many bathe a child in boiled water until the umbilical wound heals, and sometimes you have to wait until the water in the bath cools down. In this case, the thermometer will be very helpful.

While bathing, pay attention to the baby's skin, if it is hot and reddened, it may be a high temperature for your crumbs. If the triangle near the nose turns blue, then the baby is frozen. After a couple of weeks, you will easily navigate and choose the optimal temperature for bathing a baby.

Diaper

Not every parent immediately understands why a diaper is needed when bathing a baby. Natural fabric is used to protect the child from the slippery bottom of the bath. The baby, immersed in the bath, feels much more comfortable on a warm and soft diaper.

We act according to the following principle:

1. You can put a diaper folded in several layers on the bottom of the bath. Or wrap the baby and immerse inwater.
2. You need to bathe the baby together. One of the parents holds the baby and washes, again covering with a diaper. And the other is watering from a ladle.
3. Wash your hands first, then your feet.
4. Further tummy and back.
5. After bathing the baby is over, he is taken out of the bath and wrapped in a soft and terry towel.
6. Then change into warm clothes.

Baby bathing step by step: instructions for young mothers

Many first-time mothers are very afraid of their baby's first bath. This is due to the lack of experience, the fear of harming a defenseless baby. If you fall into this category, please follow the steps below:

1. Fill the baby bath with water. Each mother decides for herself how to bathe a child for the first time - in running or boiled water. Check the water temperature.
2. Undress the baby, then pick it up. If the baby is naughty or shows discontent, try to calm him down and relax.
3. Very slowly lower the baby into the bath, he should gradually get used to the new sensations. The baby should not experience fear or excessive excitement. Otherwise, it will negatively affect the attitude towards water procedures in the future.
4. During bathing, pay special attention to the baby's head, he still does not know how to hold it on his own, and your help will be needed throughout the bathing process.
5. Soap baby gently from neck to toe. Baby bath should be gentle and cleansing. Wash off the foam with warm waterpitcher.
6. Finish your bath with a gentle wash of your newborn's head. If you don't plan to wash your hair, you can use an item such as a baby bath cap.
7. Take the baby in your arms and wrap it in a soft towel. Gently pat excess moisture off the skin. Simultaneously with this action, you can sing a song to the baby or tell a fairy tale.

Such an elementary instruction will help young parents cope with the fear of the first bath.

How to bathe a baby

The modern market for children's goods offers a huge variety of bathing products for babies. However, do not rely on well-known brands or high prices, which do not always live up to expectations.

The most important thing in children's cosmetics for hygiene procedures is:

• security;
• hypoallergenic;
• optimum ph level;
• cosmetics should suit baby's sensitive skin;
• ditching soap in favor of liquid baby care products.

Try to bathe your baby with baby gels or soap no more than 1-2 times a week. On other days, carry out the procedure with running water. This will protect the baby's skin from overdrying and irritation.

Bathing in herbs

An excellent solution for bathing a baby are pharmaceutical herbal preparations. If the child is restless and does not fall asleep well, a coniferous solution should be used, which is added to the bath during waterprocedures.

If the baby is prone to rashes or allergic manifestations on the skin, then you need to opt for string or elecampane. Children whose umbilical wound does not heal for a long time can be bathed in chamomile. But keep in mind that the pharmacy flower dries the skin very much and it is better to use it in combination with other components, and not in its pure form.

Despite the fact that herbs are natural and herbal ingredients, it is necessary to consult a doctor before using them on a small child. Not all pharmacy fees are safe for a particular person. Some herbs can trigger an allergic reaction.

Child he alth specialist will easily select the optimal composition that your baby needs.

How long is the bath and what to do next

Modern pediatricians advise bathing your baby for no more than 10 minutes. But if your little one is naughty, and songs or rhymes do not calm him down, then the baby should be taken out of the bath much earlier. If your child loves water procedures and does not always want to leave the bath, then the duration of bathing can be slightly increased. The main thing is to keep an eye on the temperature of the water all the time so that the baby does not freeze. Additionally, you can prepare a saucepan of hot water and add it in time to maintain the optimum temperature.

After the baby has finished water procedures, wrap him in a flannel diaper or a terry towel. Do not rub the baby's body! Then you can proceed to hygiene procedures. Treat the folds of the crumbs with a cotton pad soaked in baby oil. If the child has diaper rash, then use powder or a special purpose cream under the diaper. Pay special attention to the intimate organs of babies. For a girl, gently wipe the genital slit with a cotton swab dipped in warm boiled water, for a boy, oil the crease under the scrotum. During hygiene procedures for girls, please note that the movements should be strictly from front to back.

Don't forget the ears. Twist a small piece of cotton wool into a flagellum and insert it into the ears of the baby, as soon as the hairs on the head are dry, the flagella can be removed. This action will prevent water from entering the ears.

How often to bathe and useful items for water procedures

With the use of soap or baby gel, the baby should be bathed no more than 2 times a week. This is enough for a newborn baby.

When the baby begins to crawl, detergents can be used daily. It is not necessary to use a washcloth, you can do with gentle manual lathering of the baby's skin.

Most often, a washcloth is required if the baby has crusts on the head. You need to pour a little baby shampoo on it and gently massage the head, then rinse the baby with clean water and wrap it in a terry towel.

The modern market for children's goods offers a huge number of items for the development of the baby and making it easier for mom to care for the baby. A popular device, such as a baby bathing ring, can protect a baby from an unfortunatecase on the water. The convenient design allows you to fix the baby's head, and the baby stay on the water in a state of calm. For parents, such a circle is a great help in the process of washing the crumbs, there is no need to worry that the child will slip away or hit the edges of the bath, as there is a reliable “inflatable protection”.

Baby bathing circle has a number of advantages:

• many models can be used when taking water procedures from the first days of life;
• inlays under the neck are made of soft material without sharp edges, moreover, the seam is located inside the product, so the mother can be sure that the delicate skin of the baby's neck will not be damaged;
• the circle has several chambers, so by inflating it, you can independently adjust the degree of filling with air.

The most important thing when choosing such a product is to make sure that there is no marriage. It is not necessary to buy a pump, since the circle is quite easy to inflate on your own.

Another interesting helper in the adoption of water procedures is a pillow for bathing a baby. In fact, this is an analogue of the aforementioned circle, but without additional fasteners in the form of Velcro and fasteners. But such a product does not cancel the help of parents in the process of bathing, since the pillow is not fixed, and the baby simply lies on top of it. Accordingly, the risk of slipping out of a children's gadget remains significant. Manufacturers assure potential buyers that this thing is just a godsend, since it can also be used on the road, as it supports the baby's cervical vertebrae. But this is a very controversial statement, since the use of a pillow for a child under one year old is harmful in itself.

Tips for proper newborn bathing

To ensure that bathing your baby is always easy and hassle-free, follow the tips and tricks below:

1. Buy a baby bath that will be used exclusively for bathing your baby. Hygiene for a newborn in the first stage of life plays a very important role.
2. The first immersion in water should be done slowly, the baby should gradually get used to new sensations and perceive the procedure as something safe.
3. You should not gather all the relatives for the first bath of the baby, this can seriously scare the little one. Enough two parents or one of the grandmothers to help.
4. Pay special attention to the folds of the baby when bathing, most often microbes accumulate in them.
5. So that the baby is not afraid, you can entertain him at the same time: sing a song, tell a poem, play with a toy, etc.
6. There are kids who don't like it when water gets in their eyes. A foam baby bath cap will protect your baby's face with large brim.

Mom's mood is very important. In families where young mothers were afraid of the baby's first bath, children do not particularly like water procedures. This happens because children feel anxiety on the part of an adult during the first acquaintance with water, which accompanies the baby's bathing in the bathroom, and in the future, the mood for taking a bath is negative.

If you are concerned about some of the nuances whenthe first bathing of the baby, it is better to double-check everything several times. And only after that, with full confidence, start bathing the baby. If you can’t overcome fear and worries, then entrust the occupation to one of your close relatives - your mother-in-law or your mother. They have vast life experience in raising and caring for children, so there should be no difficulties. If you don't plan on washing your baby's hair, a baby bath cap will help with the bathing process.

In the process of taking water procedures, use funny rhymes or nursery rhymes. They will relax both you and the baby. And with this approach, you will form a positive attitude towards hygiene procedures and caring for your own body in the crumbs.