The baby bath: some tips to give your baby a good and freshing bath

Many babies enjoy the moment of bathing. They love to stretch, shake and splash in the water. Babies feel relaxed after a bath. Sometimes it's all it takes to calm a child.

When the moment comes to bathe your baby for the first time, do not be afraid to seek advice from someone experienced if you doubt yourselves. You can call your doctor's office and ask for help if you do not know how to do it.

A few tips

• Choose the time of the bath according to the state of the awakening of your baby. Choose a time when your baby is awake and calm.
• For newborns, only a few centimeters of water is enough for bathing.
• Never leave your baby alone in the bath or on a table even for a short time.
• Never leave your eyes either. An infant can drown in a very short time in a very small amount of water (about 1 ½ inches or 3.8 cm).
• Always check the water temperature before immersing your baby in the bath. Dip your elbow into the water to make sure it is lukewarm.
• Always keep what you need close at hands, such as towels and reserve soaps.
• Always hold your child with one hand when you reach for something.
• Ask your doctor how to care for your baby's umbilical cord or the wound left by circumcision. Take the time to understand what to do. The moment of the bath or the change of diaper is the perfect opportunities to clean these parts of your body.
• Make sure the height of the surface of which you are washing your baby is right for you. Place a small cushion, blanket and towel near the bath to create a comfortable corner for your little one.

Bath preparation

A baby can be washed in a regular bath with his parent, in a baby bath or in a clean washbasin. Newborns do not have to be washed every day: 2 to 3 times a week is enough during the first weeks of life. However, you can wash your face, neck, buttocks, and genitals every day with a washcloth.

Before you start bathing, prepare everything you need:

• 2 large fluffy towels;
• layers;
• unscented cream or baby oil;
• clean clothes;
• a very soft washcloth;
• unscented mild soap and shampoo for babies;
• a nail clipper if needed;
• a comb;
• a cotton swab to clean the belly button.

Wash baby

It is necessary to support the head of the newborns while they are bathed.

• The best way to wash a child is to start with the head and then go down.
• Start by washing his face gently, with a washcloth.
• Wipe his eyes gently, going from the nose to the cheek, using a very soft washcloth. Use a different corner of the glove for each eye.
• Wash the outside and the back of the ears.
• Wash her scalp with a very gentle shampoo. Lift her head well and support her when rinsing.
• Wash her belly, arms, and legs.
• Wash her genitals last. For boys, do not pull on the foreskin.
• If your child is still covered with vernix (a white paste on the skin at birth), do not rub it. it will go away with time.

After bath

Babies also love the contact of another skin against theirs. Enjoy bath time to massage your child. That will reassure him.

• Wrap him in the towel and dry him without rubbing it.
• Take care to dry all the folds of his skin.
• Once dry, put a layer on him, making sure it does not irritate the umbilical cord.
• Avoid using baby powder, talc, because they are spreading in the air. If the baby breathes them, it can damage his lungs.
• Cut his nails, if necessary, after bathing while he sleeps.

Read also: 10 things you should not do with your baby Souce: http://naitreetgrandir.com/