Bathing Your Baby (2024)

FAQs

Bathing Your Baby? ›

There's no need to give your newborn baby a bath every day. Three times a week might be enough until your baby becomes more mobile. Bathing your baby too much can dry out your baby's skin.

It is important to follow these safety rules when bathing your baby: Keep the room warm so your baby does not get cold. Bathe your baby quickly to avoid chilling. Keep water around 100° Fahrenheit (F) or 37.8° Celsius (C).

It protects baby from bacteria and germs, and helps her body hold a normal temperature. Use these research-based tips from the nurse experts of the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric & Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN) to help keep your baby's skin healthy, beautiful and soft.

Once they hit six months, you can start bathing them three to four times a week; you can also bathe them daily if your doctor gives you the go-ahead. And once they become a toddler, you should be bathing (or showering) them daily or every other day. It's best to use warm water for a baby bath or shower.

You don't need to bathe your baby every day. You may prefer to wash their face, neck, hands and bottom instead. This is often called "topping and tailing". Choose a time when your baby is awake and content.

Bath time might be part of your nightly ritual, but doctors actually don't recommend daily baths for babies. Excess exposure to water can zap their skin of moisture and worsen conditions like eczema. Then again, not bathing your baby often enough can also aggravate eczema, plus lead to other infections.

Newborns don't need a bath every day. They rarely sweat or get dirty enough to need a full bath that often. Three baths per week during baby's first year may be enough. Bathing more frequently can dry out your baby's skin.

How often does my newborn need a bath? There's no need to give your newborn baby a bath every day. Three times a week might be enough until your baby becomes more mobile. Bathing your baby too much can dry out your baby's skin.

The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that newborns should not be given a bath in the first 24 h but to wait until their vital signs become stable, especially that this will leave residual vernix caseosa intact allowing it to wear off with normal care and handling [2].

You can bath your baby at any time of the day. It's a good idea to pick a time when you're relaxed and you won't be interrupted. Try not to bath your baby when they're hungry or they've just had a feed. If bathing relaxes your baby, you can use it as a way to settle your baby in the evening.

Do babies need lotion? ›

Skin care for your newborn

Products for adults may be too harsh for a baby and may contain irritants or allergens. Many parents like to use lotions. But unless the baby's skin is dry, lotions really are not needed. Powders should be avoided, unless they are recommended by your baby's healthcare provider.

Most babies outgrow baby bathtubs by the time they're six months old. To keep up with your baby's changing needs, a convertible tub with a sitting assistant that has suction cups can be a great option, allowing you to bathe your baby in the “big kid” bathtub.

There is no set age when you should give your baby a bath. Babies get cold quickly, and that's more risky for them than being a bit dirty. If you're anxious about bathing your little one, you don't need to put them into a bath until you feel confident about it.

There's no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. Many doctors say a daily shower is fine for most people. (More than that could start to cause skin problems.) But for many people, two to three times a week is enough and may be even better to maintain good health.

Using soaps and shampoos

Only use plain water for newborn babies. You can start using unperfumed baby bath from about 4 to 6 weeks, but be careful to only use a little so you don't damage your baby's skin. Babies with longer hair may need a drop of mild shampoo on wet hair, lathered and rinsed off.

A sponge bath is great for your baby until they are ready for a regular or tub bath. However, to start taking a shower with your newborn, you should wait until their umbilical cord stump has fallen off. This can take anywhere between 7 to 21 days after birth.

General instructions include using warm water, bathing quickly and gently, drying quickly, and never leaving the baby unattended. Assessments should be done before bathing and the environment, equipment, and nursing actions are outlined.

Never leave your baby alone in the bath, even for a minute. Babies and children can drown in just a few centimetres of water and should never be left unsupervised in and around water. Fill the bath with comfortably warm water. Check the temperature with your wrist or elbow before placing your baby gently into the bath.

To sponge bathe, undress your baby and swaddle them in a towel with the head exposed. Wash your baby's face first, being careful not to get water into their eyes or mouth. Don't use soap on your baby's face. Then wash the rest of your baby's body.