Bathing your baby (2024)

FAQs

When should you start bathing your baby? ›

Only give your newborn sponge baths until the stump of the umbilical cord falls off, which usually happens by about one or two weeks of age. If it remains beyond that time, there may be other issues at play. See the baby's doctor if the cord has not dried up and fallen off by the time the baby is 2 months old.

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.

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.

But for most families, bathing the baby two to three times a week is plenty after the first couple of weeks of life. In fact, we recommend delaying your newborn's first full bath for at least two weeks. Newborns shed about three layers of skin within their first week, which often surprises new parents.

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.

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.

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.

There is no longer a placenta to maintain blood sugar levels. If you bathe a baby too soon after birth, they run the risk of emitting too many stress hormones which will cause their blood sugar to drop making them tired and less likely to breastfeed. In some cases, this fatigue can result in neurological injury.

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.

Should you put lotion on an infant? ›

Skin care for your newborn

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. When using any powder, put the powder in your hand and then apply it to the baby's skin.

Some babies love bath time to begin with, others don't. You may need to try different ways of bathing your baby and at different times of day, to find out what suits you both. Choose a time of day when your baby is happy and awake .

Tips for Bathing Older Babies

You might consider transitioning your little one to the regular tub around the time they start crawling, which is usually around seven to ten months old.

Don't put your baby in the tub for a few weeks after he or she is born. It's best to sponge-bathe your infant until the umbilical cord falls off and is completely healed. After that, you can place your baby in the water, making sure to support the head and neck at all times. Your baby doesn't need a bath every day.

It's best not to shower with a newborn baby, since they need their head supported at all times and it's harder for them to regulate their body temperature. Also, experts recommend just sponge baths to clean your baby until their umbilical cord stump has fallen off.

Using soaps and shampoos

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.