Baby Bath Time
Giving my kids baths was always great fun for me. After I got over the sheer terror of it and they were old enough to like it.
When your baby first comes home he or she will probably still have his or her umbilical cord stump on- which means a reprieve. No full on baths until it has dried up and fallen off, only sponge baths. Soon enough though the cord will fall off and your baby will develop a funky smell from milk dribbles and similar. It will be time for a bath. Any parent in their right mind is a little overwhelmed about the first bath. It is a lot to do! Babies are so slippery when they are wet! Water can be dangerous! What do you do?
First, take a deep breath and get everything together that you’ll need. Never leave a baby alone in water. Ever. Even for a moment. So get everything ready first. You will need a towel (I grab two, just in case), a wash cloth the baby bath tub, baby wash, baby lotion, a fresh diaper, fresh clothes, and the baby.
I like to run a super hot shower for a few minutes before I give my newborn a bath, it warms up the bathroom. New born babies are not so good at regulating body temperature yet, so they get cold fast. When you fill the baby bath tub the first few times add less water than you think you’ll need. Test the water first; you do not want it too hot or to cold.
When bathing your baby use one hand to help him or her stay up in the water. Use the other hand for washing. The parts that I typically really pay attention too are the baby’s diaper area and the area around his or her neck with all of the little creases. They get dribbles in there and it can get messy fast. Typically, doing a quick bath is enough. Then get him/her dried off, lotioned up and dressed again so he or she does not get to cold.
