Giving a bath to your baby can be a fun for you too, if you consider some precautions. The newly born baby is very tiny and tender that giving him a bath could be scary and interesting. If your baby has an aversion towards the bath, then it’s not required to go through the ordeal every day. You can give him a sponge bath regularly and a bath every other day to keep him clean. Once the baby becomes used to bath then he would enjoy splashing of water and playing with it.

Some Basic Common Measures to Follow

There is some basic common sense which one should follow as the baby is very tender and fragile. In case you forgot something or the doorbell rings and you have to leave the room or bathroom, take along your baby with you. Never leave your baby unattended in the water. Babies can drown in less than one inch of water within a minute. Make sure that the requirements for a bath are handy. Never give them a bath after meals as it may result in spitting. The water should not be more than three inches in the tub. The temperature should be more apt towards warm and not more than 120 degrees Fahrenheit.

Most of the babies cry through their initial bath until they begin enjoying it so do not panic and let them take their time. Immerse your baby slowly into the tub, feet first and then use your left hand to support his neck and head. Let him enjoy the water and its feel. Using your free hand you can splash water lightly over his body. Wet the sponge and use mild baby soap to wash his body. Don’t use soap on his face. You can wash his scalp and clean the corners of his eyes and nose with moistened cotton balls. Regarding genitals, you can wash it like you wash other part of the body. Once the bath is finished, you can lift them up from the bathtub.

Remember to take extra care while you are holding babies as they are slippery after the bath, wrap them in a towel and dry their hair and then the body. A mild lotion will make him feel soft and smell good, though it is not necessary to use powder or lotion on babies. Diaper and dress them. They too feel fresh and sleep better after a bath. Following are the queries which the parents could face.

When to Give a Bath to Your Newborn Baby

• Babies need warmth so you should not give them bath straight after their birth.
• Get home and relax, be in comfort zone as you are back from the hospital, then give him a bath.
• You can wipe and dry your baby using clean and warm towel.
• It would be safe to give bath to your baby after an hour or so after the birth. Before giving him a bath, make sure your baby is healthy and full term, the room is warm and baby’s body temperature is normal.
• Before giving a bath make sure the room is warm and the doors and windows are closed.
• Your baby's first bath should be thorough one and quicker, not more than 5 to 10 minutes as new born babies lose heat of their body very quickly.
• Keep warm towels ready to wrap them as soon as they finish their bath.
• For the first few baths you can use little pH neutral liquid baby cleanser or just water.
• Try to avoid bath emollient in the water as it will make your baby slippery to handle.

When to Give Your Baby Regular Baths

• There is no hard and fast rule to give bath to your baby from day one.
• You can give a warm sponge bath till a week. Take your time as you need time for yourself to recover.
• Don't get scared of the baby's umbilical cord stump. You can give a bath to your baby before its umbilical cord stump falls or healed. It will not harm your baby's healing process.
• To avoid any kind of infection just makes sure you allow it to dry off completely after a sponge or a bath.

Handy Essentials for Baby Bath

• Baby shampoo or soap
• Wash cloths
• Warm towels
• Clean clothes and diaper
• Small plastic tub, sink or tub bath

How Often Your Baby Needs a Bath

• Giving your baby a bath once or twice is fine during the first few months.
• Newly born babies don't require bath daily as they don't get very dirty.
• If you have hard water in your area, avoid much bath as it may dry up your baby's skin.