How To Give your Baby A Bath
Bathing a newborn is a daunting task for new parents. Their skin and bodies are quite delicate and there is that worry that they can unintentionally hurt them. The fact of the matter is, even though it is true that new parents have to be very careful when they bathe their babies, it can be done easily.
During the first several days as the vernix is still on the skin of the newborn, it is best to not wet their bodies at all. The vernix is there to keep their skin moisturized and strengthened. However, once the vernix is off, parents can start giving their newborns a sponge bath.
What they need is soap designed for sensitive skin, as well as cloths and towels that are gentle for their skin. The towels need to be as gentle as the bedding in the Moses basket which is guaranteed to keep their delicate skin free of irritation. When parents are about to give their newborn a sponge bath, they will need to make sure that the room they are bathing the baby in is warm. Babies can get very cold quickly.
The next step is to put the baby on a soft surface in the warm room and to dip the cloth in lukewarm water with a dab of soap. Begin to wash their head, then wash their body. The finally to wash their diaper area. Once the sponge bath is done, then immediately put a warm towel around the baby to prevent the infant from becoming chilled.
Sponge baths should be given to infants until their umbilical cords stumps have fallen off. Then they can begin to have a real bath in shallow water such as in a sink or on an infant bath. They must be supervised at all times. Make sure that the water is lukewarm so it is comfortable for the baby. A shallow bath will clean up the rest of their bodies well, and once they are done, make sure they are warmed by a towel right away.
The only time when a sponge bath should be continued to be given to a baby after the cord stump falls off is when it comes to circumcision. Baby boys that have been circumcised will need some extra time for that area to heal. Therefore, a regular bath can increase the chances of an infection.
If parents of newborn boys that were circumcised are unsure of whether or not they are healed enough for a regular bath must consult their baby's pediatrician.
It is also ideal to give babies baths in the evening as it can easily become part of their routine. A bath can help them fall asleep quicker as it can make them quite drowsy. The ideal thing to do is to give the baby a bath, and then give the newborn a final feeding. Wait for 15 minutes to a half-hour after the feeding to put the infant into the baby Moses basket for the night. He or she will sleep as long as possible until hunger strikes.