In order for the baby to enjoy hygiene procedures and take a bath with pleasure and without tears, he needs to be provided with comfort and safety. A bathing cap for babies allows young parents to carry out hygiene procedures comfortably. This process is quite difficult for many mothers, since the baby does not yet know how to sit and hold his head. Usually both parents are involved in bathing: one holds the baby, and the other bathes the little body.
Special bathing accessories allow you to carry out this procedure alone. This is especially true when the mother does not have helpers, and the size of the bathroom does not allow two adults to comfortably fit.
Baby bathing cap with foam
Swim cap with foam
There are many types of swimming caps. But the most popular among parents has become a cap with foam plastic, which allows a child to get used to swimming in the first months of his life.
This swimming cap with foam is a product that looks like a chamomile, the petals of which are made of ordinary foam. It does not get wet or become heavier under the influence of water. That is why it allows you to keep the baby's head above the water.
Neurologists and massage therapists recommend using this product every time you bathe, as the baby feels comfortable in it and can independently make movements while in the water. And this has a beneficial effect on the nervous system, which allows the baby to quickly fall asleep in the evening.
The photo shows one of the types of swimming caps - a swimming visor
What other hats are there? There is also a visor cap that prevents water and detergents from getting on your face and ears. This cap does not support the baby's head; it only serves as an umbrella. But with its help, the problem of tears appearing after using shampoo will disappear.
Do I need a bathing cap for a newborn?
Whether it is necessary to buy a swimming cap or not, parents decide for themselves. But if you want your baby to be accustomed to water sports from birth, it is simply a necessary accessory.
Also, if you plan to visit the pool with your baby, then you will still have to buy a bathing cap for your newborn , since without it you simply will not be allowed into this establishment.
In fact, this accessory is a very useful thing. After all, with its help, the baby begins to learn the basics of swimming from birth. And sport, as you know, is the only method of maintaining health for many years.
Many parents believe that this product is completely useless. That it still does not protect the baby from water getting on his face, and the head still submerges under water. This is true, but this does not mean that a foam swimming cap is a useless product.
The thing is that this accessory is intended to accustom the baby to bathing, that is, the child must independently learn to hold his head in it . And this will require 3-4 sessions, after which additional support of the head while bathing the baby will not be necessary.
If you are using a small bathtub to bathe a child, there is no point in buying this product, since drowning in it or swallowing water is impossible. In this case, it is best to use regular slides for bathing newborns.
But if you prefer to bathe your baby in a shared large bathtub , where using a slide becomes impossible, then you simply cannot do without a special cap, since the child can easily slip out of the parent’s hands and choke.
Benefit
The use of a cap allows you to perform water gymnastics in a spacious bathtub or in a swimming pool from the first weeks after birth. A hat allows you to keep your head above the water level and prevents water from getting into your eyes and ears, preventing you from choking. In addition, its use allows mom to be less tired and relieves stress from her back. After all, when carrying out water procedures, the baby no longer needs to be held in your arms all the time, but only held a little.
Bathing in a special cap also brings the following benefits:
- teaches how to keep a fragile body on the water;
- trains arms and legs;
- teaches independent swimming;
- strengthens the neck, back muscles and ligaments;
- improves coordination of movements;
- promotes the complete physical development of the child.
Should I choose a foam cap or a circle for bathing newborns?
A bathing cap for a newborn with foam is designed to accustom the baby to water sports, and not to completely free the mother’s hands during hygiene procedures.
A bathing circle is a completely different product. It is designed to support the baby's head above the water, which allows the parent to completely free his hands without worrying about the baby swallowing water or getting it in his ears or eyes.
In principle, each of these things has its own characteristics and advantages. And which one to choose is up to the parents to decide. But! A cap with foam plastic still has an advantage over a regular swimming circle, because it forces the baby to adapt to the aquatic environment and teaches him to make the correct movements that will keep his life safe.
You can read how to choose a hammock for bathing newborns in our article.
You can find out whether an aspirator is needed for a newborn baby or is it a waste of money here.
How to treat diaper rash in a baby, read the link
How to properly use a baby bathing cap?
Using a bathing cap for a newborn baby is very simple. You just need to put the product on your baby’s head and you can start carrying out water procedures.
Attention! If you are using a cap with foam plastic, you should not let your child “free swim” the first time you use it! Because the baby can drown. It is recommended to do this only after the baby learns to hold his head in this product.
For the first 2–3 sessions, it is recommended to additionally hold the baby’s head with one hand, then you can gradually weaken the degree of support, and only after the baby stops immersing under water can water procedures be carried out without support.
You can use bathing caps only after a newborn baby learns to hold his head, that is, from 1.5 to 2 months. Previous use may cause curvature of the cervical spine.
How to bathe properly
A healthy child needs to be bathed three days after any vaccination. In this case, the water temperature must be reduced every two weeks by 0.5-1 degrees, starting from 36˚C, gradually bringing it to 22-23˚C, as in swimming pools. This is the optimal temperature for exercise in water, at which the baby can comfortably move and develop actively. It is better to try to keep the duration of each bath closer to 30 minutes.
Important! Washing does not mean bathing. You need to wash the skin under the diaper every day, even on the day of vaccination and during illness.
First, the bathing parent will need to hold the head and back, helping the baby not to fall deep into the water. When an adult feels that the baby has learned to balance on the water on his own, you can try to remove one block of foam plastic at a time. The one closest to the top of the head is removed first.
Independent swimming
By removing one piece of polystyrene foam from a simple “daisy” every two weeks, you can achieve an amazing result - the child will lie on the water himself! What parent would not want such progress, especially when it does not require large financial investments and the involvement of specialists.
How to make a baby bathing cap with your own hands?
Making a baby bathing cap with your own hands is not at all difficult. To do this you will need:
- cap with ties;
- Styrofoam;
- textile;
- ruler;
- pencil;
- scissors;
- sewing machine.
First you need to cut the foam into small rectangles measuring 5cm x 5cm x 9cm.
There is no need to make the rectangles smaller, otherwise the child, waving his head in the water, may take a sip of water.
Afterwards, you need to cut out a rectangle of fabric, approximately 80 x 9 cm in size. The edges of the fabric need to be processed using a sewing machine so that they do not fall apart. We sew three sides of the fabric rectangle together, and attach the other to the cap.
Next, you need to make “tunnels” where the foam blocks will be inserted. Keep in mind that there should be a distance of 1 - 1.5 cm between the blocks. Each piece should be processed with a sewing machine on both sides.
The bathing cap is ready and can be safely used when bathing a newborn baby!
You can learn how to choose the best transformable overalls for a newborn baby from our article.
Read about a nozzle pump for a newborn baby here.
About the signs of rickets in infants, read the link
Features of use
After each use of models with foam, it should be removed from special sewn pockets and dried well until the next bath.
Parents need to remember that if they put a hat on their baby, they still need to constantly monitor it and not leave it unattended for a second; it is not a guarantee of safety.
It is recommended to start using it from 2 months and during bathing you should still support the head with your hands. You need to support it until the child gets used to it and gets used to it, and begins to confidently be on the surface of the water. As a rule, water caps are used until the child reaches 1.5 years of age.
How to make a hat with your own hands
The following materials will be required:
- a regular hat with ties;
- Styrofoam;
- piece of fabric.
Operating procedure:
- Cut a rectangle out of fabric depending on the size of the hat and blocks. For example, with a cap circumference of 30 cm and foam dimensions of 5 x 5 x 9 cm, the rectangle should be approximately 80 x 9 cm.
- Finish the edges of the fabric using a sewing machine.
- 3 sides of the rectangle need to be sewn together, and 1 side must be sewn to the cap.
- Form pockets into which the foam will be inserted, and process their ends on both sides using a sewing machine.
Swimming cap: reviews
Tomara, 25 years old, Ust-Donetsk I myself have been swimming for 10 years and I know how good it is for health and figure. But it so happened that I had to quit swimming for a while because I became pregnant. Now my daughter is 6 months old and I am actively teaching her to swim. And for this, a foam cap helps us a lot. We probably couldn't have done it without her.
Alena, 32 years old, St. Petersburg
Why is this hat needed at all? I have 3 children and I bathed them all on my own, even without the help of my husband. Nothing. Everyone is alive and well. Personally, I think this item is a complete waste of money.
Tatyana, 23 years old, Moscow
Good day! We also have a foam cap and a swimming ring. I want to say that both of these things are really completely different. My baby is only 4 months old, but thanks to the foam cap he feels like a fish in water in the bath. Floats all over the bath! But we only used the circle for the first 2 months, when we still couldn’t hold the head at all. But for me it is inconvenient to use.
Kristina 28 years old, Rostov-on-Don
But I didn’t like this foam cap. Firstly, it gets very wet and is difficult to untie and remove after bathing, and secondly, it requires constant support of the baby's head. It is very inconvenient for bathing on your own.
Yulia, 32 years old, Moscow
I once watched my friend bathe her newborn daughter (3 months) wearing a foam cap. Honestly, I was very surprised. I have never seen such a small child swim so well. Now I will soon have my own baby. I’m already thinking about buying such a hat, because it is very good for health.
Valentina, 31 years old, Novocherkassk
I didn’t buy this hat, I sewed it myself! I want to say that it is very easy to sew and is a really useful thing! My first child constantly threw tantrums when bathing, but the second, thanks to this cap, throws hysterics when we take him out of the bath))) Swims like a fish. So he is only 5 months old!
