If this is your first child, you probably feel like everything has to go perfectly the first time. But you shouldn't be a perfectionist in everything. Bathing is, first of all, a pleasure, especially for a baby. This is what we must proceed from. If he is comfortable, then everything is going right. Over time, you will learn to intuitively understand which nuances should be added to the bathing process, and which ones can be avoided. And most importantly, try not to be too stressed as a parent.
Filter advice from older generations. With all due respect, grandparents often think in terms of 30-40 years ago when it comes to child care. Much has changed during this time. Bathing a newborn baby does not necessarily require boiling water in tin basins. Comfortable swimming slides and an abundance of different water antiseptics simplify the entire procedure.
So, before you begin the process, decide how you will carry it out.
Should you bathe your baby in an “adult” bath or in a special bath for babies?
The range of baby baths today allows you to choose any model. With round edges, with support for the back... Today there is no need to lift the bathtubs to drain the water either: each model has a drain hole.
There are super convenient models of bathtubs combined with changing tables. The table can be fixed at different heights: after bathing, the child is dried and dressed on it. And the bath has several positions. The baby will be comfortable in it for up to a year.
Bathing in a large bathtub can also be organized taking into account all the requirements of safety and comfort. In addition, the baby will be very interested, a bath for him is like a large swimming pool, there is somewhere to frolic. There are a lot of modern devices for bathing in a large bathtub: from special stands for newborns that will secure the baby without restricting his movements, to environmentally friendly silicone slides that can be mounted on the wall.
There are also inflatable rings for bathing newborns (they are put on the baby’s neck), stands for the mother so that she has somewhere to put her elbows, and so on.
The towels and diapers that you will use to dry your baby should be made from natural fabrics. Experienced mothers especially love corner towels: they immediately cover the baby’s wet head like a hood.
Traditional bath
A regular bath is convenient due to its long lifespan. The growing baby will fit in it and move actively, and you will not be afraid that uncomfortable protrusions will harm the baby. After the baby goes to the big swim in the bath, this plastic product, due to its convenient shape and spaciousness, can be used around the house . As a rule, children can bathe in such a bath for up to a year.
The inconvenience of using such containers is that you will have to hold the child throughout the bath until he enjoys the water procedures to his fullest. Despite the fact that the weight of the baby in the water will be much lower than in real life, you will still feel quite a lot of stress on your arms, shoulders and back.
It can also be difficult to open bottles of shampoos and bath foams. If a mother bathes her child alone, it will be physically difficult for her to both hold the baby’s head and use hygiene products.
If you decide to choose a traditional model for your newborn, but are afraid of inconvenience when bathing, you can buy additional useful accessories for it.
They will securely hold your baby, making your bathtub look like an anatomical one and freeing your hands. All you have to do is choose the best option.
How to make bathing fun?
Most often, parents choose evening bathing. You need to find time to bathe the baby before feeding, but so that he is not hungry. Otherwise there will be whims and tears.
The air temperature in the room where swimming will take place should be about 23°C. The best water temperature for the first swim is 37°C. You shouldn’t “test” the waters with your elbow, as our mothers and grandmothers did: you can easily make a mistake. It's better to use a bathroom thermometer. Subsequently, the water can be gradually reduced to 34° C. Hardening procedures are done at 26° - 30° C, but here the system must be followed.
Bucket for bathing a newborn
Whatever bath you use to bathe your newborn, you should have a bath dipper. With its help, you add hot water to the bath, keeping the water temperature during bathing at its original value (36 degrees or 24 - as you have already taught the child).
What should the ladle be like?
Convenient! With a handle, with a shimmer, not too big and not small. The handle should be comfortable for you, that is, for the person who will bathe the baby, so that you can hold the ladle of hot water, sometimes even in a soapy hand. The ebb tide is needed to direct a stream of hot water (usually onto the wall of the bath, gradually stirring with the cooled water). A liter container is better, since this is the best option both in terms of weight and filling capacity.
Why not hot water from the tap? Well, if only for the reason that it is easier to regulate the temperature of the water in a ladle than in a water supply.
How to make bathing comfortable for a child?
When bathing a baby, you need to make sure that he does not have negative emotions. Before bathing, undress your baby and let him take an air bath. Give him a massage with stroking, play with him. Talk to your child constantly: tell him what is happening, sing songs and the like. The main thing is that mom or dad’s intonation is calm and relaxed. Without stopping the “conversation”, take the baby in your arms, lower his legs into the water, let him dangle them, “feel” the water. Then lower your buttocks into the water, and then your entire body. Wash your baby with a special sponge for babies. Pay attention to your fingers and the area behind the ears. Wash the folds: on the neck, between the buttocks, under the knees and so on.
Washing is a special issue. It should be remembered that girls are washed from the genitals to the anus; in boys, the scrotum must be thoroughly washed.
Bathing equipment
Slide for bathing newborns
Now let's talk about the swimming slide itself. This is a very, very convenient device: the newborn lies, enjoys warm water, and you wash him. The bathing slide can be placed both in the baby’s bath and in the general bath. It can be used until the baby sits down. But this is only if your baby is inactive and calm. Since it is not at all suitable for active kids: they need to wave their arms, legs, swim, run. And no slide will hold them, and to fasten them means to force them, to break nature. If you decide to purchase a slide for bathing a newborn, let it be soft and of high quality (without hangnails or smell). The following options are offered: regular plastic or rubberized.
Chaise lounge and hammock for bathing a newborn
There are also options for simplifying slides, such as a float slide for swimming, a so-called chaise lounge and a hammock for bathing a newborn. Not everyone likes the chaise longue: the child slides down and falls out of it.
But there are other reviews about the hammock.
An excellent alternative to a slide is a hammock for bathing a newborn. It is soft and will definitely suit every baby anatomically. This is a kind of grandma's method: a cushion under the head, a towel under the back. And here there is only 1 small fabric. Comfortable to bathe, dries quickly. Plus, it costs much less than a slide. Everything ingenious is simple.
Raft for bathing a newborn
Here is another option for bathing a newborn - using a raft. This, according to reviews from mothers, is the most successful option for bathing devices. It is made of chintz stuffed with polystyrene balls. That is, it will need to be dried after use. The child lies perfectly in it: nothing presses him anywhere, he is completely in the water, so he does not freeze, the sides do not allow him to move out. And parents don’t need to think about what to buy next, because the baby can swim in it for up to 6-7 months. This particular device has a patent and good reviews from pediatricians.
Newborn bathing pillow
Another option for supporting a baby in a bathtub (or general bathtub) is a bathing pillow. This is the same grandmother's diaper roll under the head, just a more comfortable shape, softer and does not need to be done every time.
Under no circumstances should such a pillow be placed around a child’s neck, as it will get wet. Its purpose is to support the baby's head while bathing. First, you need to place it in the bath before bathing the newborn, so that it fills with water, and then place the newborn on this pillow. Of course, you need to take in a little water so that the baby’s body is covered with it a little, otherwise the pillow will not perform its functions. But if you still bathe your baby in a shared bath, then it is better to use other devices that allow the newborn to swim and feel free from all conventions (clothes, diapers, slides, etc.).
Circle collar for bathing a newborn
This circle is placed around the baby’s neck and keeps his head on the water. It is intended for children from birth to 3 years. Anatomically, it is thought out by the developers and it does not put pressure on a newborn anywhere, does not squeeze, and the child will not fall out of it. But how much children love him is an individual matter. There are children who bathe in it with joy, and there are also those who try to take it off and put it away, since in principle they do not like anything artificial. The attitude of the parents also matters: they bought it, dressed it, put the baby in the bath and... got scared. When a newborn “hangs” in the water, held by this circle, the parents feel that the device is pressing on him and the baby is not comfortable (he winces and is somewhat indignant). But this is just the baby’s first reaction to something new. Then he will like it, like this kid with the video.
If you offer such a circle to a baby up to a month old, then he will most likely be happy with it. Afterwards, there is a greater chance of being refused, since the child is already accustomed to bathing “differently.” But this is an indispensable thing if a newborn visits the pool.
After swimming
After bathing, gently dry your baby without rubbing him. Use milk that prevents your skin from drying out. By the way, you should not use detergents to bathe your baby every day. Twice a week is quite enough. On other days, you can wash your baby with just water.
Baby powder is only needed if the baby has redness.
Bathing time for a newborn is no more than 10 minutes. Then the procedure can be extended to 30 minutes.
Is it possible to bathe a baby in a regular bath right away?
Swimming is very beneficial for newborns as it calms them down, develops the vestibular system and strengthens muscles. Previously, it was believed that a child must be bathed in boiled warm water so that the baby’s delicate skin does not become inflamed. Since filling a full bath required a lot of water to be boiled and cooled to the optimal temperature, parents chose small baths to save time.
Currently, there are no strict guidelines on whether to boil water, since the main risk of inflammation in children exists until the umbilical wound heals. But before this time there is no need to bathe the child; he is usually wiped with a damp cloth, refreshing the skin, or washed locally. Therefore, parents have the opportunity to avoid buying a special container and bathe the baby directly in the bath. This procedure has many advantages: a large amount of water takes longer to cool down and a baby who likes water procedures has the opportunity to splash around longer.
Also, the newborn is practically not constrained by the walls of the container in which he bathes, and can easily move, developing his muscles in the water.
The disadvantage of using a bathtub for bathing a newborn is that you will have to constantly hold your baby, which means that you will put a lot of stress on your back, arms and shoulders. In addition, it is customary to add various herbal infusions to the baby’s bathing water to soothe him or heal irritations on his delicate skin, which can stain the enamel.
Before bathing your baby every day, you will need to clean and disinfect the shared bath to prevent your baby from picking up any bacteria or fungi.
If maintenance work is carried out on the boiler room, you will have to heat a large amount of water to fill the baby’s bath.
Bathing a baby: why is it so important
Bathing a child is not just a hygienic procedure. It has long been noted that water has a special effect on a small child. It removes increased tone and strengthens the immune system. While bathing, the baby makes reflex movements, with the help of which he learns to swim. If the baby experiences negative emotions while bathing, and you cannot understand the reason, the procedure should be stopped. Perhaps next time it will be easier.
Bathing a newborn is ideally a fun and enjoyable experience for the whole family.
Anatomical bath
Most likely, when you buy something in a store, they will advertise an anatomical bathtub for you. While in it, with the help of special anatomically verified notches, the baby is fixed in the water in a semi-sitting position. Recesses for the armpits support the baby's body from above, and the support between the legs prevents him from sliding down. On the opposite side, most of these plastic products have a recess for bathing an older child who can sit.
Mom's hands are significantly freed up, and she can calmly open bottles of shampoo and bath foam, lather the baby with them, gently rinse them off with water and massage the baby's body.
The inconvenience of such a bath is that the anatomical protrusions will soon begin to interfere with the grown-up child. He will simply no longer fit in them, and when he tries to be active in the water, he will hit them painfully. You will have to either buy a regular bathtub, or transfer the baby's bathing to an adult. In addition, such a bath is quite inconvenient to wash, and due to the anatomical protrusions, you will not be able to use it later for any household needs.
Herbs for bathing a newborn
Adhering to tradition, we continue to bathe newborns in herbs. It's natural, natural. We see what we are brewing and it is a kind of bathing ritual. What herbs are used?
- Seedling is one of the more commonly used herbs when bathing newborns, as it has antiseptic and healing properties. It dries out the skin, so after bathing, the baby should be lubricated with baby oil or body lotion.
- Chamomile is an antiseptic and has calming properties. Good for baby skin infections.
- Sage, valerian and lavender - promotes relaxation and relaxation of the child, as it has a calming effect.
- Bearberry, motherwort - help well with colic: relax muscles, soothe.
But there are several rules for bathing a baby in herbs.
- Do not mix herbs with different effects. There are herbal mixtures, but still, it is better to bathe your baby in each herb separately.
- Change herbs: bathe the newborn one day in one herb, the second in another.
- You should not bathe frequently in the line, as it dries out the skin.
- Pay attention to the body's reaction to herbs. Some of them may cause allergies.
Foam for bathing a newborn
Currently, humanity has come up with many convenient baby care products. And not least in terms of relevance and benefit are hygiene products. For bathing a newborn this is: bubble bath, baby soap, shampoo, lotions and body creams after bathing.
Foam bathing for a newborn is a great way to keep your baby clean and avoid the lengthy procedure of brewing and straining herbs for bathing. Moreover, if some herbs dry out the baby’s skin, the foam contains both an antiseptic and moisturizing components. When choosing foam for bathing a newborn, you should follow these recommendations:
- buy foam from well-known manufacturers - they are worried about the quality of the product, about their reputation, so everything will be in accordance with the norms and standards;
- pay attention to the components of plant origin and if there are esters of oils, then it is better to discard this product. And the fewer minerals present, the better;
- For components unknown to you, consult your dealer.
Newborn's first bath
Parents, as a rule (especially young ones), are given a lot of advice. You can listen to them, but you need to be aware that the living conditions that have passed between the upbringing of several generations have changed a lot. If 20 years ago a baby was released from the maternity hospital wrapped in a flannel swaddle, a quilted blanket and tied with a satin ribbon, now this “clothing uniform” is most likely used only for photo shoots in retro style. Likewise, bathing a newborn baby no longer requires boiling water and bulky basins. With the presence of antiseptics and comfortable slides for swimming, the hygiene procedure becomes much easier.
Modern families are getting rid of prejudices and preparing the necessary attributes in advance. You can select all the helpers in advance to determine the desired color, size and functionality. If you are wondering how to properly bathe a newborn baby, then it’s time to decorate the bathroom. First of all, decide whether you will use a large bathtub or prefer a small container.
If you find it more pleasant and relaxing to use a small bathtub, then look for a convenient and practical one. The range allows you to take into account all wishes. There are containers with rounded, safe edges and back support. In addition, modern bathtubs are equipped with drain holes. If the mother bathes the baby alone, she will not have to lift weights. Convenient carrying handles will allow you to move a bulky item easily and comfortably. Many parents worry whether they will be able to hold their baby correctly and safely. By choosing this option, you will have peace of mind.
The modern arsenal of multifunctional devices includes changing tables with a bath. They are very compact when folded, which is very important if the room is small. The table is fixed at different height levels and has two bath positions - lying and sitting. You can bathe your baby in it for up to a year, so this is a completely justified investment. After bathing, you can dry your little one on it, put a diaper on it or swaddle it.
For some mothers, and maybe even fathers (sometimes in families it is the head of the family who takes responsibility for water procedures), it is more convenient to bathe a newborn child in a regular bath. In this case, parents will come to the aid of supports for children from 0 to 6 months, which will not restrict movement, but will ensure safe fixation of the body. Swimming slides are a real find for parents seeking comfort and safety. The environmentally friendly material from which they are made and the silicone surface with antifungal and antibacterial action will help you take care of safety and cleanliness. Many models are equipped with water level indicators and wall mounting.
Let's complement the list with an inflatable neck ring for bathing for a newborn and an elbow rest for mom so that she can comfortably lean on the edge of the bath.
You can choose bath accessories - towels, napkins, bathrobes to suit every taste and color. Buy high-quality textiles made from natural materials. Corner towels are very convenient, they cover the scalp of the baby and allow you to wrap him comfortably after bathing. Most often, parents wonder how to bathe a newborn for the first time, although an equally important task is the selection of products to care for the baby after the procedure itself.
How can you make sure that the bathing procedure brings not only benefits to your baby, but also pleasure?
Newborns are most often bathed before bedtime and feeding. But if the child is hungry, whims and bad mood are possible. Therefore, choose a time so that the baby has the strength for new sensations.
The air temperature in the bathing room should be on average +22° - +23°C. Since ancient times, there has been a tradition of testing the waters with your elbow. All people have different sensitivity, so it is better to use a thermometer. For the first bath, the most suitable temperature is 37°. Later, you yourself will understand how to bathe a newborn baby. The water temperature can be reduced to 34° - 35°. And the therapeutic and hardening effect occurs at a temperature of 26° - 30°. Pay attention to ensure that the baby does not have negative emotions. Before the procedure, undress the child; let the water bath be preceded by an air bath. Talk to him kindly, give him a light massage consisting of stroking. Prepare your baby's arms and legs for active activities. Then, gently, without stopping the conversation, take the baby in your arms. You can resort to the help of nursery rhymes and jokes. Start with folk ones (in this case, traditions will be beneficial), then come up with your own.
If you still don’t understand how to bathe a newborn in a bathtub, start with simple steps. Gently lower the child's legs and buttocks into the water and secure the torso at the desired height. Use a soft sponge to wash each part of your baby's body in turn. Pay special attention to the areas behind the ears, the skin between the toes, folds on the neck, under the knees and buttocks. It is worth considering that girls are washed in the direction from the genitals to the anus, while boys need to wash the folds of the scrotum.
When bathing a baby in a large bath and do not want to use inserts and slides, place your left hand under the back of the baby's head, so that his head rests on his forearm, and the fingers of your hand grasp the baby's shoulder joint. This will free up your right hand to handle detergents. Their choice is unlimited. It is absolutely not necessary to use baby soap; it is no longer a necessity. A special bathing gel with a soothing effect will not dry out your baby's skin, cleansing it of impurities and leaving the pores open. Delicate shower creams maintain comfort and natural smoothness, and natural oils help restore hydrolipid balance.
The baby's hair should be washed with a special shampoo in order to avoid unpleasant sensations if the product gets into the eyes. In addition, there are special visors that prevent foam from flowing onto your face while swimming.
In order to turn water procedures into a real game with the help of which your baby will explore the world, do not limit the process to performing standard actions. Become an expert in the constant doubts of motherhood - how to bathe a newborn and how to make this procedure as pleasant as possible. Use bright objects, pronounce their names, delight the little man with new chameleon toys, the color of which changes depending on the temperature, water mills, inflatable balls and accessories that allow the baby to float on the water.
When you finish bathing, pat your baby's skin dry with a towel. Do not rub your body under any circumstances, as this may cause irritation. After bathing your newborn baby, use a soothing cream or body milk to soothe irritation and prevent dry skin.
After the moisture has dried, lubricate the baby's skin with a gentle cream. The content of lanolin and beeswax will provide gentle care and pleasant sensations. You should only use baby powder when diaper rash and redness appear. The first bath of a newborn should be limited to 5 – 10 minutes. Subsequently, the procedure can be extended to 20 - 30 minutes.
Not only doctors, but also parents themselves have long been convinced that water not only helps keep the body clean, but also relaxes, relieves increased muscle tone, and helps strengthen the immune system. The aquatic environment is familiar to a newborn. In it, he makes reflex movements, which are later transformed into swimming skills. Therefore, try to understand the child’s emotions. There is no need to leave it in the water exactly as long as recommended by a doctor or an article written by a competent specialist. If the baby expresses dissatisfaction, it is better to stop swimming and calm the baby down.
We hope we helped you imagine your newborn's first bath after the hospital. And not only imagine, but also prepare for a pleasant pastime during water procedures. The mothercare assistant website is designed to make it easy for you to choose the accessories you like. In the hygiene and care section you can find everything that will help you be in a great mood. After all, your child’s feelings and emotions depend on it.
