Bathing an Infant

From Mommyplace.com WiKI Page

Most hospitals teach you to give a baby a bath before you leave. You also should have received a small plastic tub and a little scrub brush.

You cannot submerge your baby in water until their umbilical cord has fallen off. That usually takes about 2 weeks. So, until then, you need to give your baby a sponge bath. Protect the cord so it does not get wet. Put a little bit of water and a tiny bit of baby soap (e.g., Johnsons and Johnsons Baby Wash) in the tub that the hospital gave you and use a washcloth and/or the scrub brush to sponge bath your baby. Be sure to use a very tiny amount of soap and to make sure baby is rinsed well so that you do not leave soap on their skin. You can have someone hold Baby while you pour out the small amount of soapy water and put in clean water to rinse Baby.

The scrub brush you received from the hospital is an excellent way to wash off Babys's cradle cap (the little flakes they get on their head).

Once your Baby's cord falls off, you can start to give them more of a bath. You should purchase a baby bath tub that has either a hammock or a place to keep baby in place. NEVER LEAVE YOUR BABY ALONE IN THE BATHTUB and also always keep one hand on them while you are bathing them. Before you start the bath, put everything you will need (washcloths, soap, toys, towel) in arm's reach so you do not have to get up.

You should use water that is warm to your touch. NEVER let the faucet pour directly on your infant. Water temperature could unexpectantly change.

A small stool for you to sit on next to the tub will be very helpful (and save your knees).

I kept my baby in the hammock of our baby tub until he was sitting up for a few months...really until he just about outgrew the hammock. And then I put him directly in the baby tub (he could sit up in the tub without tipping over by this point). As he grew, I put more and more water in the tub. I kept him in the baby tub until he was too big for it and then I put him directly in the bath tub but put a very low level of water in the tub. Now he's 2.5 and I put the water up to his chest...but again, I never leave him alone.

Some essential products for bathing baby are: 1) The First Years Sure Comfort Deluxe Newborn-to-Toddler Tub by Learning Curve

2) Safety 1st Tubside Kneeler and Step Stool

3) Baby Einstein bath books (you can get them wet)

4) Johnsons & Johnsons Baby Washes

5) Ducks and other bath toys (Target and Babies R Us have a great selection)

6) Hooded towels (Target and Babies R Us have a great selection)