Bathing Your Newborn Baby – Have A Hassle Free Perfect Bath Time

Team AckoFeb 8, 2024

Bathing a newborn baby is a challenge for the first few days of your parenthood. Initially, your mother or the elders in your house would take the responsibility of giving a bath to your little one. Yet, as a parent, you would want to enjoy this phase by being a hands-on parent. It is very normal to have a little apprehension about bathing your tiny little baby. 

Before bathing your newborn baby

Things to keep in mind ahead of bathing your newborn baby:

Prior to bathing your newborn baby, you need to ensure these things are ready:

Things which are required at the time of bathing your newborn baby- Baby soap, shampoo, sufficient amount of water, cotton towel to hold the baby after the bath.

Oil Massage

Massage is considered to be one of the best ways of assisting the growth of your baby. Before taking your newboen baby for a bath, you can massage your little one with oil. There are various techniques of massage and the details of which are available on the Parentlane app. Oil massage helps in soothing your baby and also helps in relieving body pain of your little one. But, you need to be cautious in handling your baby after the oil massage as it tends to get a little slippery. It is also advisable to hold your baby with a cotton towel. 

While bathing your newborn baby

Here are a set of tips to make your time spent with your newborn baby during bath time a pleasure and make it feel like breeze: 

Sponge Bath

If your baby still has the umbilical cord stump, then it is always advisable to keep the area dry and clean. Hence, the best way to bath your little one is through sponge bath. You can take warm water in a clean container and use a soft cotton cloth as a sponge. Dip the soft cotton cloth in warm water and clean all body parts of your little one. You need to pay a little more attention to the diaper area which tends to get dirty often. 

At the same time, you need to be a little careful and cautious while cleaning under the chin, the backside of the feet and the underarms as it tends to get a little ticklish. Please do take care to take lukewarm water. 

Bath-Time

The timing of giving a bath to your newborn baby is very important. Your baby needs to be given a bath when she is neither too full nor she is very hungry. When your baby is too full, there are high chances that your baby would spit-up and when your baby is too hungry, she would be totally irritated and fussy due to hunger. Ideally, you should wait for at least one hour after feeding. At this time, your baby will not be too fussy as she is not too full, yet comfortable and a little alert. 

It is advisable to give a bath to your baby when it is warm as it will reduce the chances of catching a cold. Some parents do give a bath in the evening as warm water would help the baby to feel drowsy and she would sleep better. You can choose bath time for your baby as per your convenience. 

Helper/Partner: 

Having a helper/partner by your side always helps as you would not be able to afford to leave your baby unattended even for a second during her bath time. Just in case you need to step away from the bathroom for a second or in case you have missed keeping your supplies ready, then having a helper is a blessing. At the same time, your little one is still developing and getting used to the new ways of the world, hence unpredictable. In such circumstances, just in case your little one gets a little fussy or is irritated and starts wailing, your partner/helper can help you in soothing your crying baby. 

Soaps/Shampoos:

Your baby’s skin is very soft, tender and supple. You need to take a lot of care while choosing the right kind of soap or shampoo for your little one. Soaps generally tend to dry-out your baby’s soft skin. Hence while choosing a soap, choose a mild one which is specially designed for babies. Before applying to the entire body, do test it by applying on a small part of her tiny hands and check for any rashes. If there are no rashes on your baby’s skin, then you are good to go. 

After bathing your newborn baby

Keep in mind the following pointers after bathing your newborn baby

Things you need after bathing your newborn baby

A dry cotton soft towel to pat your baby dry, baby moisturizer, baby talcum powder, a set of fresh clothes, diaper (if required). 

Generally, after the bath, there are high chances that your baby would start howling as the bath time would have made her hungry. So before taking your newborn baby for bath, it is advisable to keep her feed ready in case of formula feed and in case your baby is breastfed, it is advisable to feed her after her bath. Feeding your baby after bath helps your little one to sleep for a longer period which in turn helps your baby grow.

Baby bath time is a time which is very special for you and your baby. To avoid having your child sit too long in soapy water, do try to play with plain water at the beginning of the bath and apply the soap/shampoo at the end. Each baby is different and each baby reacts differently to bath time. Your baby may completely enjoy this time or it may be a shockingly new experience which she may not enjoy. If your baby seems to enjoy, give her a nice, long, warm, water bath but if she seems to get annoyed, then you can keep the bath session short and get her dried as soon as possible. 

Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only, based on industry experience and secondary sources. It is not a substitute for professional advice. Please consult a qualified expert for health or insurance-related decisions. Content is subject to change, refer to current policy wordings for specific ACKO details.