Clean Baby, Happy Baby: Baby Bathing Tips

Clean Baby, Happy Baby: Baby Bathing Tips   by ChiccoAussiemum

Hygiene is a major concern which is inevitable and should be maintained. Keeping your baby clean will be part of your daily routine. Cleaning your baby is easier when he is still very small because apart from their faces, bottoms, skin creases and necks, they don't get very dirty. However, as he becomes more and more active, frequent baths and more effort to manage the daily bath will be required. You can even go for two or three days without bathing your baby provided you clean her bottom, face and hands daily. You can even do this without putting the baby in the bath by topping and tailing. To help prevent cradle cap which forms on the baby's scalp, it is advisable to wash her hair regularly.

It is best to stick to sponge bath during the first week or so, until the baby's umbilical cord stump falls off and the area heals. This can be done using a moistened washcloth with lukewarm water. Make sure to clean his bottoms each time you change his diaper. From sponge bath, you can start giving your baby tub baths. Tub bath is applicable after the umbilical cord stump dries up, falls off and the area is healed.

During the first few times of bathing the baby, most parents or caregivers find it a little scary. Handling a wet, wiggling and soapy creature takes a lot of confidence and practice. In order to get rid of this feeling, you need to set aside at least thirty minutes for bathing the baby. Try to stay calm, maintain a good grip of him and have everything you will require during the process and you will find it enjoyable. This feeling will even die away after three or four times of bathing the baby and it will become a fairly routine.

You do not have to wash your baby in the bathroom until she is big enough to do it by herself. You can make use of a draught free place such as the baby's room, the kitchen or any other room that is warm enough and has sufficient space to lay out all that you need to bath her in comfort. A specially designed sculpted plastic bath with an anti-slip surface is more comfortable both for you and the baby. However, you can also improvise or make use of practical alternatives in case the above is too expensive for you. Place the bath at a convenient height that you don't have to bend too much.

There are a number of safety measures that you need to undertake while bathing your baby. First and foremost, under no circumstance should you ever leave your baby unsupervised even for a minute. If you have to leave, then scoop the baby in a towel and take him with you. Second, make sure the water is at the right temperature preferably, 120 degrees Fahrenheit since the baby's skin is too tender and can get burned in less than a minute. Lastly, never put your baby in a tub when the water is running because the depth could become too high or the water temperature could change.

Although bath time can be fun, special time to share with your baby, it is also time for extreme caution. Be sure to keep you little one safe during this time.

About the Author

For baby hygiene products that care, Chicco is the way!