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Step by step guide to bathing a baby
Important:Read the "Things to remember" section at the end of this page to have a smooth experience bathing your baby.
- Gather all the essentials
- Place a large towel on your shoulder so you wouldn't have to take your hand off the baby to pick it up later.
- Undress the baby and clean the diaper area if it is dirty. If you live in a cold country or if the baby is uncomfortable, it is ok to leave the diaper on while you lower the baby in the bath, and leave the diaper area to be washed at last.
- Fill the tub with warm water. Insert the back of your elbow in the water to check the temperature. While it is good to use a bath thermometer, do not rely on the thermometer alone. The temperature should be neither too hot nor too cold for yourself.
- Take soap in a little cup shaped bowl which can double up later on as cup. It is better to use a special 'no-rinse' formula. If not, use another bowl with water that is just as warm as the tub water to rinse.
- Now, use the flannel or wash cloth to take soap and rub the baby's body using the water in the tub.
- It will be useful to follow a pattern in which you clean the baby's body parts. This reduces the possibility of 'forgetting to wash neck' or other parts. While there is no certain rules to follow, this guide follows a pattern that most mothers find easier.
- Clean the baby's neck, hands and upper body first.
- Turn the baby over your one arm by holding the baby by his underarm that is NOT on your side. This provides adequate support to the baby. Clean the baby's back and bottom. Then go for the legs. If you feel uncomfortable holding the baby like this, you might just sit him up while you clean his back and legs.
- Turn the baby over again to initial position. Then use cotton balls to clean baby's face. Do not use soap in face. Use separate cotton balls for each eye and clean eyes from inside out.
- Finally, clean the head using adequate water.
- When you are done, rinse the baby using cupfuls of water from the tub. If you are not using a 'no-rinse' soap, use water from the separate bowl. Do not use water directly from tap because of the temperature difference.
- Pick the baby and wrap him in the large towel on your shoulder.
- NEVER leave the baby unattended in the bath or anywhere nearby. If you HAD to go, wrap the baby in a large towel and bring him along with you.
- Gather all essentials before you bathe the baby, so you wouldn't have to run around the house looking for things with a wet, wrapped baby in your hands.
- (Optional) Keep your phone ringer on silent mode if you tend to get nervous, especially during the initial days. A constantly ringing phone, when you cannot attend it, will only leave you frustrated.
- Keep your older child busy with someone or a play time while bathing the infant during the initial days to reduce distraction.
- While drying your baby up, take care to dry the folds of the skin thoroughly, especially in the diaper area, as water is an irritant when different part of skin touches each other.
- Give special attention to the baby's hands, in between fingers where most dirt is likely to accumulate. Even if your baby is too small to touch things yet, milk and spit-up most possibly accumulates in this area.
- When you clean delicate areas like neck or in between fingers, do no rub, as rubbing will irritate the skin and harms it. Gently wipe away the dirt with cotton cloth.
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