Babies have a wonderful habit of getting themselves into all kinds of mess. They want to explore as much as possible, and instinctively pop everything they can into their mouths since thats how they best understand what theyre handling. Being mindful your babys cleanliness is of course essential, but knowing how best to manage their delicate bodies can be tricky you want to be thorough, safe and sensitive.
Giving your baby a bath can be about much more than just those practicalities, though. Bathing is a special bonding experience for both parent and child, so its important to be able to do it with love and confidence. Here are some tips on bathing to help keep that wiggling, babbling, beautiful baby of yours clean and cheerful.
How Often Do I Wash My Baby?
A lot of parents think that due to the lack of contact with bacteria and germs pre-birth children are highly susceptible to illness and must be washed every day. Its true that their immune systems arent as strong as adults, but this doesnt necessarily merit everyday bathing, which may dry their skin. The lack of mobility in our babies means that they dont come into direct contact with too many objects. For newborns, all they need is a wash two to three times a week. Later, when they begin to crawl, you can start bathing your baby more frequently.
Where Do I Wash My Baby?
No need for a big bath for a little baby the sink is the perfect spot for a baby wash. Its small area makes it easy to fill up, theres little room to slip around in there, and sinks are at the perfect height to handle that slippery customer. The one thing to remember is that sinks may see a lot of different hands and faces throughout a busy day, so before bath-time make sure it has been given a thorough clean. Water should be up to around 38 C just above body temperature. If you dont have a thermometer handy you can use your elbow to check the water it should be neither hot nor cold. The water should be about five inches deep, with that water level never higher than your babys waist.
How Do I Wash My Baby?
Be firm but gentle, and use a mild soap and soft flannel or sponge to wash every inch of your baby, not forgetting the groin area and armpits. Pay extra attention to the nappy area, hands, face and hair as these areas are more likely to get mucky than any other part of the body. Use some cotton wool for the little corners around the eyes, nose and ears. Avoid cleaning inside the ear as your babys eardrums are sensitive and we dont want them to get wet. Make sure that when you begin the bath, you already have a soft, fluffy towel at the ready so that once the bath is over, you can gently wrap and pat dry so that your baby is kept nice and warm and that no spots remain damp.
Follow these tips and your child should be as soft as a babys bottom is supposed to be.
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