There are a lot of theories about when and how often to bathe a newborn but from my experience it is best that the parents decide for themselves what is best for their newborn. Your newborn doesn’t do very much as in being out and about, crawling on floors, playing in sand or in muddy puddles which means s/he doesn’t get dirty every day. Therefore you don’t have to wash your baby with soap or scrub his or her nails clean. However a bathe can relax your newborn and you as a parent. This can be done in a bath with just water (with a temperature between 36 and 38 degrees Celsius) without soap. A big advantage of not using soap is that your newborn doesn’t get slippery which could be very dangerous while bathing.
Different ways of cleaning your newborn
You can wash your baby on their changing mat. Give them a bath in a baby bath, you can decide to do it in the kitchen or bathroom sink or by using a tummy tub. In the big (adult) bath the water temperature is harder to control and since the bath is so big it can feel a bit overwhelming for your newborn. When you choose to take your newborn in an adult bath with you, please think about doing this only when there is another adult present to help you out with getting out of the bath. You can also choose to have a shower with your newborn. This can also be very relaxing for the both of you.
What to think about before bathing your newborn
Preparation is key when bathing a newborn. It is good to go through all the steps of what you need after the bath before you start undressing your newborn. Newborns can’t regulate their body temperature as well as you, so you need to be aware that you need to keep your baby warm after you are finished with the bath or the shower. This is very easy on a hot Queensland summer day but any other day your newborn still needs help to keep them warm. Here are some tips on what should be ready before you start undressing your newborn for a bath:
A safe place to put your baby down (changing mat with a cover)
A towel on the changing mat
A muslin wrap on the towel
A nappy
Clothes and beanie for the baby
Something to keep you warm
A bath thermometer
Have the bath ready on 37 degrees Celsius
When it is cold have a hot water bottle warm up the clothes
A cloth to clean the baby with in the water
When your baby comes out of the bath or shower
When you have put everything ready beforehand you either wrap up your baby in the muslin wrap and towel or someone is doing it for you while you step out of the shower/bath yourself. The muslin wrap is to dry your newborn is because the skin of your newborn is still very thin. It is better to pat your baby dry then to rub your baby's skin with a towel. A muslin wrap absorbs small water droplets better and it is handier to clean your babies folds. Drying the folds on your baby's body is very important. Make sure you dry it well in their neck, their armpits, their nappy area, the back of their knees and between their fingers and toes. The better you dry your newborns skin, the more you can prevent it from drying out.
Some more bathing tips
Not all babies like water the same and it is for you to figure out what is most relaxing for you and your newborn. It is very normal that the first few times when you bathe your baby, it is not relaxing for you which can make it a bit stressful for your baby as well. Please be kind to yourself and give yourself some time to gain more experience. It is very helpful to have someone around you to help when it is your first, second or third time. When you choose to use a tummy tub prepare yourself on how you are going to hold the baby. Please do not use soap when you use the tummy tub. Using the tummy tub also needs some practice and you should have a proper grip on your baby. You should understand that a tummy tub is especially made for bathing your newborn and a bucket is not. When you use a bucket make sure it is a new one (no chemicals have been used in it) and preferably see through. Educate yourself first about the safety of using a bucket and watch tutorials on how to use it in a safe way. You can never ever leave a newborn or a baby alone in a bucket, in a bath or a shower.
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