Most babies love taking a bath and it is a great time for a parent to bond with the baby. With just a little bit of preparation, bathing your baby can be relaxing and happy for both your baby and you.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that you wait for at least 24 hours before bathing a newborn baby. Till the umbilical cord falls off (about two weeks after the delivery), it is necessary that you only give your newborn baby a sponge bath and the longer you can delay the bath the better.
Before you start the bath, ensure that you have placed everything you need within reach so that you do not have to leave the baby unattended in the bath at any time. You will need baby soap, baby bath accessories like cotton balls and an infant bath sponge, baby bath towels, a fresh diaper, and clean clothes to change into.
Begin the bath by cleaning the face with a wet towel or damp cotton balls. When cleaning the eyelids, always move from the inside corner of the eyelid to the outside corner, using separate cotton balls for each of the eyes. Use separate cotton balls to clean the outside of the baby’s ears as well. Use just a few drops of gentle baby soap on a baby bath sponge to clean the baby’s body and hair. PIGEON Baby Wash 2-in-1 is a mild, hypoallergenic body and hair wash that is enriched with natural moisturizers like Jojoba and Chamomile to keep your newborn’s delicate skin hydrated.
Wrap the baby in a baby bath towel as soon as the bath is over. This is to ensure that the baby does not lose much body heat. Dry the baby thoroughly including in the folds of the body before dressing him/her up.
Once the baby’s umbilical cord has fallen off, he/she is ready to take a bath in the baby’s bathtub. Ensure that the tub has some sort of bath support to prevent the baby from sliding into the water. Again, make sure that you keep the baby bath supplies within reach before you start the bath.
Fill the bathtub with a couple of inches of lukewarm water and gently lower the baby into the tub supporting the head and neck with your arm. To check the temperature of the water, you could dip your elbow in or use a bath thermometer. The bathing routine is much the same as for newborns except that you can use a little more quantity of soap for washing. As the baby grows older, PIGEON body wash and shampoo can be used for bathing as they are both mild and non-tearing and lather well.
When you bathe your baby would depend on the routine that you have in place. Many parents like to give their baby a bath in the morning so that he/she is fresh and clean and ready to face the rest of the day. If your bedtime ritual includes a warm bath, you may want to bathe the baby at night as a precursor to a sound sleep. The only time you should probably avoid bathing your baby is soon after a feed. Soon after a feed, the chances of a spit-up and reflux are higher.
