Bathing a baby is a whole event for parents bath a newborn. Sometimes the recommendations may differ and it is difficult for parents to figure out how warm the water should be, whether to use soap, how often to take a bath. In the article we will tell you at what temperature to bathe a newborn, on what day after the hospital. You will learn what it takes to bathe your baby and can prepare to meet a new family member without the hassle.
When can you start bathing your baby for the first time?
Hygiene procedures are undoubtedly useful:
- firstly, they cleanse the skin, ridding it of sweat, fat, dead cells;
- secondly, they are hardened. Water is one of the main hardening factors. Thanks to this, children get sick less, they have strong immunity;
- thirdly, they develop physically. In the bathroom, children actively move their legs and arms, overcoming the resistance of the water. Thanks to this, muscle tissue develops;
- fourthly, the muscles of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems work more actively. The lungs straighten out faster, dust is removed from the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract, the heart muscle is trained;
- fifthly, it is a pleasant pastime. Many children love to splash in the water. In addition, during water procedures, the baby is in contact with the mother, which contributes to the establishment of a strong emotional connection between them.
When is the first time to bathe a child? Previously, our grandmothers, great-grandmothers, immediately after giving birth, heated the bathhouse and steamed newborns. And now this is practiced: both baths and baths are used. We figure out when you can bathe your child.
Experts do not recommend bathing a newborn immediately after discharge from the hospital, until the umbilical wound has healed. The wound is the gateway for germs to enter. Starting early water treatments, you increase the likelihood of infection of the umbilical wound.
Another reason is that in newborns, the skin is covered with lubricant, which has a protective function. Thanks to her, the baby is not threatened with skin inflammation, bacterial infections. If you start bathing your baby early, the lubricant is washed off, its protective function decreases, and then disappears altogether. This is fraught with skin diseases in infancy.
Swimming time
Choose the time for water treatments, based on the regime of your baby. If he falls asleep early, schedule water treatments so that you can wash him before bed. Subsequently, you will adjust the schedule for the crumb regime and its reaction to bathing.
Does it calm down and fall asleep after contact with water? Bathe your child before going to bed, at about 19.00 – 20.00 hours. If, on the contrary, it becomes active, then it is better to give preference to daytime hours. In general, the water is soothing, so most moms wash their daughter or son in the evening. In favor of evening swimming is the fact that after floundering in the water, children get tired, therefore, they fall asleep faster.
Another question that worries parents: bathing a newborn before or after feeding. Breast milk is absorbed quickly, so there is no difference. When the baby is artificially fed, water procedures should be planned an hour after feeding: the mixtures are digested more slowly, the baby will find it difficult to tolerate bathing, and may regurgitate.
Bathing organization
So that water procedures bring only pleasant emotions, not be accompanied by fuss, prepare everything you need in advance.
What you need for bathing
Bath. Can I bathe my baby in a large bathtub? In fact, there are no unequivocal recommendations. What kind of bath it will be – a small children’s bath or an ordinary large one, depends on your preferences. Each has its own advantages. For example, bathing a newborn in a bathtub is convenient because little water is needed. And the bath itself does not take long to wash. And in a large bathroom, the water slowly cools down, so the baby will be able to “swim” to his heart’s content.
Before bathing your baby, wash the tub. This should be done with baby soap, baking soda, but not with chlorine-containing products. After – rinse thoroughly.
Bathing thermometer. There are electronic options that give an alarm when water temperatures are below or above normal. They are completely safe, they can serve as a toy at the same time, as they are made of harmless rubber materials. You can also choose infrared – they measure temperature in a non-contact way, or conventional mercury-free thermometers. The main requirement for thermometers is safety and accuracy of measurements.
Towel. It should be soft, high quality. Rough material, towels with embroidery, beads, sequins are not suitable. You should also pay attention to the size: if the product is large enough, the baby can be wrapped completely. Towels with a corner are especially convenient – the baby’s head will always be protected from drafts.
Hygiene products – bathing gels, soaps for baby skin. It should be used no more than 1 – 2 times a week. No shampoo needed. At birth, the pH of the skin of babies is neutral, within a few weeks the reaction becomes acidic, which provides full protection against bacteria. If you use alkaline soaps, the pH will change – the barrier properties of the skin will decrease. This is a prerequisite for the development of inflammatory diseases such as diaper dermatitis. Therefore, bathe in regular water.
A slide or hammock is a handy device, especially if the mother is bathing her baby alone. The crumb lies on the slide, thanks to this there is no need to support it. Choose a fixture that can be securely fixed in the tub. Experts are wary of swimming circles: they can provoke damage to the cervical spine or other parts of it.
You also need to prepare cosmetics. Choose a cream based on what kind of skin the baby has. For example, if you have a predisposition to atopic dermatitis (dry skin, there are close relatives with this diagnosis), prepare emollients.
From clothes you will need diapers, a hat, a diaper, an undershirt, sliders, a hair brush. If you need to treat the umbilical wound – cotton swabs with a stopper, brilliant green solution.
bath a newborn
Water preparation
Draw water directly from the tap. If the water hardness is high, a main filter should be installed. There is no need to bathe a newborn in boiled water: it is a waste of time and effort. Draw in enough water so that it is just over half the bath. If you want to carry out water procedures in a large bathtub, let it be to such a level that you can safely hold the baby.
Prepare an extra ladle or bowl of water to rinse the baby.
Bathing water temperature
The temperature should be measured with a special water thermometer. Trying with your elbow can be dangerous as tactile sensitivity is influenced by many factors and values can be inaccurate. Optimum values are 37 ° C.
You should not put a separate heater in the bathroom: the air temperature should be the same as in other rooms. But the crumbs need to be protected from the draft, so close the windows, vents.
Additives to water
Parents are concerned about the question of whether it is possible to bathe the child in various solutions and is potassium permanganate necessary? Be careful with potassium permanganate solution. For a good effect, a concentrated solution is needed, which is dangerous for the body. And there will be no benefit from a weak solution. Therefore, fill the bath with plain water without additives.
If there are any problems: rash, irritation, you can add a decoction of the string, chamomile. There are also soothing herbs or drying herbs. The doctor will tell you which one to use in your case, based on the existing problems. Take ready-made dried herb from the pharmacy, do not use raw materials prepared by yourself: this may be unsafe. After preparing the broth, be sure to strain it before pouring it into the bath. You should be careful if there are close relatives with allergies, bronchial asthma and other allergic diseases.
Preparing the child
The kid should be calm and well-fed. Undress, place on changing table or bed. Massage by stroking the arms, legs, tummy, back. Place on your tummy for a few minutes. If he has a dirty diaper, remove and wash his bottom.
How to properly bath a newborn baby
How to bathe a newborn baby in a bath for the first time at home? Sponges, washcloths are not needed: baby’s skin is delicate. If you are not using a slide, place the baby on one hand in a convenient way, supporting the head. Lower your baby into the tub slowly while talking to him. Watch his reaction and do not let him get scared: a splash of water, your loud voice. Take some water with your hand and gently pour it over the baby.
After that, lather your palm. Then with your hands massage your hands, neck, back, chest, abdomen, legs, and rinse. The slide will be easier: both hands will be free. So it will be easier to wash the baby and wash off the foam.
Wash your hair last. Apply detergent, massage, rinse with water, keeping the foam out of your eyes.
The last step is to rinse the crumb with clean water and wrap it in a towel.
Please note that we wash the genitals outside: you do not need to buy any special products for this zone. In boys, the foreskin should not be pulled back. This can cause pain, bleeding, and pinching of the penis. Therefore, be extremely delicate.
We only wash the girls. Rinse from front to back to prevent impurities from getting on the genitals.
Use soap infrequently: no more than 1 – 2 times a week. The rest of the time, bathe your newborn baby in regular water at home.
Never leave your baby alone in the bath. Even a month old baby can roll over. Do not be distracted for a minute: first of all, think about safety. For safety, it is also important to put a non-slip mat on the floor, remove small objects from the floor.
Duration of procedures
The first procedures can be short: no more than 3 minutes. Gradually increase the duration: first 5 minutes, then 10 and bring it up to 15 – 20 minutes. Focus on the baby’s reaction, on his behavior. If only 5 minutes have passed, while the baby is screaming heart-rendingly, you should not continue the water procedures.
How often to bathe the child bath a newborn
The newborn does not get dirty, so there is no need for daily water treatments. During the day, you wash it, often change clothes, so in the evening you can only wipe your face and hands with a towel moistened with warm water. It is undesirable to use wet wipes: they may contain fragrances, antiseptics, which can cause allergies or skin irritation.
In an English-language journal, a study was published on the relationship between the frequency of bathing and the violation of the skin barrier with the development of atopic dermatitis in infants. According to the results, children who were bathed twice a week or more were diagnosed with atopic dermatitis 2 times more often than children who were bathed once a week.
However, if the baby already has manifestations of atopic dermatitis, his skin functions are impaired. Consequently, the risk of infectious diseases is high. Therefore, in these cases, you need to bathe the child daily. In this case, detergents should be chosen with a neutral pH and used no more than 1 time per week. The time for water treatments should be limited. The water temperature should be comfortable. Do not rub the skin too much, but after bathing, apply a thick layer of emollient.
What to do if the child does not like to swim
First of all, you need to exclude uncomfortable bathing conditions. Too cold or hot water, you have heated the air, so the room is stuffy – these are possible reasons for crying. Anxiety can be when the biological clock does not coincide with the bathing time. For example, parents arrange water procedures late at night, and the baby wants to sleep at this time. Also, do not run to the bathroom as soon as the baby has opened his eyes after sleep: give him time to wake up until the end, “come to his senses.”
The baby may worry about hunger, colic, thirst. Pay attention to these moments and next time make sure that they are not there: feed before the procedures, put on the tummy, give water.
Other reasons are crumbs diseases. They can only be excluded by a pediatrician, so if the baby is worried for no reason, consult a doctor.
What to do after swimming
After the baby has been bathed, take it to the room and place it on a warm diaper prepared in advance. Now you need to dry the skin, but do not rub, but simply dip it. Pay special attention to creases; excess moisture can lead to irritation. First lay on your back, dry your stomach, chest, neck. Then turn over onto the tummy and dry the back, head, buttocks, legs.
Blot the ears with a cotton swab, but you do not need to clean the ear canal. Clean only what you see. Also, there is no need to clean the spout: if there is a tendency to form crusts and the air is dry in the room, drip sterile saline solution.
Treat the umbilical wound. First dry with a cotton swab, then treat with a solution of brilliant green. There is no need to peel off the crust: everything will disappear by itself when the time comes.
Then you can apply hygiene products, if needed: powders, cream, oil. Put on the baby a diaper, bodysuit or pants with a vest, a cap. Get ready for bed. Feed him. Act calmly. Do not turn on loud music at this time, do not talk loudly.
Conclusion bath a newborn
As you can see, in order to obtain a positive result from water procedures, you need to follow certain rules. Remember about them when you are going to bathe your child. But also remember that your baby needs emotional contact with you. Talk to him affectionately, stroke him: he feels everything.
If the baby is naughty, or you do not feel very well, reschedule the bath to another day, nothing bad will happen. Your health, well-being and the health of your baby is more important. Do not drive yourself into frames: enjoy every minute you spend with your daughter or son.
