Baby's first bath can be nerve-racking.
It may be the case that the nurses will help you do it before you leave the hospital, or you'll do it yourself when you're home.
Either way, it is daunting to put this tiny little newborn with such delicate skin in the bath and wash them gently while holding tight so that they don't slip.
How often to bath
It seems natural that with all the explosive poop, sick, and spit-up that you should bathe your baby every day.
But actually, this isn't true.
To preserve their delicate skin and lock in their natural oils, you really shouldn't bath your newborn any more than twice a week.
If you think their skin is particularly sensitive, once is fine.
But don't panic! This doesn't mean your baby will be dirty.
A soft, damp cloth is perfect for cleaning them each evening. Just make sure you dry them properly, especially in their little skin folds.
The how
It's not only regular bathing that can irritate a newborn's skin.
Soaps and other bath products can also be irritants. So luke warm water is just fine - even for washing their hair.
When you have your little one in the bath, you can either use a soft wash cloth or simply wet your hand and lightly clean your baby’s face and body.
Don’t forget to clean the ear, neck, under the arms, behind the knees, hands, thighs, and the diaper area.
And make sure the belly button of your baby doesn’t submerge under water until after the cord falls off.
Bath time
There's no ideal time to bath your newborn. Just make sure it's when you have plenty of time so that it's relaxing.
Make sure you don't bath your baby when they're tired or due a feed as it will end in tears and cause you needless distress.
Many parents find that giving their baby a bath at night is a lovely way to end the day, and helps get your little one tired and ready for bed.
So maybe try making it part of your bedtime routine.
Getting ready
Make sure wherever you're bathing your baby is warm and that the water is no hotter than 100F.
And preparation is key so make sure you have all the bits you are going to need beside you as you cannot leave you baby in the bath, or even turn your back, for a second.
Get your towel, wash cloth, nappies, cream, and fresh clothes ready and leave them within arms reach.
The same goes for the clothing your baby is going to be wearing after their bath.
