Bathing the baby

Bath time gives your baby the opportunity to enjoy herself by kicking and splashing in the water. It should be happy time for mother and baby and if you are well prepared, it will be a relaxing time.



Most babies are bathed every day but if you are rushing or you are still not very confident with your newborn baby, topping and tailing can done instead of daily bathing.



To do this, wash the baby’s bottom from front to back with cotton wool. Swab her eyes. Make sure you use different cotton wool swabs for each eye otherwise infections can spread from one to the other. Topping and tailing is also part of the bathing routine.



Some mother prefer to soap up their babies before placing them in the bath. When you place her in the bath cradle your arm and support her head on your forearm, use your free hand to splash water and play with her.



Tickle some water over her head and wash her head gently with soap or baby shampoo. Use gentle circular motion to wash her scalp and dry head by stroking it with towel.



Wash your babies arms underarms feat and allow her to enjoy her bathing for some times. Rinse the soap off and gently lift her out of the bath and pat her dry with towel.



Dry all creases before redressing your baby.



When you bathe or change the nappy of the new born baby, always clean the umbilical cord with a cotton bud. The more often you clean the cord with methylated spirits, the sooner it will fall off.



The kitchen sink, a hand basin or the laundry tub can be substitute for a baby bath.



Choosing the right time for bathing your baby influences how much she will enjoy the water. Hungry babies usually object to bath because, obviously, they would prefer a bath may regurgitate some of their food during their bath, so, feed her half an hour before bathing her.

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