How to bathe your newborn: all the precautions to be taken
The bath for the newborn recreates the sensation of immersion in the amniotic fluid, therefore it is experienced as an extremely relaxing and pleasant moment. Even if there is "no" objective need to bathe the baby every day, we advise you to adopt this good habit which will also help your baby sleep.
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The importance of the baby bath
Bathing the newborn represents an exchange and an "important interaction between mother and child: cuddles, contact, games, laughter ... the bath also serves to stimulate the senses of the little one, in particular smell and touch. Remember, this age baby's skin is still very fragile and delicate so to avoid redness and not compromise the natural skin barrier, we recommend using specific products for babies.
The bath must become for the child and for the parents a real routine that not only contributes to daily hygiene, but also has a soothing effect that helps to make the newborn sleep. For this reason it could be a valid choice. bathing in the evening before going to sleep. Finally, the importance of bathing the baby is also given by direct contact with water, with which the baby begins to become familiar.
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Baby bath: all the benefits
Dirt residues often lurk under the baby's nappy or rompers, so the bath ritual helps to ensure effective cleaning of the whole body.
Washing and thoroughly cleansing the baby's skin also serves to create a sort of barrier against external aggressions, as the pH of the baby's skin is not yet acid enough and sweating is still insufficient.
During the bath, it is important to pay particular attention to two specific areas: the face and the private parts. These are extremely delicate areas, which must be cleaned and dried to perfection to avoid the most common irritations typical of the newborn. Which ones are they?
- Diaper rash
- Newborn acne
- Atopic dermatitis
- Milk crust
If you are wondering what is the best time to bathe your baby, know that the relaxing effect will be ensured in contact with hot water, therefore, especially for particularly restless children, it is better to schedule this ritual in the evening.
Remember that bathing the newborn while immersed is only allowed after the umbilical cord stump falls, that is, when the wound is well healed. Otherwise, minor infections could occur due to skin contact with the microorganisms present in the water and the healing time would be lengthened.
Therefore, it is a good idea to wait a couple of weeks after giving birth, taking care to keep the area clean. If, after this period of time, the umbilical stump has not fallen yet, you will still have to wait, limiting yourself to washing the newborn only in some of the cases. areas with the hand shower and the help of a sponge.
How to prepare the bath for the newborn? The procedure to follow
1. Things to do before bath time
- Make sure that the room has a temperature between 20 ° and 22 ° C, which is very important to prevent the baby from getting cold both before and after the bath. If the room temperature is lower, it is advisable to warm it up.
- Avoid direct lights that are too strong, especially if it is evening better to favor a relaxed atmosphere with semi-soft lights.
- The water in the tub must have a temperature between 37-38 ° C. In practice, the temperature must be similar to that of the human body: before immersing the baby, it is advisable to check it with a thermometer or, if not has available, dip your hand to understand the sensation you feel.
- After these preliminary operations, the child can be undressed by placing him supine on a surface. It is always good to pay attention to the head as newborns are not yet able to control its movements. Finally, also remove the diaper.
2. Prepare everything you need
Before starting the bath, it is necessary to prepare in advance everything you will need.
In particular, the products to be used which must be at hand. Let's see what they are
- Mild detergent specific for children, with neutral pH
- Thermometer
- Gauze and wadding for face cleansing
- Moisturizing creams and zinc oxide product
- Soft terry towel
- Clean clothes (bodysuit and onesie) and diaper
Before you start washing your baby, be sure to remove any jewelry such as rings, bracelets and anything else that may accidentally scratch your baby's skin during the operation.
Wash your hands very well before starting, this is an important step, as there are often germs and bacteria on your hands that are responsible for early neonatal infections.
3. Good to know
The ideal time for bathing does not exist, but it is possible to establish a time that is comfortable for the whole family and try to be constant, in this way the child will get used to it and will know that bath time is coming.
In general, this allows you to create a pleasant habit that will be pleasant and relaxing not only for mom and dad, but also for the child. After the definitive detachment of the umbilical cord, the baby can be bathed safely, making it coincide with the preferences of the parents.
If you should notice that your child experiences the bath as a moment of tension or discomfort, it will be better not to do it every day, but to reduce the frequency, alternating it with simple sponging.
Very young children may experience congestion if they have recently eaten and are given a bath. Make sure that at least two hours have passed since the last feeding and then the baby will have digested everything properly.
As a last important information, we want to tell you that in general, the duration of the baby's bath should not exceed 10-15 minutes.
How to carry out the bath?
The baby bath can be performed directly in the home tub or in a special baby tub, using a rubber mat to reduce the risk of slipping.
- Baby bath
it should be made of plastic material and must be placed on a stable and large surface, adequate to contain everything you need; it is a good idea to choose an anatomical tray, that is, one that follows the shape of the body, to prevent the child from sliding sideways or turning .
- Bath tub
in this case the precautions to be taken are greater, precisely because the space in which the child can stay will be greater. First of all, the bathtub must be thoroughly cleaned, also the water tap must be as far away from the baby as possible. Finally, on the bottom, it is good to put soft towels or a foam base to prevent the baby from accidentally slipping. .
Pay attention, the ideal amount of water for the baby's bath will be 10-15 centimeters, you don't need much. Furthermore, during the bath, never leave the baby alone in the water: apart from the risk of drowning that can occur even with very little water, the baby can inhale water splashed or poured on his face while playing; Furthermore, the child slipping can be frightened and cause minor traumas.
Here are the steps to follow:
- The newborn should be immersed in water very slowly, having a firm and secure grip, the head and torso will be supported with the forearm; the left hand will be placed under the infant's armpit, so that it can be washed with the right. During all the time it is good to always pay attention not to let water fall into the eyes.
- You can also decide to soap the baby on the changing table and immerse him in water at a later time; this can be very helpful if you feel unsure.
- A neutral cleanser will work well for the body, while the face, eyes and ears must be washed with gauze or cotton wool soaked in water only.
- To cleanse the back, turn the baby over so that the baby is resting on his arm.
From 4-5 months, the baby will begin to be able to sit independently, so it will be the right time to use a bouncer to place in the tub.
Choosing the right products
- Body
The specific products for babies will be surfactant-free and soap-free, specially formulated for delicate skin. In general, avoid cosmetics that create too much foam or are too fragrant. The ideal cleanser usually has a pH between 5.0 and 5.5.
- Hair
The hair should be cleansed every 2 or 3 days with a suitable shampoo, which does not sting the eyes. To rinse the head, it is better to use a glass or the hollow of the hand.
Useful post-bath tips
- When the bath is coming to an end, to prevent the little one from getting cold out of the water, it is better to have a soft terry towel within reach.
- The skin will not be rubbed to be dried, but just dab gently so as not to cause injury or redness. Concentrate on the folds of the skin where moisture usually stagnates.
- After drying the baby, it is possible to moisturize his skin and massage a specific emollient product for the body.
- On the bottom and in the genital area, which are often objects of redness and irritation, it is better to spread a protective paste spreading it well, massaging gently even inside the folds of the skin and in the hollow of the legs.
- Finally, put on a clean diaper and dress the baby.
Precautions to be taken
What are the risks and precautions to be taken to bathe the newborn in complete serenity?
The risks, it is useless to deny it, are there, but this shouldn't scare you. Some of the most common include accidental falls or skin lesions, as a result of direct contact with water that is too cold or at a high temperature.
In the first months of life, then, the child is still unable to regulate his own body temperature and can suffer from hypothermia.
In general, never stay too close to the water tap as it could come out too hot or too cold.
Although it is customary, after bathing the baby, the use of talcum powder should be avoided as it could be inhaled by the baby, especially when used in large doses on the chest and upper limbs.
