Bathing Your Baby

A newborn doesn’t need to have a bath everyday. If you clean your baby’s face after each feeding and his diaper area after each BM, he only needs a bath with soap every other day. Bathing too often can dry your baby’s skin. Your baby puts his hands in his mouth often, so clean his hands several times a day with a damp cloth and mild soap.

Until the umbilical cord stump drops off and the navel area has completely healed, give your baby a sponge bath instead of a tub bath. Sitting in a tub of dirty bath water can cause the stump to become infected. Bathe him in a warm room that is free of drafts. When his bath is over, wrap him in a soft towel and cuddle him. Bath time is a great time to bond with your newborn.

For your baby’s bath you will need:

• a bowl or tub of warm water large enough to use for a sponge bath or to put him in for a tub bath
• baby soap and a pH balanced baby shampoo (ask your pediatrician for suggestions)
• a soft cotton wash cloth and towel, one with a hood is nice
• cotton balls, cotton swabs, and rubbing alcohol
• a set of clean clothes and a clean diaper

Sponge bath

When giving a sponge bath, wash him from the cleanest areas such as his hands, chest, and face, to the dirtiest areas, washing the diaper area last. Keep your baby warm while giving him a sponge bath by undressing only the parts you are bathing or covering him with a soft towel. Dry each area completely to prevent the loss of body heat.

Tub bath

Always keep one hand on your baby during a tub bath. Put about 3 inches of warm water in a small plastic tub or a clean sink. Always test the water temperature before putting him in it. Test the water with your elbow instead of your hands; your hands are used to water that is hotter than the rest of your body. The water should feel warm, but not hot. Fold a small towel and place it in the bottom of the sink or tub to prevent slipping. Talk to him as you lower him into the water; not all babies like a tub bath at first.

Bath-time safety

Babies can have a bath at any time of the day. So, pick a time that is not so busy for you. It is better to skip a bath than to squeeze it into a busy day. Bath time can be fun. It can also be a time for accidents. Following these safety rules will help prevent bath-time accidents.

• Never, ever leave your baby alone while giving him a bath. If you must be interrupted, take him with you or put him in his crib.
• Keep the water level shallow.
• Turn off the telephone or let the answering machine get it.
• Don’t bathe your baby in the kitchen sink while the dishwasher is running; hot water can back up into the sink and scald him.
• To prevent accidental scalding, set the thermostat on the water heater below 120°F.

Hair and scalp care

Wash your baby’s hair at the beginning of his bath. Dry his hair well before you undress him for bathing. Holding your baby in the football position will make it easier to wash his hair. Wash your baby’s hair and scalp twice a week using a small amount of baby shampoo on a soft wash cloth. Don’t get the cloth too wet or else soapy water can get into his eyes. Even “no tears” shampoos can sting. It’s okay to wash over the “soft spot” since it’s protected with a thick membrane. Dry his hair well with a towel to prevent the loss of body heat.

Your baby may have yellow, greasy scales over his scalp, eyebrows, and behind his ears commonly called “cradle cap.” Cradle cap can be removed by gently rubbing a small amount of baby oil on to the scalp. Massage the scalp until the scales loosen, then comb the scales out of his hair, and wash his scalp with baby shampoo. Rinse his scalp well after you shampoo; soap left on the scalp can irritate his scalp. You can also try lightly brushing your baby’s scalp daily with a soft baby brush. Cradle cap is not pretty, but it does not bother your baby. It is not contagious and has no side effects.

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Related topics 

• Your Baby`s Daily Massage
• Diet for a healthy breastfeeding mum
• Bathing & Soothing Your Baby's Skin
• Baby`s First Word

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Face, ears, nose, and eyes

Wash your baby’s face with plain water and without soap. Your baby may have a red pimply rash on his face for the first few weeks. No special treatment is needed. Gently washing your baby’s face every day may improve the rash. You don’t need to clean the inside of your baby’s mouth or ears. Wash behind his ears where spit-up milk can run. Gently wash the eyelids. Not all babies like this; your baby may squirm.

It’s OK to get water in your baby’s ears. Don’t try to dry the inside of your baby’s ears with cotton swabs (Q-tips); you can damage the eardrum. To get the water out, just gently turn her head to the side and let the water run out, then dry the outside of the ear with a soft towel.

Newborns breathe mainly through their nose, especially when feeding. Therefore, it is important to keep this airway free of mucous until he learns to breathe through his mouth. Sneezing is your baby’s way of clearing his nose. Some mucous is normal. However, too much mucous can cause nasal congestion making it harder for your baby to breathe. Clean the mucous from your baby’s nose by suctioning it with a bulb syringe. To do this, squeeze the bulb first, then gently place the tip of the syringe in his nose. Release the bulb to suck out the mucous. Squeeze the mucous into a tissue. Repeat these steps until your baby’s nose is clear. If mucous has dried on the outside of his nose, dab it with a damp cloth until it softens; then wash it off. Do not use cotton swabs (Q-tips) to clean inside your baby’s nose. A sudden movement by your baby could cause him to get hurt. Clean the bulb before using it again.

Your baby may have a clear or milky-white mucous discharge from one or both eyes. This is common usually caused by a clogged tear duct. To clean mucous from his eyes, lay your baby on his back. Turn his head toward the eye you are cleaning. Wipe the eye from the inside, next to his nose, to the outside with a cotton ball and plain water. Do not get the mucous from one eye into the other eye. Use a clean cotton ball for each wipe. If the discharge starts after you get home from the hospital, call your pediatrician. Your pediatrician will tell you how to massage the area to unclog the tear duct. If the mucous is yellow or green, it could mean infection, call your pediatrician.

Skin care

Our skin protects our bodies from infection. An infection starts more easily in broken skin such as a rash or a scratch. Therefore, it is very important to protect your baby’s skin from rashes. Rashes often begin as a skin irritation. So, avoid using soaps and lotions that have harsh chemicals or perfume because they can irritate your baby’s skin. If you use soap, rinse your baby’s skin well to remove all of the soap. Scrubbing your baby’s skin can also irritate it and lead to a rash. Gentle washing is all that is needed.

It is important to know that rashes that come and go are probably nothing to worry about. However, rashes that have pimples and blisters could mean your baby has an infection. If your baby has this type of rash, especially in the diaper area, call your pediatrician.

Be sure to wash all skin creases, such as under the neck where milk runs down the chin and between the buttocks. To clean under his neck, with your baby lying on his back, place your hand behind his shoulders and lift his shoulders up slightly. This will cause his head to tilt back enough for you to clean his neck.

Dry or peeling skin is normal for the first few weeks as healthy new skin lies just below the outer, shedding layer. After a bath, it’s okay to apply small amounts of fragrance-free moisturizing lotion or cream. Avoid putting baby oil on his skin; oil can block skin pores. Your baby should not need any powders, lotions or oils on his skin. Talk with your pediatrician before you using of any of these products.

Genitals

Be sure to wash your baby’s genitals. In newborn girls, you may see a slight creamy vaginal discharge the first few days. Sometimes, there is a trace of blood. This discharge is normal and should not be a cause for concern. Your hormones get into your baby’s bloodstream and are the cause of the discharge. These hormones should be out of her bloodstream within a few days. If the discharge lasts more than a week, call your pediatrician. To clean her genital area, wash from front to back with plain water. Also, don’t forget to clean her skin folds well.

If your son has not been circumcised, you do not need to retract the foreskin when cleaning his penis. Full retraction may not be possible for several months. You may notice a waxy material, called smegma, on the head of the penis. This is normal, but should be washed off.

If your son has been circumcised, be very gentle when bathing and drying his penis until it heals. To wash it, squeeze plain, warm water from a clean wash cloth over the penis; then let it air dry. Once the penis heals, you can wash it like you do the rest of him.

Baby Hair Care

As you’ve discovered, not all newborns are born bald but arrive on the scene with a shock of thick hair. While some of these babies come out with perfectly coiffed locks, the rest look like they’re having a bad hair day, with a punk-style Mohawk, or tufted patches, or the scraggly comb-over of a little Homer Simpson. No one really knows why some babies are born with lots of hair, though experts believe it probably has something to do with maternal hormones and the genetic lottery.

Whatever your baby’s hairstyle du jour, don’t worry too much (or get too attached). Newborn dos are hair today, gone tomorrow. Here’s what you need to know about your newborn’s hair:

Newborn hair loss. If you were surprised by your baby’s massive mane, just wait: All that hair may disappear. Newborns shed like a golden retriever in the first six months (and some can go from luxuriantly coiffed to bald as a cue ball). That’s because all those pregnancy hormones (the ones that may have given you great hair, too!) plummet after birth, so your baby’s hair stops growing. Then a phase called “telogen” kicks in, when lots of the hair falls out altogether.

Newborn hair growth. Luckily, the telogen phase is usually followed rather quickly (or even simultaneously) by new hair growth. But the baby hair that grows in may be nothing like your little one’s newborn locks. Color and texture often change — again, thanks to hormones — so your baby’s thick, dark hair could make its reappearance a lot sparser and lighter. Red can give way to blonde. Curly goes straight. You never know. Eventually your baby’s hair will grow in and she’ll look less like a punk rocker and more like the coiffed baby of your dreams. Exactly when that happens can be anyone’s guess (it’s different for every child). Some get a great new head of hair by six months, some not for two or three years.

Until then, here’s how to take care of whatever hair your baby does have:

• Don’t wash your baby’s hair every day. Particularly with newborns, there’s just no need. Aim for a quick shampoo when you bathe your baby, which doesn’t need to be more often than a couple times a week.
• Be gentle when you massage a tearless baby shampoo into your baby’s scalp. A too-brisk scalp massage can stress hair follicles and speed up hair loss or breakage.
• Comb your baby’s hair with a soft-bristle brush or a wide-toothed comb that won’t snag on tangles or pull your baby’s hair.
• Avoid headbands or ponytails that pull your baby’s hair back too tightly, which can damage it.
• If your baby needs a quick trim later to look presentable, go for it. Just do it when she’s well rested and fed, so she’ll be less cranky, and set her up with some toys to distract her.

For now, Mom, cut off a lock of that soft Mohawk to tuck in the baby book, and enjoy the punk look while it lasts. Your newborn’s hair will look different soon enough.