Baby's First Bath

After discharge from the hospital, if your child’s belly button is dry and clean – you can start to bathe him.

How to bathe a newborn?

1. You can hire an infant-swimming instructor. At the age of 3-4 months, your baby can already be taught to swim in the pool.
2. Purchase a special slide for bathing. It will support your child, in the right position during his first months, until he learns to sit. After six months you will need to buy either a special bathing seat or a non-slip mat on the bottom of the tub.
3. Buy a swim ring for infant. It would immobilize his head and keep the child on the water.

Encourage your child to be more active. This is facilitated by the water temperature. Hot bath makes infant more relaxed and physically inactive. In mildly cool water, baby starts to splash and move actively.

Stages on bathing
Slowly put your baby into water, give him time to swing his legs and get used to new environment. Place your hand under child’s shoulder and bottom so that way he could lean his head on your forearm. Start soaping from the neck, then wash the chest, back, hands and go down to the bottom. You also need to wash the skin folds. For children up to 1 year gel, foam or shampoo should be used. After rinsing, wrap your child in a towel with a hood and gently wipe him off. Then put some lotion on the baby and dress him up.