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10 steps to ensure a hygienic baby bath

While giving your baby a bath you need to take all measures possible for the safety of the baby and the hygiene of surroundings

10 steps to ensure a hygienic baby bath
Author
Bangalore, First Published May 28, 2020, 12:14 PM IST

As a new parent, the idea of bathing your new-born can make you a little nervous at first. It is because any unique experience can make the infant uncomfortable and fidgety.

However, once the child is familiar with bathing and starts to enjoy the freshness of the water, baby-bathing can be a fun time for both the parent as well as the child. One must also note that the gestation time of making a baby feel comfortable with bathing depends upon various factors. New parents must follow certain aspects to ensure safe-baby-bathing even after the child starts to enjoy it. There are two types of bathing, and in this article, we will discuss five steps each for sponge bath as well as a tub bath.

Before diving into the details of various essential bathing steps, it is vital to grab suitable products such as baby body wash, baby shampoo, 2-3 wash clothes, soft towels, cotton balls, diaper and dusting powder. It is recommended to use organic and eco-friendly products for your child’s safety and health. There are a number of baby care brands such as Mother Sparsh and Mamaearth that offer products with natural ingredients.

After the child is born, it is recommended and essential to give infants a sponge bath for several weeks. Sponge bath doesn’t interfere with the healing process of umbilical cord stump, which is required to automatically fall-off. Also, it allows the baby to feel comfortable as it is gentle on their delicate skin. Five key steps to follow while sponge-bathing is: -

Setting up: Get some lukewarm water in a small bucket and along with other items set at an easy-to-reach distance from you. You can place the baby face-to-face on the bed with a towel spread underneath, or you can also sit with your legs stretched out to secure the baby on the lap. Use a towel before laying the baby on your lap. Remember to adjust the fan speed as per the need. Switch off AC.

Start with the face: Take cotton balls, dampen them to clean eyes, ears, nose and mouth. Remember to use one cotton ball for each eye and ear, one for the mouth and so on.

Head wash: Take a few drops of baby shampoo and rub it in your hand using a bit of water. Apply it carefully on the baby’s head and gently massage through the hair. Make sure the child’s head and spine are well supported and are correctly aligned. Use some water to rinse and clean the head. Immediately dry the head.

Move forward: Dampen a washcloth in lukewarm water and add some baby body wash liquid. Make sure there is no water dripping as it could drop into child’s eyes, nostrils or mouth. Once the cloth is ready to use, gently rub systematically from one shoulder to another, over the neck, on the stomach and then over the legs and feet. Turn the baby on his/her stomach to rub its back and rest of the body. Use a clean towel to keep it under the baby’s face for safety.

Dry nicely: Once you are done using the damp cloth, pat dry the baby. Apply dusting powder carefully on his/her body, avoiding any sprinkle on baby’s face. And gently put a diaper and clothes over the child. Don’t change the room temperature immediately after the process.

Once the baby’s umbilical cord falls off, parents can switch to tub bathing and follow below-mentioned steps for baby’s safety:

Setting up: Once again, it is important to place all the bathing products based on the order and ease of use. Remember to use a suitably mounted tub and fill it with lukewarm water. Only a couple of inches of water will work.

Placing the baby into the tub: Gently place the infant into the bathtub and make sure she/he has proper support for back and head. You can also add suitably sized, silicon toys to distract the infant from feeling scared.

Bathing: Gently clean the baby with help of baby body wash and also baby shampoo. Make sure the baby is having fun and has proper support to enjoy the experience.

Pat dry: Once bathing is done; pat dry the baby. Apply dusting powder following the same instructions as mentioned above.
Covering the baby: cover the baby with clothes and make him/her wear a diaper if required.

Bathing regularly is NOT recommended, and you can select alternative days to bath and clean the baby. 

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