For children 6th months and above:
- Avoid giving your baby a bath immediately after he’s eaten. Baby is more likely to spit up post-meal, and you don’t want him to need a second bath before she’s out of the first.
- Bathe the baby in a room, which is warm and draft-free and a place you both can relax and be comfortable.
- Choose a bath time when you’re unlikely to be interrupted (by phone calls or visitors)
- Take off your watch and jewellery and wash your hands.
- Keep a basin of water nearby and a thick towel on which you can place the baby immediately after you have bathed her.
- Test the water temperature with your elbow or wrist. The recommended bath temperature for babies is about 36°C.
- To avoid overdrying skin, try adding bath oil (unperfumed is better) to the water. Avoid bubble baths – they remove natural oils from the skin. Moisturisers such as sorbolene and aqueous creams can help stop newborn skin drying out. Newborn babies don’t need shampoo for their hair.Use mild soaps only for baby’s tender skin and wash the body gently.
- Slowly, ease your infant into the water in a good baby bathtub or the kitchen sink.
- If you feel that your hands get too slippery on the skin once you have scrubbed her with the soap, then you may try wearing a pair of old cotton gloves.
- Put a towel on the bottom of the sink or tub to prevent the baby from slipping.
- Do not use soap on baby’s face as it can hurt her eyes.
- Before undressing your baby, wipe her eyelids (from inner eye to outer eye) with cotton wool dipped in lukewarm water, using a different piece of cotton wool for each eye. Then wash her whole face. Be careful not to put anything into her ears or nose.
- If your baby doesn’t like being alone in the water, you can climb into the bathtub with the baby and bathe with her. It gives you great skin-to-skin contact time. If your baby is breastfeeding, you baby may even want to nurse in the tub.
- Bath toys such as classic rubber ducks can attract older children bathtubs.
- If your child is afraid of bathtubs, you may try taking shower with your baby.
- Never leave your baby in the bath unattended. Children can drown quickly and quietly.
- Choose a bath time when you’re unlikely to be interrupted (by phone calls or visitors)
- Take off your watch and jewellery and wash your hands.
- Keep a basin of water nearby and a thick towel on which you can place the baby immediately after you have bathed her.
- Undress your baby, taking his nappy off last.
- Massage with oil total body.
- Cradle your baby’s head with one arm, supporting her head and neck with the other arm. Gently lower her into the bath, feet first, keeping a close hold at all times.
- Supporting his head, lay your baby down in the bath so the back of his head is submerged. Gently splash some water onto his head.
- Wash your baby’s hair once or twice a week. You don’t need shampoo for newborn hair.
- Gently wash your baby’s genitals and bottom last, using water only.Also clean out any bits of poo or vomit from her body creases
- Supporting your baby’s head and neck, lift him out of the bath then place him on his back on a clean, dry, soft towel.
- Wrap your baby in the towel and pat dry. Pay attention to skin creases, including armpits, groin, under the chin, around the neck and behind the ears.
- Putting his nappy on first and dress your baby.