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Baby bathing can be a pleasant time, but many parents feel insecure to perform this practice, which is normal, especially in the first days for fear of hurting or not giving the bath properly.
Some precautions are very important for bathing, among them, doing it in a place with adequate temperature, using a bathtub according to the baby's size, using products suitable for babies, not bathing right after feeding him, among others . Still, it is up to the parents to decide how many times to bathe the baby, but it is not necessary that it is every day, and every other day it is already enough because the excess water and the products used can create skin problems such as irritations and allergies.
Before starting to bathe it is important to choose a place with a heated temperature between 22ºC and 25ºC, gather the products that will be used, already leave the towel, diaper and prepared clothes as well as the water in the bathtub, which should be between 36ºC and 37ºC. As the baby loses a lot of heat at that time, the bath should not take more than 10 minutes.
Check out the steps that should be followed to bathe the baby:
1. Clean the baby's face
With the baby still dressed, to avoid loss of body heat, clean the face, as well as around the ears and neck folds, which can be done with a cotton ball or cloth soaked with warm water.
Swabs should never be used to clean the ears, as there is a risk of piercing the baby's ear. Still, a gauze moistened with saline can be used to clean the baby's nostrils, a very important action to avoid harming the breathing. Finally, the eyes must also be cleaned with a damp cloth and the movements must always be in the nose-ear direction to avoid the accumulation of dirt and paddles. Check the main causes of the baby's eyes being ridden and how to clean.
2. Wash your head
The baby's head can also be washed while he is still dressed, and it is appropriate to hold the body with the baby's forearm and armpit with his hand. You should wash the child's head first with clean water and then products such as soap or shampoo suitable for the baby can be used and massage the hair with your fingertips.
At this stage of the bath it is necessary to be very careful because the baby's head has soft regions, which are the fontanelles, which must close until the age of 18 months and for this reason one should not squeeze or put pressure on the head to avoid hurting. However, it should be washed well with movements from front to back, being careful to prevent the foam and water from entering the ears and eyes and then drying well with a towel.
3. Clean the intimate area
After washing the baby's face and head, you can undress it and when removing the diaper, wipe the intimate area with a wet cloth before placing it in the bathtub so as not to get the water dirty.
4. Wash the baby's body
When placing the baby in the water, you should not put the baby's entire body in the water, but put it in parts, starting with the feet and resting the head on the forearm and with that hand holding the baby's armpit.
With the baby already in the water, you should lather and rinse the baby's body thoroughly, cleaning the folds in the thighs, neck and wrists well and not forgetting to clean the hands and feet, as babies love to put these parts on mouth.
The intimate area must be left for the end of the bath, and in girls it is important to be careful to always clean from front to back so as not to contaminate the vagina with feces. In boys, it is necessary to always keep the area around the testicles and under the penis clean.
5. Dry the baby's body
After you finish rinsing the baby, you should take him out of the bath and lay him on the dry towel, wrapping the baby so that he doesn't get wet out of the water. Then, use the towel to dry all parts of the baby's body, not forgetting the hands, feet and folds, as if moisture accumulates, sores may appear in these regions.
6. Dry the intimate area
After drying the entire body, dry the intimate area and check for diaper rash, a common complication in babies, see how to identify and treat diaper rash in babies.
With the baby clean and dry, you should put the diaper clean so that it does not get on the towel.
7. Apply moisturizer and dress the baby
As the baby's skin is drier, especially in the first weeks of life, it is essential to moisturize it with ointments, oils, creams and lotions suitable for the baby, and the ideal time for its application is after the bath.
To apply the moisturizer, you should start with the baby's chest and arms and wear the clothes from the upper region, then apply moisturizer on the legs and dress the bottom of the baby's clothes. It is important to pay attention to aspects of the baby's skin and if there are changes in color or texture, as it can mean allergy problems. Know a little about baby skin allergy and what to do in these cases.
Finally, you can comb your hair, check the need to cut your nails and put on your socks and shoes, in case the baby is already able to walk.
How to prepare the baby bath
The place and material must be prepared before the bath to prevent the baby from losing heat and it also helps to prevent the child from being alone in the water during the bath. To prepare the bath you must:
Keep the temperature between 22 ºC to 25 ºC and without drafts;
Gather bath products, these are not necessary but, if you choose to use them, they should be suitable for babies with neutral pH, be soft and fragrance free and should only be used on the baby's dirtiest parts. Before 6 months, the same product used to wash the body can be used to wash the hair, without the need for shampoo;
Prepare the towel, diaper and clothes in the order you will wear them so that the baby does not get cold;
Put a maximum of 10 cm of water in the bathtub or bucket, adding cold water first and then hot water until it reaches a temperature between 36º and 37ºC. In the absence of a thermometer, you can use your elbow to check that the water is nice.
You should use a plastic tub or Shantala bucket that can accommodate the baby's size, as well as being in a comfortable place for parents. Another point to note are the products that will be used in the bath which should be suitable for the baby, since the baby is more sensitive, especially in the first weeks of life, and certain products can cause irritation to the eyes and skin.
How to sponge your baby
In the first weeks of life, before the baby's umbilical cord falls off, or even when you want to wash a part of the baby without getting it wet, the sponge bath can be a great alternative.
This practice should also be carried out in a warm place and before starting the bath, all the material must be gathered, clothes, towels, diapers, baby soap and a container of warm water, initially without soap, should be gathered. On a flat surface, still with clothes or wrapped in a towel, the ideal is to clean the face, around the ears, chin, neck folds and the baby's eyes with a towel wet only with water so as not to irritate the skin.
When undressing the baby, it is important to keep him warm and for that you can put a towel on him while cleaning the body. Start at the top and go down, not forgetting the hands and feet and clean very carefully around the umbilical stump to make it dry. After that, you can put a little soap in the water to wet the towel and clean the area of the genitals. Finally, dry the baby, put on a clean diaper and put on your clothes. See how to care for the baby's umbilical stump.
How to maintain safety in the bath
To ensure safety in the bath, the baby should be supervised at all times in the water and should never be alone in the bathtub, as he can drown in less than 30 seconds and with little water. In the case of older babies, it is advisable not to fill the bathtub above the waist of the seated child.
In addition, there are many parents who like to bathe with their children or who want to try this experience. However, it is necessary to be very careful as this practice may not be as safe as there are risks such as falling with the baby on your lap and the products that the adult uses in the bath can irritate the baby's skin or eyes. However, if parents want to perform this practice, some safety measures must be implemented, such as placing an adherent rug in the bathroom and using a sling so that the baby is trapped in the adult, in addition to choosing to use the baby's own products.