Bath time is always a happy time for parents and their babies. However, most new parents will feel apprehensive or fear bathing their tiny little babies. If done correctly, you can quickly transform bath time into a happy time for you and your child.
Here are a few tricks that you can use to make your little one look forward to bath time and make it less of a hassle for you too.
Sponge Bath Newborns
Newborns are fragile, and surprisingly they don’t get dirty as much as you would think. With proper cleaning when changing their diapers, all you’ll need to do is give your baby a sponge bath a couple of times a week.
Sponging for infants still have their umbilical cord sticks is recommended. To effectively give you baby a sponge bath, simply swaddle them loosely in a bath towel and use a baby washcloth dipped in some lukewarm water.
Keep your baby covered when sponging, only exposing parts of your baby at a time and once you wash the area cover them back up.
Timing is Key
What time is the right time to give your baby a bath? Most parents find that a bath time in the evening before bed can be quite soothing.
Never wash your baby immediately after feeding; give it an hour or so and make sure that the child has rested well to make it a happy bathing time. Also, make sure that you have burped your baby after feeding to avoid having them spit up during baths.
The best thing about evening baths for babies is that it has the effect of making them feel drowsy and often they will quickly settle down for sleep soon afterward.
Go Baby Friendly
Once your baby is ready for full baths, it is important to get baby-friendly bath essentials to make bath time an excellent time for bonding with your child.
One of the most important bath essentials to get is a tub. Getting a safe one goes without saying, and bath tabs can be placed in virtually any designated location as desired. A kitchen sink is often a popular option when bathing little children because it is high enough.
Go for soaps and shampoos specially formulated for babies. Children’s skin is very sensitive,and you want to protect their skin as much as possible during bath time.
Use Bath Pads
Bath time can be slippery and messy. For one, your little one is very slippery at a tender age and add water to the equation, and messy baths will be inevitable. You can make bath time much easier by getting bath pads and bath mat inserts for your child’s bath tub.
Bath mats or pads will make it less slippery and offer cushioning for your baby making their time in the tub as comfortable as possible.
Another tip when bathing your baby is to line up the tub or skin using a towel for added comfort and warmth.
Crank up The Thermostat
Remember that you never want to expose your child to the cold at any time. So before bath time, you ought to crank up the thermostat.
With a warm environment around the bath area, your little one will stay warm when being bathed and afterward. It is also important to check the water temperature before placing your young one in the bath tub. If the water feels too warm for you, then it definitely will be toasty for your child.
If you implement these tips, bath time will always be a happy time for your baby. Once your baby is big enough, you can introduce bath toys and other child-friendly bath aids to transform bath time to playtime for your child as well.