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Slippery Baby: How to Bathe Your New Baby without Fear
Your newborn baby just lost his or her umbilical cord and now you can look forward to giving your child their first
proper bath. You prepared before the baby arrived. You have a small infant tub, adorable baby towels and washcloths
and plenty of baby shampoo and soap. You are looking forward to this milestone and dad is even on hand to help and
snap a few pictures. You fill the water up and lower the baby in the water. Suddenly, you fear that the baby is too
slippery or the water is too hot or too cold. What do you do? First of all, relax. You won’t be branded a bad
parent if your child’s first bath doesn’t go according to plan, however you do need to be careful. Here are some
tips for making sure your baby’s first bath goes well.
Getting the right supplies: The first thing you will want to do before giving your baby a bath is to make
sure you have the right supplies. You will need a mild baby shampoo and baby soap. While you certainly do not need
special washcloths or towels, make sure they are soft and won’t scratch your baby’s skin. Most parents opt for a
fancy baby bath, but the sink works just as well. So, before filling up with water, get out everything you need,
including a new diaper.
Test the water: When you bath your child, you need to make sure the water is not too hot or too cold.
Lukewarm is just about right. You have seen parents testing baby water on the inside of the wrist. This is actually
a perfect way to see how the water will feel to your baby. Too cold will leave your baby screaming and any water
that is too hot can scald your baby. In fact, you may even want to buy a special water thermometer at your baby
supply store. These can help you determine if your bath water is the right temperature. When you do fill the tub,
remember you do not need to completely submerse your baby. You only need a couple of inches for a good bath. If you
do use a baby tub, you might want to consider placing it in the bathtub instead of the sink, or your can forgo the
tub altogether and just take a bath with your baby.
Lower your baby in: When you lower your baby in the water, you need a firm, yet gently grip. Babies do tend
to become quite slippery when they are in the water. One great tip is to place a folded towel in the bottom of the
baby tub or sink. This will provide a skid-proof bottom and help you keep a hold of your baby better. One word of
caution, never, ever leave your baby in the water unattended, even for a second. You should have all of your
supplies right there and always keep one hand on your baby during the whole bath.
Wash that baby clean: Now you can wash your baby. You might want to wash the hair last so that your baby
does not become chilled. When you do use soap, remember a little goes a long way and the more you use, the harder
it will be to rinse. Have a small cup that you can use to fill and rinse your baby with clean water.
Dry and dress: As soon as your baby’s bath is complete, have someone nearby ready with a towel. Wrap your
baby in the towel and take your child to a warm spot. Have clothes and a diaper ready to go and your baby will be
clean and sweet smelling in no time.
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