It’s not necessary to bathe your baby every day, but if it’s something that your little one enjoys doing with you, then there’s no reason why you shouldn’t. The NHS advises not to bathe your baby straight after a feed or when they’re hungry or tired, and to make sure the room you’ll be bathing in is warm. While some babies have an affinity for water, others are not so inclined—to say the least. Here’s what you need to know to make bath time both easier and safer.
Topping & Tailing
Instead of bathing your baby every day, you may prefer to wash their face, neck, hands and bottom instead. This is often called ‘topping and tailing’ and can be done by observing the following steps:
- Take off your baby’s clothes, except their vest and nappy, and wrap them in a towel.
- Dip cotton wool in warm water (making sure it doesn’t get too wet) and wipe gently around your baby’s face from the nose outward. Use a fresh piece of cotton wool for each eye to avoid transferring any stickiness or infection.
- With fresh cotton wool, clean around your baby’s ears, but not inside them. Never use cotton buds to clean inside your infant’s ears.
- Wash the rest of the face, neck and hands in the same way and dry them gently with a towel.
- Remove the nappy and wash your baby’s bottom and genital area. Dry carefully, especially between the skin folds, and put on a clean nappy.
Bathing baby
The first and most important rule of bath time is to never leave your baby alone. Follow these basic steps when bathing your infant to help make sure your little one is as safe as they are clean.
- Check the temperature of the water with your wrist or elbow; making sure it’s warm, not hot. Mix it well.
- Hold your baby and clean their face softly with cotton wool and water.
- Supporting your baby’s head over the bowl, wash their hair with plain water.
- After gently drying your baby’s hair, remove their nappy and wipe away any mess.
- Lower your baby gently into the bowl or bath using one hand to hold their upper arm and support their head and shoulders.
- Keeping your baby’s head clear of the water, use the other hand to gently swish water over your baby, without splashing.
- Lift your infant out and pat them dry, paying attention to the creases in their skin.
Safety first
A child can drown in a matter of minutes, sometimes in as little as two inches of water. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) reports that one in three accidental drowning deaths in young children (two years or under) involve bath seats. Infants can tip over in a bath seat and become trapped, or climb out to potentially fatal consequences. These seats should not be mistaken for safety measures.
Most importantly, you should never leave your baby alone in the bath or in the care of another child. Place a non-skid mat beneath your baby bath or bowl to prevent it from slipping and use rubber covers on tap faucets so that your little one doesn’t accidentally get injured or turn on the water. Always test the water temperature before bathing and remember to empty the tub completely after each use.
