How to Bathe a Newborn Baby with Umbilical Cord

With a newborn baby, every simple activity seems to be special and as new parents, we tend to do them with utmost care. The experience of your newborn baby taking a bath for the first time might be interesting as well as full of anxiety for you.

As a new mom, you will be worried about many factors while bathing your little one for the first time such as how to bathe, materials required for bathing, protection of the umbilical cord, protection of the skin, eyes, ears, etc. You will just need to relax, take guidance from an experienced person and use the right amenities.

How to bathe a Newborn Baby Indian style?

The Indian style of bathing a newborn baby is known as the ‘Leg Bath’. In this method, the person who is giving the bath will have to sit on the ground with both the legs outstretched and touching each other.

Then, the baby will be made to lie down over the legs with his head placed on the feet of the person who is giving the bath.

The upper portion of the baby’s body i.e. the face and the tummy touches the legs of the person bathing and the position of the nose lies exactly between the two legs.

Mostly, this newborn traditional bath is given by some elderly and experienced members of the family.

The babies are not given a proper bath until the umbilical cord is there. This is because of the fact that there are chances of infection.

Doctors advise that the babies are only given a sponge bath using a very soft washcloth so that the belly button area is dry and there is no water.

After the umbilical cord falls off, ideally the bathing process should begin with an oil massage, then washing the baby using warm and then finally drying your baby using a dry towel.

It is usually advisable to close the doors and windows while bathing your baby to avoid excessive temperature change.

There are certain advantages associated with the bathing of a newborn baby as per the Indian style. The position in which you are placing your baby for giving the bath will prevent the entry of water into the nose and the mouth of the baby.

Also, the chances of the baby slipping while giving a bath reduces by making the baby lie in this position for bathing.

How to Bathe a Baby Step by Step

The first step is to make a preparation of all the necessary materials that are needed for the bathing of the baby.

This will include

• Bath Water needed at the optimal temperature
• Oil for massage
• Baby soap or baby bath liquid
• Sponge or a washcloth
• Dry towel
• New pair of clothes and diapers

The next step is to gently massage baby’s body using either coconut oil or sesame oil.

This is believed to bring great results with respect to the growth and strengthening of the baby’s bones and muscles.

Then, you can apply some soap or the baby bath liquid on the baby’s body and scrub with the sponge or washcloth. The water should be either warm or a little hot depending on the climatic conditions.

It is advisable to avoid using too hot water or holding the baby too tightly as it can be uncomfortable for the baby and hurt the baby.

The bath of a newborn baby should be of the duration of not more than 5 minutes and the baby should be immediately dried using a clean and dry towel.

The body parts of the baby especially ears, eyes, the head should be dried properly to avoid any accumulation of moisture.

Now, baby lotion, moisturizer, and baby powder can be applied to the baby’s body for preventing the body is dry and scaly. Baby powder can be used in the diaper area, neck, armpits, etc. and utmost care should be taken in preventing the entry of any of these products into the eyes, ears or mouth of the baby.

Now, you can dress up your baby with a fresh pair of diapers and clothes.

How to Bathe Baby in Tub?

Usually, it is advisable to make babies have a bath in a bathtub only after their umbilical cord has fallen down. This will help in preventing any infections around the umbilical cord and stomach of the newborn baby.

Depending upon your convenience and the comfort of your baby, you can select the size of your bathtub and the tub has to be placed in a safe position before giving a bath to the baby.

We recommend a bath tub which is certified and is safe for babies. Bath tubs should be slip-resistant, which is crucial as mistakes can happen.

Whatever product you choose make sure it has proper neck support for the baby. If it is made of plastic then the plastic has to be BPA free

Important things to remember while selecting a bath tub

• Bathtub will grow with your baby. Babies grow so fast. Find one which accommodates infants and toddlers as well
• Easy to Clean – It is so tiring being a parent, sleepless nights, cleaning poop, bath. The last thing we need is something additional to clean. Find one with a drain to clean out dirty water.
• Has Headrest – Babies do not have strength in their necks. We need something which makes it easy for the babies to support their head, neck and body comfortably and safely
• Slip Proof – Slipping is dangerous. Especially at bath time and with soap involved, it can get tricky. Ensure that bathtub you select is slip-proof.

Here is the tub we recommend – bathtub for infants and toddlers.

The next step should be getting all your materials gathered that are needed for making your baby bath.

You can arrange the warm or slightly hot water along with your washcloth, baby soap or baby bath liquid, dry towel, clothes, and diapers.

Make sure to check the right temperature of the water by your hands before putting your baby into the bathtub.

Now, you can slowly put your baby into the bathtub. You should make use of both of your hands while putting your baby into the bathtub.

One of your hands should be at the bottom of your baby and the other hand must be placed on the neck or the head of your baby.

Now, you can start bathing your baby by putting some soap or bath liquid. You should try and clean between the folds in the skin, neck area, hands, diaper area, etc.

Clean gently and you should not scrub very tightly as it would hurt your baby’s skin.

After bathing, you can bring your baby out of the tub and dry using a towel. You should apply baby moisturizer, baby powder and dress up your baby now.

You should be always vigilant and careful while bathing a baby in a tub. Moreover, you should never leave your baby alone in a bathtub even for a single second.

How to Sponge bathe a Newborn with an Umbilical Cord?

It is always advisable to give a sponge bath to your baby until the umbilical cord has fallen out.

To give a sponge bath, you have to first find out a suitable place where you can make your baby lie down and bathe. You can put up a blanket or a fluffy mattress on a bed or on a changing table and sponge bath your baby.

Then in the next step, you should start gathering the items that will be needed in giving a sponge bath to your newborn baby.

You will need some essential items such as a basin or a container to have the water for sponging, washcloth, dry towel, and fresh diaper and clothes.

It is ideal to start cleaning your baby from head to toe direction. The head, eyes, ears, chin and neck folds should be cleaned up carefully with only water.

Later on, you can use a little amount of bath liquid or soap to lean the back and other portions of the body. You should be careful about your baby’s umbilical cord and should not allow any water to come in contact with the umbilical cord. If it happens, you should dry it off immediately and gently by using a dry towel.

After the bathing is over, you should immediately wrap your baby with a dry and soft towel. Then, you can dress up your baby with a new diaper and clothes. You should take extra precautions and provide support to your baby’s neck and head while sponge bathing.

How often to bathe a newborn?

In countries like India where the climate is humid and tropical, it is mostly advisable to give your newborn baby a bath every day with warm water. This brings a feeling of rejuvenation and freshness in the newborn baby.

However, in countries that have an extremely cold climate, it is ideal to give bath to your newborn baby thrice in a week. Bathing your newborn baby every day in chilly weather can result in dry and scaly skin.

The ideal bath technique till your newborn baby’s umbilical cord has not fallen is a sponge bath and later on, after the umbilical cord is no more stumped bathing can be done in a bathtub.

Can you bathe a baby with an umbilical cord?

Yes, a sponge bath is an ideal option for a baby with an umbilical cord. You should take extra care of the umbilical cord while giving a sponge bath and keep it dry always. Many paediatricians also suggest applying baby powder on the areas surrounding the umbilical cord to prevent moisture collection in the area.

When can you wash the newborn’s hair?

Ideally, you can start washing your newborn baby’s hair once you start giving a bath to your baby in a bathtub. By then, your baby would be comfortable with certain changes occurring in the surrounding and would respond well.

Initially, you can just use water to clean your baby’s hair as they are not much exposed to dirt and pollution. Later on, when your baby is big and is around 2-3 months you can use mild baby shampoos for cleaning your baby’s hair.

Usually, babies are very fussy while washing their hairs and cry a lot. You can use no-tear baby shampoo for this purpose and massage your baby’s head gently.

You can use a sponge to massage your baby’s hair and ensure that the water from hairs drip in the backward direction and not on the face. You should also be careful about the tender spots which are present on your baby’s head and do not press them too hard.

Hence, bathing your newborn baby is a different experience for you. As a mother, you will always go to that extra mile for the safety of your child and ensure that bathing, cleaning and other grooming activities of your baby are done safely.

Your baby should enjoy this entire process rather than just crying and shrieking. A little careful effort and cautiousness will make this process an enjoyable one for you and your newborn baby as well.

This post first appeared on Toysinindia.com

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