Bathing your newborn can be a little terrifying. Hundreds of little worries could be going through your head.
Would he slip and fall?
Would he drown?
What if water gets into his nose?
What if he struggles a lot?
Will he poop?!
Is the water too hot/cold?
Is his umbilical cord stump going to hurt/fall off/bleed?
Am I going to hurt him?
I know. It’s normal to have these fears. Handling a wiggling, wet, and soapy little one does sound like a recipe for disaster.
I was recently part of Cetaphil Singapore’s first ever Baby Experience – a half a day workshop where parents and parents-to-be learnt how to care for their babies from a panel of childcare experts. Among the experts present at the Cetaphil Baby event was Ms Kang Phaik Gaik, senior lactation consultant at Alvernia Parentcraft Centre, Mount Alvernia Hospital. Ms Kang was kind enough to demonstrate to the audience how to bathe newborn.
You can learn more about the correct and safe way of bathing newborn babies and massaging them with this video.
Even though I am a second time mum, I was still nervous about bathing Baby Nathen when we brought him home from the hospital. Here are the top 5 tips which helped me enjoy bath time with my new born.
Tips for bathing your newborn
- Have no fear. Be confident
Babies can sense it if you’re not confident about carrying them. So make sure you assure them through a soothing voice and hold them confidently. - It’s all about the timing
Choose a time when your baby is well rested and not hungry (but not right after eating as well because he might throw up). Personally I like giving my baby a bath in the middle of the day when it’s nice and warm. - Be prepared
Have all your bath supplies ready on hand and within arm’s length. This could include a washcloth, soap, towel, diaper, diaper cream, clothes, cotton balls, mittens, socks, cooled boiled water, and cotton gauze. - Use a suitable baby bath wash
There are heaps of great baby bath products out there in the market. Do make sure it’s specially formulated for your LO’s (Little One) delicate skin. It should also be paraben free, hypoallergenic and have a tear free formula to it. Having a nice calming scent to it would also help to make your baby feel more comfortable. - Use an anti-slip bath mat
I find that using this really helps to up my confidence. At least I know my LO’s little bum won’t slip around when I place him inside the bathtub!
Practice makes perfect. I hope you’ve picked up some good tips! :) This post is brought to you by Cetaphil Singapore. They hold useful parenting workshops from time to time and if you want to be kept in the loop, do sign up for their newsletter so that you will be informed of any new workshops, just like the recent Cetaphil Baby Experience workshop!
Do you have tips for bathing your newborn to share to? Let me know in the comments! :)
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