Baby's First Bath: What You Need to Know
Your baby’s first bath is one of the many milestones that they will experience during the first month of life. Learning how to give a baby a bath is also an important rite of passage for mom and dad, too. At Pottery Barn Kids, we’re here to help you learn the basics of giving a newborn their first bath, from safety precautions to advice on gentle washing.
Baby’s First Bath: By the Numbers
Newborns aren’t exposed to much dirt and grime, so for now, your baby isn’t getting dirty enough to need regular bathing. Give your newborn sponge baths two or three times a week until the umbilical cord stump has fallen off and a fully healed belly button is left behind. After that, you can move on to tub baths. Because umbilical cords fall off and heal at different rates, there isn’t a specific day or week when you should switch to tub baths. For most babies, though, this will happen between 2-4 weeks old.
Use a baby bath tub to help make supporting your baby and controlling temperature easy. Baby bath tubs with built-in temperature sensors will help you maintain a safe temperature. Sensors are usually a digital thermometer readout or a color sensor. The ideal range for water falls between 90-100 degrees Fahrenheit to stay relatively close to the baby’s body temperature of about 97 degrees. Add only about 2" of water to the baby bath tub. Fill it before you place your baby in the tub so you can control temperature and monitor the fill height.
Getting Cozy
Whether you’re sponge-washing or bathing a newborn baby in the tub for the first time, you’ll want to control the temperature in the bathroom as well. Babies can get cold quickly, so you’ll want to heat the bathroom to a nice, consistent temperature. Ideally, the bathroom will be at least 75 degrees Fahrenheit. If necessary, turn up the heat in the house or place a ceramic space heater in a safe distance away from the bathtub for more warmth. For summertime first baths, you might want to cut the AC in the house about an hour before bath time. This way, you can bring air temperature up and keep your bathroom comfortable. You can also slightly warm your baby’s bath towel in the dryer. Make sure to not overheat the towel before wrapping them immediately after the bath.
Soap Specifics
Infant skin is extremely delicate and can be sensitive. This means that vigorous scrubbing them with harsh soaps is not necessary. Stick with an infant-friendly soap formula. Use a delicate sponge or washcloth to gently create some suds. You can choose a fun sponge or puppet-like washcloth to stand in for bath toys. At this point, the goal is to move through the process with the right balance of delicacy and efficiency.
Start by bathing the face, using gentle wiping or subtle rubbing motions to remove any milk, mucus, saliva or tear residue. Whether your baby is on a bottle or breastfeeding, chances are they’ve dribbled some milk onto the underside of their chin. Make sure to wipe this area. Avoid getting water in their eyes and ears. For the rest of their body, delicately wipe any skin folds.
To Shampoo or Not to Shampoo?
Most newborns don’t have much hair, so you probably won’t need to worry about shampooing their head during the sponge-bath phase. If you do, use a tiny amount of diluted baby shampoo on a washcloth. Gently massage your baby’s scalp, rinsing with a clean wash cloth afterwards. If your baby has more hair on their head by the time, you can graduate to tub baths. Continue to use only a tiny amount of shampoo and gently massage into the scalp. Focus more on the skin at the base of the hair than the hair itself. Rinse with a small cup or pitcher with a pouring spout to control the flow of water. Even if you’re using no-tears shampoo, avoiding the eyes is a good move to keep the first tub bath fun for everyone.