How Often Newborn Bath Should Be Done
The early days of being a parent are very overwhelming. One of the questions many parents have is, “How often should I bathe my newborn baby?”. In the early days of a baby’s life, parents do not need to bathe their child very often – just a few times a week. In the beginning, you give them a sponge bath. You can sponge bathe your newborn 2 to 3 times a week. When the umbilical cord falls off, the newborn can have a bath in a baby tub. The umbilical cord typically falls off around the first 1 to 3 weeks of the baby’s life. Check out one of our favorite newborn tubs here. We love it because it can go from the early newborn stage to many months later. Newborn tubs with grates must be used in the shower, so it’s not a great option if you plan to bathe your baby on the countertop next to the sink.
Newborn Bath When To Start
The first newborn bath for your baby is usually done in the hospital. Typically, it is not done until the baby is 1 or 2 days old. If you are having difficulty establishing breastfeeding, you may want to delay the newborn bath so that you do not have too much time away from your baby. Or, be sure to make a request to the nurse taking the baby for the bath that you would like the baby to come back for their feed. If you have a home birth, you can do the first sponge bath on day 2 or 3 of your baby’s life.
Newborn Bath How To Do It
Until the baby’s umbilical cord has fallen off, you should keep the area dry and clean. This means that your newborn will not be able to go into a baby tub for the first few weeks of life. The umbilical cord falls off around 1 to 3 weeks of life. In the beginning you will give your baby a sponge bath. Mix clean warm water in a bowl with a lather of baby soap. Then, use a clean soft towel to pat the baby’s skin. Do not scrape against the newborn’s skin with the towel. After you have cleaned the baby with the warm soapy water, use a damp cloth without soap to pat the skin again. Finally, gently pat a dry towel over your baby’s skin to dry them off. Remember to apply baby lotion right away to lock in moisture to the baby’s skin.
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Umbilical Cord Care
It is important in the first two weeks of life to keep the umbilical cord area of the baby clean and dry. Good umbilical cord hygiene will prevent your baby from having an infection in the area of their belly button. When you give your baby a sponge bath, make sure you avoid the area of the belly button and the umbilical cord. When you are changing the baby’s diaper, be sure to fold the diaper down so that the umbilical cord stump is outside the diaper. Once the umbilical cord falls off you can start to bathe your baby in a baby tub.
How Often Newborn Bath Should Be Done: Take Home Points
Give your newborn baby a sponge bath two to three times a week for the first two weeks of life. After the umbilical cord falls off, you can bathe your newborn in a newborn tub. You can bathe your baby as often as you’d like, but it’s not necessary to do it daily.
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