Baby bath time fun for newbies

Bathing a wriggly little newborn baby is one of things that new and experienced parents are daunted by. After about 540 baths (and counting!), mum Alexandra shares what she has learnt from bathing her little boy, 18-month-old William.

Before we get started, I’ll just point out that baby bath time starts after the umbilical cord falls off and heals. Until then, they just get ‘top and tail’ washes with cotton wool and tepid water. By that stage you’ll be much more confident with your baby.

I’m a firm believer in preparation. Have everything ready to go before you go anywhere near the baby. What is ‘everything’? For everyone this varies, but for me it’s a hooded towel, sponge, clean clothes, nappy, and changing mat. When the baby is very young, you’ll use cotton wool for their face – one pad for each eye to prevent transferring any infection – so have some nearby.

Babies can get cold very quickly. The first time I give my little boy his bath, I was horrified to see that his little feet were blue. I thought the room was a good temperature, but it clearly wasn’t warm enough for him. There are lots of room thermometers available online and in the shops.

Did you know that the perfect temperature for a baby bath is 32?C? This feels surprisingly hot for little ones, so it’s best to use a bath thermometer.

A small point, in case you’ve stocked up on baby bubble bath and shampoo. Just hold off on these for at least six weeks. Babies have extremely delicate skin, so they don’t need any bubble bath or shampoo until they’re slightly older.

Now here comes the scary bit! Lowering the baby carefully into the bath is one of the parts of baby bath time that can strike fear into the heart of new parents. Try to be calm and confident (embarrassing new parent alert: I practised this on a teddy before my baby was born…). Once you’ve done it a couple of times you’ll see there was nothing to be worried about.

The other part of baby bath time that can be awkward is holding the baby while washing him. Yet another instance in your new role as a parent when you’ll be wishing you had at least one extra arm! The Shnuggle Cosy Baby Bath has been a revelation to me and other new mums. It has a supportive ‘Bum Bump’ and gently sloping sides to allow the baby to sit unsupported in the bath. It really does make life so much easier.

Very young babies are fascinated by the world around them, I always tried to not over-stimulate my little boy at this age. Slightly older ones have a plethora of exciting bath toys to choose from. And of course there’s all the fun to be had when the baby discovers splashing..!

When you’re both ready, lift the baby out using the same technique used to lower him/her in. Before you lift the baby, make sure you are holding securely.

Remember, you must never ever leave your baby unattended in the bath. You have to be with them at all times! If you have any suggestions that might make baby bath time easier or more fun, we’d love to hear from you.

Do you have any tips to make bathtime easier with a newborn? Pop over to our Mumii UK Facebook page to share your thoughts....