Bath Time
Babies love bath time. Don't be put off if they don't like it the first time, they will learn to love it. There is no right or wrong amount of times you need to bath a baby each week. But probably more often than two and I find that bath time can be the cue to slip into night mode, is a bonding experience for dad coming home from work and can help create the routine that most people are striving for.
Get everything you need gathered around and set up so there is no running around or delay afterward.
The bath is ideally at table height so you are not leaning over, unless you sit on the floor.
The water should be around 36-37C which is the temperature of the amniotic fluid the baby was living in prior to birth.
Have the water level deep enough that they are immersed in the water. Not half in half out. A flannel/face washer over their abdomen will keep them warm. Hold their hand so they calm down and have them kick up against the side of the bath so they can feel something around them, like they would have done in the womb.
The bath lasts as long as your back holds out. Keep them covered by the towel and have them mostly dry before unwrapping and drying the folds. They want you to be quick! Get a nappy and singlet on them and they tend to calm down.
Put an extra layer on after a bath as they can lose a bit of heat in the process.
They don't have anything on them that doesn't mostly need just very warm water and a flannel to clean them with but it is nice to clean their hair with something kind on new babies. Most of the skin conditions that emerge over the next few weeks rarely need any treatments. Their skin pH is perfect the way it is and most of the spots and peeling skin with settle down on its own.
Get everything you need gathered around and set up so there is no running around or delay afterward.
The bath is ideally at table height so you are not leaning over, unless you sit on the floor.
The water should be around 36-37C which is the temperature of the amniotic fluid the baby was living in prior to birth.
Have the water level deep enough that they are immersed in the water. Not half in half out. A flannel/face washer over their abdomen will keep them warm. Hold their hand so they calm down and have them kick up against the side of the bath so they can feel something around them, like they would have done in the womb.
The bath lasts as long as your back holds out. Keep them covered by the towel and have them mostly dry before unwrapping and drying the folds. They want you to be quick! Get a nappy and singlet on them and they tend to calm down.
Put an extra layer on after a bath as they can lose a bit of heat in the process.
They don't have anything on them that doesn't mostly need just very warm water and a flannel to clean them with but it is nice to clean their hair with something kind on new babies. Most of the skin conditions that emerge over the next few weeks rarely need any treatments. Their skin pH is perfect the way it is and most of the spots and peeling skin with settle down on its own.
Cord Care
The umbilical cord stump usually falls off about 7-10 days after the birth.
It has a clamp that is usually taken off between 3-5 days. The cord can sometimes sweat under disposable nappies and so we advise you fold the nappy down around the cord so it can breathe. Exposing the abdomen to some sunlight also helps. There are no ointments that are needed to be applied. Just keep it clean with cotton wool and cool boiled water if it needs cleaning.
The umbilical cord stump usually falls off about 7-10 days after the birth.
It has a clamp that is usually taken off between 3-5 days. The cord can sometimes sweat under disposable nappies and so we advise you fold the nappy down around the cord so it can breathe. Exposing the abdomen to some sunlight also helps. There are no ointments that are needed to be applied. Just keep it clean with cotton wool and cool boiled water if it needs cleaning.
Eye Care
The baby doesn't need a bath everyday but it is nice to clean their face everyday. Just use some cooled boiled water to clean their eyes and the rest of their face. Sometimes baby's have crusty eyes which may be related to a blocked tear duct. Firmly massage the tear duct when cleaning from the inside of the eye out. Sometimes breastmilk can help as it is full of antibodies. If the eyes do not respond to this treatment, the baby may require antibiotic eyedrops.