by Helium01

Created on: July 24, 2009

For first time parents, bathing your newborn for the first time can be a stressful experience. However, you shouldn't worry as it is a fairly simple task and it will get much easier over time. With a newborn, the ideal type of bath is a sponge bath, which makes the whole process pretty simple.

First, determine where to bathe the newborn. Since this is only a sponge bath, the bath could take place almost anywhere. If standing to give the bath, somewhere waist high would be ideal. Otherwise, a carpeted floor is always a good choice as it is soft and there is no risk of the baby falling.

Once the location is determined, gather up the supplies. For a sponge bath, this should include a small container or bucket, baby shampoo, two baby wash cloths, a towel, soft cotton balls, and a clean diaper.

Begin by filling the bucket with warm water. Make sure it's not too hot though. Place your elbow in the water to gauge the temperature. Lay the towel flat and place the newborn on the towel. Make sure to always have one hand on the newborn to prevent baby from rolling over and falling if on an elevated surface.

Begin bathing the newborn eyes first. Do this by wetting a cotton ball and gently wiping from the inside of the eye to the outside. Next clean the ears; you may use a wash cloth or cotton swabs. Clean behind the ears as well. Once the ears are done, the rest of the face should be wiped down included the neck. The face is often fairly dirty with dried milk and formula.

Next, you may begin to shampoo the baby's hair. Do as you would shampoo your own hair, but be gentle and aware of the baby's soft spots. Once the shampoo is rinsed out begin cleaning the rest of the baby's body, moving from the cleanest to the dirtiest.

For most newborns this means washing their stomach, chest, and back next. Just use a wet wash cloth and wipe these areas down. Soap isn't really needed for a newborn since they really aren't getting into too many dirty things yet. Also, soap can really dry out a newborn's skin. Following this area, the hands, arms, feet, and legs can be washed in the same manner.

Lastly, the diaper area should be cleansed. This is most likely the dirtiest spot and is washed last. Using your washcloth wash the bottom and diaper area gently. Once complete, dry your baby quickly as he will probably be cold at this point. Make sure to have a diaper handy and place it on the baby quickly to prevent any accidents.

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