One of my favorite pictures of my son is him being held by my mom as she gave him his first bath. He caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror with a look of wonder on his face. One thing is for certain, I’m glad my mom said she would give him his bath since I was nervous about every aspect of it — most of all losing my hold of him and disaster happening.
Of course, it just took time for me to build confidence and my son to love the water. Here's what you need to know about how to bathe a baby.
Baby's first bath: How to bathe a newborn
What you'll need to bathe your baby
Besides the previously mentioned baby bathing kit recommended by Dr. Sears, you'll need a good, safe baby bathtub and gentle bathing products. Here are a few suggestions.
Bath Bath Tub
Baby bath tubs come in various designs, from a simple bath bucket with infant support to high-tech tubs that have thermometers in them keep track of the water temperature. The best tub is easy for you to use and helps you control your baby, keeping her in a safe position
Baby bath products
It’s important to use baby-friendly products when giving your baby a bath. Most moms know to buy gentle, no-tears soap. To prevent allergies, avoid things with fragrances – just enjoy that clean baby smell. Look for products that don’t have a lot of artificial ingredients; these will be gentler on your baby’s skin and help prevent rashes or allergies from developing.
Dr. Samantha Radford — who has a Ph.D. in chemistry and runs the website Evidence-Based Mommy — further warned Mom.com readers to read labels carefully for chemicals that could be dangerous to your baby. “Choose bath products that are phthalate-free. Phthalates are chemicals often found in bath products that have been linked to reproductive effects, developmental effects, and even cancer," she said. "And because these chemicals aren't required to be listed in ingredients (they can hide under fragrances) you'll need to choose a product that specifically says it's phthalate-free.”
Remember that your baby is developing in all ways. Bathtime serves a purpose in keeping them clean and healthy and should never put them in harm’s way. Paying attention to little details about products can make the difference for your baby down the road.
