How To Bathe A Newborn Baby; How Often Should You Do It?

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Even though baths may be an integral part of your daily ritual, doctors are actually not in favour of daily bathing for babies. In addition, not bathing your baby enough can aggravate eczema, and lead to other infections as well.

Excessive exposure to water can minimise their skin of moisture and worsen conditions such as eczema.

A parent's basic responsibility is, of course, to keep their child healthy. It includes many different areas that are closely related to the child's well-being. Bathing is an essential part of any human being's well-being, including babies [1][2]. There is, however, confusion among parents regarding whether or not their babies need to be bathed daily. First-time parents are more confused about this topic.

It is important that first-time parents or those expecting a new addition to their family understand the importance of bathing their baby on alternate days.

The following information can be very helpful for you:

How To Bathe Your Baby?

To give your baby a bath, follow these steps [3]:

• Place a non-slip bath mat on the floor of the bathroom and one in the bathtub.
• The bath should be filled with just enough water to wash your baby. For babies who are capable of sitting up, fill the bath to the depth of their belly button.
• Make sure that the water is warm (not hot), 37°C or 38°C. Turn off the water, and test the temperature with a thermometer or your wrist or elbow before placing the baby in the bath.
• Turn on the faucet and run cold water for a few seconds.
• Keep a hand on your baby at all times as you gently lower your baby into the bath.
• For your safety, kneel down or sit on a low stool when bathing your baby in the big bath.
• To wash your baby's hair last (this should only be done once or twice a week), lie them on their back and gently rinse them.
• Gently wipe your baby's face, neck and body with a soft washcloth, leaving the genitals and bottom for last.
• Wrap your baby in a soft, dry towel after lifting them out of the bath.

How Often Should You Bathe Your Newborn?

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that newborn babies do not get their first bath until 24 hours after birth; if a full day is not possible, they recommend waiting for at least 6 hours [4].

Generally, experts agree that parents can safely bathe their infants three times a week. However, there are no strict rules regarding how often you ought to bathe your infant. It is recommended that a newborn be bathed three times a week, however if you prefer to bathe your baby less frequently, you may do so [5].

Generally speaking, you can bathe your baby when they are dirty or if you notice that "cheese" beginning to form in their skin folds.

Everyday bath causes drying of the skin:

It is not necessary for your baby to take a bath every day. If you are unaware of this habitual practice, you should know that daily baths may lead to your child's skin becoming dry, which can result in severe skin damage in the future. Drying causes your baby to lose essential nutrients from the skin cells that are available naturally at the beginning of his/her life. Such a loss can negatively impact your baby's health in the long run [6].

Everyday bath can decrease the natural count of bacteria:

In general, bacteria are not harmful; however, if you bathe your baby every day, he/she may lose some of the vital bacteria that reside in his/her skin. Microorganisms such as these are responsible for many beneficial effects on the body. As well as maintaining the pH of the skin, these bacteria are also responsible for protecting it from serious infections, such as eczema. You should keep this in mind while bathing your baby on alternate days [7].

Everyday bathing minimises the effect of body oils:

It is important to allow body oils to settle down for a while since they contain a number of health benefits. You can prevent the oils from working by bathing your baby every alternate day, but you can get these oils to work by bathing your baby every alternate day instead. This is a very important aspect of bathing your baby every alternate day [8].

On A Final Note...

In general, bathing your baby no more than three times a week is perfectly safe, provided that you wipe the diaper area thoroughly at each diaper change and apply moisturiser every day.