When to bathe your baby
In order for your baby to get a bath, they need to have:
Regular heart rate
Regular body temperature
Stable breathing
Stable oxygen
No damaged or open skin
Your baby can have a bath every 3-4 days.
Bathing too often can dry out and hurt your baby’s skin
Swaddle Bathing:
Keeping your baby swaddled in a blanket during their bath helps to keep them calm.
Swaddled bathing also:
Lower stress for you and your baby.
Keeps your baby calm and alert.
Helps you feel more comfortable bathing your baby.
Here is how to swaddle your baby before their bath:
Make sure not to swaddle them too tight.
You will be unwrapping each arm or leg during the bath.
Bath Supplies:
Before you start your baby’s bath, setup what you need by the bathtub.
Water thermometer
Wash clothes
Cotton Balls
Baby Soap
If your baby is older than 32 weeks
Pacifier
Warmed blankets
Blanket for swaddling
Clean diaper/ diaper creams
DO NOT use lotions or powders
Temperature Check
It is important that you check your baby’s temperature before their bath to make sure they are warm enough to stay warm for the whole bath.
You will want to check your baby’s temperature after their bath to make sure they are warming up.
You can add a hat or an extra blanket after their bath to help keep them warm.
Swaddle Bath Time:
Fill the tub with water and check that the temperature is right.
Temperature should be 100-104F
Check with bath thermometer
Undress and swaddle your baby.
Place them gently in the tub up to their shoulder level.
ALWAYS keep one hand behind your baby’s head.
Wash your baby’s face first with a gentle wash cloth without soap on it.
Wipe their eyes from nose to ear using a different part of the wash cloth each time. Clean behind their ears.
Un-swaddle one body part at a time to wash leaving other parts swaddled.
Wash from the cleanest part of the body to the dirtiest
Re-swaddle each area after washing before moving onto the next body part.
Wash your baby’s hair last to keep their body temperature steady.
When finished, slowly un-swaddle your baby from the wet blanket, remove the baby from the water and place them in a pre-warmed dry blanket.
Make sure to dry your baby off completely before dressing.
