At the same time, the baby's bath stimulates the senses of smell and touch, awakens attention and allows you to become familiar with water. At the end of the day, then, the soothing effect that this ritual can produce, useful for preparing the baby for bedtime.
In the first months of life, the baby's skin is still immature and very fragile and delicate, therefore some small precautions are necessary, in order not to compromise the skin barrier and / or cause redness during the bath.
it is still insufficient.
During the baby's bath, you need to take great care especially for the face and private parts.
These parts must be clean and dry to avoid irritation, such as:
- Diaper rash;
- Newborn acne
- Atopic dermatitis;
- Milk crust.
When can it be done?
The immersion bath of the newborn can be done only after the fall of the umbilical cord stump, that is when the wound is well healed. Otherwise, mild infections could occur due to exposure to the microorganisms present in the water and prolong healing times.
Therefore, it is advisable to wait a couple of weeks, being careful to keep the area clean.
If the umbilical stump hasn't fallen out yet
If the umbilical stump has not yet fallen - an event that generally occurs within the first two to three weeks of life - the newborn should not be washed with the immersion bath, but limited to washing only some areas with the hand shower or sponging. Protecting the remnant (or shoot) of the umbilical cord is important to prevent contamination and infection that may follow.
, to be sure that the baby has digested well: during the bath, in fact, the baby could catch cold and run into congestion.
As anticipated, then, the bath has a relaxing effect and can be an excellent method to promote the baby's sleep.
Duration of the baby's bath
In general, the baby's bath should not exceed 10-15 minutes.
Water temperature
The water with which to bathe the newborn should be checked using an instant-reading thermometer (available in pharmacies) or, more traditionally, with the contact of the elbow of the mother or father. The ideal temperature should be kept as close as possible to 36 ° and 37.5 ° C.
What is needed
Before undressing the baby for the bath, you must prepare in advance everything you will need.
In particular, the material that will be used and that must be at hand for the baby's bath includes:
- Mild detergent specific for children, with neutral pH;
- Thermometer;
- Gauze and wadding for cleaning the face;
- Moisturizing creams and zinc oxide product;
- Soft terry towel;
- Clean clothes (bodysuit and onesie) and diaper.
Before bathing the baby, make sure you have removed any jewelry (so as not to accidentally injure or scratch the baby) and have your hands well cleaned. In this regard, it should be remembered that the transmission of microorganisms responsible for neonatal infections, which can occur in the very first days of life, occurs mostly through the hands, the breath and the contact of foreign bodies with the skin or mucous membranes of the baby.
In order to prevent this occurrence, in addition to thorough hand washing, it is possible to adopt some simple hygiene rules. For example, if the parent or caregiver has respiratory tract infections (such as colds or flu), it is advisable to use sterile masks - to protect the mouth and nostrils - at the time of feeding, changing the diaper and of the baby bath. The device can then be removed when there is no direct contact with the child.
Before the baby's bath
- To prevent the baby from getting cold before and after the bath, it is advisable to heat the room sufficiently, so as to have a temperature between 20 and 22 ° C.
- If it is evening, it is better to regulate or shield the sources of electric lights, so that they are not too aggressive.
- The baby bath tub must be filled with water at 37-38 ° C. In practice, the temperature must be similar to that of the body: before immersing the baby, it is best to check it with a thermometer.
At this point it is possible to undress the child, placing him supine on a surface. During this operation it is important to pay attention to the head, as newborns are not yet able to control their movements.
- First, remove the sleeves by rolling them up; then remove the shirt from the head, widening the neckline to the maximum to facilitate passage. Repeat the same steps to remove the leotard. Finally, remove the diaper.
For the baby bath, the ideal amount of water is about 10-15 centimeters. Once the tap is turned off, immerse the baby in water only after checking the temperature.
Attention! During the bath, never leave the baby alone in the water, whatever his age, not even for a moment. Aside from the risk of drowning which can occur even in conditions of low water volume, the infant may inhale splashed or splashed water on the face while playing with hollow containers. In addition, the child slipping can get scared and cause minor traumas.
During the Baby Bath
- Once you have prepared the necessary, the child should be immersed slowly in the water, maintaining a firm and secure grip. During the bath, the head and torso must be supported with the forearm; the left hand goes into the baby's armpit, so that it can be washed with the right. water in the eyes.
- If supporting the baby in the water seems difficult, you can lather him on the changing table and rinse him in the water afterwards.
- The face, eyes and ears must be washed with gauze or cotton wool soaked in water. The rest of the body can be washed with a neutral detergent.
- To wash the back, turn the baby over so that the baby is resting on his arm.
- During the bath, it is important to cheer up the baby by talking to him.
From 4-5 months, you can use a baby bouncer or a bathtub adapter; at this age, in fact, the child will be able to sit autonomously and it will not be necessary to support him in the water.
Which products to choose
For the baby bath, it is important to know how to choose the right products.
- Body. During the baby's bath, for cleansing it is necessary to use specific products, specially formulated for delicate skin, without soap and surfactants. For daily hygiene, however, cosmetics that foam and too fragrant should be avoided. The detergent to be used for the baby's bath should have a pH between 5.0 and 5.5.
- Hair. Every 2-3 days, wash the baby's head with a suitable shampoo, which does not sting the eyes. For rinsing, you can use a glass, the shower head or simply the hollow of the hand.
After the Baby Bath
- When the time comes to get the baby out of the water, grab him with a firm and secure grip under the armpits and immediately wrap him in a soft towel, before placing him on the changing table. This operation must be performed as quickly as possible to prevent the baby gets cold.
- After bathing the newborn, the skin should be dried gently, without rubbing, so as not to cause lesions or redness (if these were already present, a zinc oxide cream should be applied). (such as thighs, armpits, neck and toes), where there is more moisture. While it dries, it is good to cuddle and hug the baby, to reassure him and consolidate the relationship between mother and child.
To remember
After cleansing and rinsing with water, it should be remembered that the face, neck and genitals must always be thoroughly clean and dry.
- After drying the baby, it is possible to moisturize his skin and massage a specific emollient product for the body.
- In the area of the buttocks and genitals it is advisable to spread a protective paste to prevent redness and irritation caused by the stagnation of pee: the product should be spread well, massaging it gently even inside the folds of the skin and in the hollow of the legs.
- At the end of the operations, place the diaper and dress the baby, starting this time from the body, first putting on the head and then the sleeves which must be rolled up to facilitate the insertion of the hand and arm.
Baby bath: how often?
Most midwives and other health care professionals recommend bathing babies at least 2-3 times a week.
and can run into a "hypothermia.Attention! The baby should never be bathed near water dispensers (taps, mixers, etc.) due to the risk of burns.
After bathing the baby, the use of talcum powder should be avoided as it could be inhaled if sprinkled in large quantities on the chest and upper limbs or, worse, sucked directly from the container, if the latter is used for playing.
