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The birth of a child is a long-awaited event in every family, which brings great responsibility. It is important not only to feed and change diapers for your baby on time, but also to know how to properly give a newborn a first bath. There's really nothing complicated here, just stick to a few simple rules and motherhood will bring you great pleasure.
When to bathe a newborn for the first time
Young mothers are interested in the answer to the question: “On what day after the maternity hospital is it allowed to bathe the child?” It will depend on what condition it is in umbilical wound newborn Until recently, it was allowed to bathe a baby from the moment the umbilical wound had completely healed - approximately in the second week after birth. And to remove sweat from the child’s body and food debris, it was recommended to use a towel or napkin soaked in boiled water. But now the bathing procedure is allowed to be carried out starting from the second day the child is at home (5th day after birth).
To get an accurate answer, you need to consult a pediatrician who will examine the child and give practical advice. Bathing the baby is carried out only in boiled water - this rule is observed until the umbilical wound is completely healed. The required amount of water is prepared in advance, then a clean bath is filled. To bathe a child, you don’t have to buy a special bathtub - wash an adult bathtub with simple baking soda.
When using an adult bathtub to bathe a newborn, you need to hold it yourself, and bending over a large bathtub is not very convenient, and this hygienic procedure will have to be carried out regularly. Therefore, it is best to spend a little and buy a special bath for bathing newborn children.
To fill an adult bathtub, you will have to boil a lot more water, which will take a lot of time. It is important that the water temperature is 36°C. If you use hot water, there is a risk of leaving burns on the baby's delicate skin. It is necessary to check the water temperature before each swim. To do this, purchase a special thermometer.
What you need for swimming at home
Your baby's first bath will take a long time, so first you need to prepare bath accessories that may be needed:
- Bath for bathing. For the first days of your baby's life, purchase a special baby bath. Before the procedure, wash it thoroughly using cleaning products intended for children. It is not recommended to spend the first bath in large adult bathtubs, otherwise the child will be scared.
- Thermometer for measuring water temperature. The first bathing of newborns must be carried out only at an optimal temperature of no more than 36°C. If the water is too hot, your baby may overheat.
- Soft mitten or washcloth. As a washcloth, you need to use a soft cloth, mitten, or sponge, which gently wipes the baby’s skin. It is strictly forbidden to use hard washcloths, as they can seriously damage delicate skin newborn
- Toys and soap. It is not necessary to take toys into the bath, but they can distract the baby, and bathing a newborn for the first time will be more relaxed.
- A clean and soft towel, hydrogen peroxide or brilliant green to treat the umbilical wound, a diaper, cotton buds with a special limiter, clothing.
Water temperature
The most important thing is to know what water is allowed to bathe a newborn, and for this you should consult with your pediatrician. The bathtub must be filled with water to about 15 cm. The first bath of a newborn baby is recommended in boiled water, but if the tap water is well filtered, then it is not necessary to boil it again.
What to add to water - bathing products
To bathe a newborn baby, use plain boiled water; it is recommended to add decoctions medicinal herbs, which need to be infused (queue, chamomile and others) or a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Before using potassium permanganate, consult a pediatrician who will tell you the correct concentration of the solution so as not to harm the baby. There is one interesting sign– a silver decoration (not a cross) was placed in a bath of water to attract wealth and prosperity to the child’s destiny.
Bathing a newborn in a diaper
The first bath of a newborn baby can be carried out in a diaper according to the following principle:
- the baby must be wrapped in a thin diaper or simply thrown over the baby’s shoulders and lowered into a clean bath;
- You need to bathe the child together - one person holds the baby, opening the arms and legs, and after washing with warm water, covers it again with film, the other waters it from a ladle;
- Hands are washed first, then legs;
- Next, the tummy is washed, then the back;
- At the end of the bath procedures, the child is taken out of the bath and wrapped in a dry towel.
- After drying, the baby is dressed in warm clothes.
Duration
Professional pediatricians advise bathing newborn babies for no more than 10 minutes. If the first bath frightens the newborn and even the mother’s gentle voice cannot calm him down, it is worth getting the baby out of the water much earlier. Provided that the child likes the water procedure, you can extend the process a little, but in this case it is important to constantly monitor the water temperature so that the baby does not freeze. To do this, prepare another pan of water to add during bathing.
How to bathe newborns
Provided that the child is completely healthy and the first bath caused only positive emotions, the water procedure is allowed to be carried out every day. Pediatricians recommend bathing your baby at approximately the same time. Most parents choose the evening, before feeding the baby. It is best to monitor your child's mood; if he feels well and likes daytime bathing, refuse evening procedures. For some children, bathing does not have a calming, but an exciting effect, and here it is necessary to take into account the mood of the little one.
Rules for bathing newborns
It is necessary to bathe your child according to the following instructions:
- The bath is filled with water to about 15 cm. The chest, shoulders and head remain dry. A ladle filled with warm water is placed next to the bath, which will be needed for rinsing.
- A small child undresses and is picked up, then very carefully, slowly lowered into the water. It is necessary to immerse the baby in the water so that his head is on the elbow of his mother, and his back is supported by his left hand.
- Using a soapy cotton swab, carefully wash the chest, arms, legs, and genitals. Then the baby turns over onto his tummy, his chest and head are supported by his hand, and his back is lathered. At the end, you need to soap your hair (it is recommended to use a special baby shampoo).
- Using warm water from a jug, the rinsing procedure is performed. It is important to wash off soap suds from your head very carefully, avoiding getting them into your eyes. To do this, a stream of water is directed from the forehead to the back of the head, but not vice versa. It is necessary to rinse the child thoroughly so that no soap traces are left on the delicate skin, otherwise there is a risk of an allergic reaction.
- Next, the child is quickly removed from the bath and wrapped in a soft towel, placed on a changing table (hard bed) and the remaining water is blotted with gentle movements. It is important to dry the skin with gentle movements, but do not rub too hard, Special attention is given to the folds of the neck, groin and armpits. If your child has very dry skin, it is recommended to use baby oil or cream (it is advisable to consult a pediatrician).
- At the next stage, the navel treatment procedure is carried out. Use a pipette to take a small amount of hydrogen peroxide solution (only a doctor can determine the correct consistency) and drop a couple of drops directly onto the navel area, then gently wipe it with a clean cotton swab. It is possible to replace peroxide with a solution of potassium permanganate (strong) or simple brilliant green.
Up to 6 months, the baby must be bathed every day, provided that contact with water does not cause severe stress, and then water treatments can be done every other day. It is mandatory to constantly monitor the water temperature. It is gradually allowed to increase the duration of bathing.
Video: About bathing a newborn - Dr. Komarovsky
Before the first bathing procedure for a newborn baby, parents are consulted, the doctor gives advice and general recommendations. But oral advice alone is not always enough, especially for young parents. Therefore, it will be useful for them to familiarize themselves with several videos and learn about all the intricacies and rules of bathing newborn children. It is important to provide the baby proper care, and Dr. Komarovsky will tell you how to do this.
When a baby appears in the house, parents have many questions related to bathing the child.
Why bathe a child? Isn't it enough to just wash?
Most parents are sure that bathing a child is necessary, first of all, for cleanliness. However, in addition to the hygienic role, regular water procedures have a broad impact on the baby’s body and psycho-emotional state.
Bathing your baby is beneficial because:
- During bathing, the child hardens. Since the thermal conductivity of water is 30 times higher than the thermal conductivity of air, even a small one of 1–2 °C, the difference between the temperature of the body and water is enough to achieve a powerful hardening effect, exceeding that of hardening with air baths. This effect will be enhanced by pouring cool water over the baby at the end of the procedure at a temperature several degrees lower than the one in which the bath was taken.
- Bathing a child has a positive effect on the child’s nervous system and his psycho-emotional development. Movement from air to water and back leads to stimulation of many nerve receptors located in the skin. At the same time, the activity of various parts of the nervous system is trained and regulated, a certain balance is achieved and their work is optimized. In addition, bathing ensures that the child receives vivid emotions and impressions, which has a positive effect on his intellectual development. Usage various toys depending on the age of the baby and short sessions with them in the water enhance this effect.
- The child's movements are improved. It is more difficult to move in water than in air due to its increased resistance. Flapping its arms and legs, the baby strengthens its muscles and trains its heart. The greatest effect can be achieved when bathing the baby in an “adult” bath, where he can move his arms and legs more freely and change his body position. It is very useful to perform small complexes of water gymnastics with the baby.
- Helps improve the condition of the baby. Being in water reduces or completely eliminates painful sensations, which helps calm the child, for example, when he is being tormented.
- Bathing for a baby is communication and a valuable experience. During the process of bathing a baby, emotional contact occurs between the child and adults, which has a positive effect on the development of relationships between the baby and the loved ones around him.
Bathing a newborn: questions from parents
It would seem that what’s so difficult about bathing a child? However, many young parents are afraid of this simple procedure, afraid of doing something wrong, because a newborn baby is so tiny and defenseless. We have collected the most popular questions that parents ask about bathing.
When should you start bathing your newborn?
According to the recommendations of domestic pediatricians, you can bathe a newborn on the day of discharge from the hospital - if the BCG vaccination was done the day before, or the next day - if the BCG was done on the day of discharge. Until this point, the child is simply washed several times a day after each bowel movement. Bathing is contraindicated in case of any acute diseases accompanied by fever, as well as in the presence of pustular skin lesions.
What is the best time to bathe a baby?
The answer to this question depends both on the characteristics of the child and on the rhythm of life of the entire family. As a rule, children calm down and sleep soundly after water procedures, and therefore bathing is often carried out before one of the evening feedings. For those babies for whom bathing is exciting, bath time can be moved to the afternoon and even morning hours. It is important that the procedure begins no earlier than an hour after eating and no later than 30–40 minutes before the next feeding.
How to prepare a room and bath for water treatments?
It is most convenient to bathe a child directly in the bathroom. The optimal temperature in the room where water procedures take place is 24–26 °C. It is better to lay a rubber mat on a slippery tiled floor in advance, and set a clock on a shelf within sight to help you navigate the time.
The location of the baby bath should, first of all, be convenient for parents. It should be noted that there are currently many various models baths for bathing - for every taste and budget. For example, double-walled baby bathtubs ensure long-term maintenance of water temperature at the original level, and built-in temperature sensors help monitor its level. “Slides” are designed to help keep the child in the bath; they can be built-in or removable. It may be convenient to have a drain hose in the bathtub, thanks to which you will not need to turn it upside down to pour out the water - you just need to open the drain. There are even changing tables or chests of drawers that have a built-in bathing container. To ensure that an adult does not have to be in a half-bent position during the procedure, special stands for bathtubs have been invented. Some of them are installed on the floor, with the bathtub being approximately at the level of an adult’s waist. Others are placed on the sides of an adult bathtub. In both cases, you need to make sure that the bath is firmly attached to the stand.
The bathtub in which the baby bathes must be washed with hot water and soap immediately before each procedure. If a child bathes in an adult bathtub, it is recommended to clean it with baking soda. During the bathing process, the bathroom door can be kept slightly open, of course, in the absence of a draft, so that too much steam will not accumulate in the bathroom. Then the child’s subsequent transition from the bathroom to the corridor will not be very abrupt.
Should you boil water for bathing?
Currently, provided there is a centralized water supply, there is no need to boil water for bathing an infant. However, if you live outside the city and water is not supplied from centralized sources, boiling water is mandatory at least in the first month of the child’s life.
How to disinfect water?
It is recommended to carry out minimal water disinfection until the umbilical wound has completely healed and the crust has fallen off: as a rule, this happens by the 2-3rd week of the baby’s life. For disinfection, a solution of potassium permanganate is usually used. Potassium permanganate is diluted in a separate container until a saturated solution is obtained, which is then filtered through three-layer gauze to avoid undissolved crystals getting on the baby’s skin, which can lead to chemical burn. The strained solution is added to a bath of water until it turns pale pink.
Bathing a baby with the addition of potassium permanganate causes dry skin, so they stop adding it as soon as the umbilical wound heals and the crust disappears.
Herbal decoctions - calendula, string, chamomile - are also traditionally used as disinfectants. To prepare the infusion, a glass of dry herb is poured with a liter of boiling water, after which it is infused for 3–4 hours. Then the resulting broth is filtered through three-layer gauze and added to the bath. It is recommended to use decoctions of antiseptic herbs when prickly heat or diaper dermatitis appears on a child’s skin. If the baby's skin is healthy, there is no need to add herbs.
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What temperature should the water be for bathing a baby?
The optimal water temperature for bathing a newborn is 36–37 °C. It is recommended to use a thermometer to measure the water temperature. The so-called elbow method, that is, lowering an adult’s elbow into water - in this case, the water temperature should be practically no different from body temperature - is inaccurate due to the difference in subjective sensations when the air temperature and humidity in the room change.
In an “adult” bath, the water cools quite slowly. And when using a baby bath, it is better to monitor the water temperature with a thermometer throughout the entire process and add warm water if necessary. To obtain a hardening effect, the temperature of the bathing water can be reduced by one degree for 7–10 days to 32–33 °C.
It is useful to finish bathing the baby by pouring cool water from a jug, ladle, etc. The water temperature should be a couple of degrees lower than the one in which the child bathed: for example, 34–35 ° C if the bathing took place at a temperature of 37 ° C.
How long should water procedures last?
The very first bath of the baby should not take more than 5-7 minutes. By 2–3 months this time increases to 15 minutes, and by six months – to 20 minutes.
How often should you bathe your baby?
For normal psycho-emotional and motor development and to strengthen the child’s health infancy needs to be bathed daily. During the hot season, water procedures can be performed twice a day to prevent overheating of the body and prevent prickly heat.
What detergents are best to use when bathing a child and how often can they be used?
When bathing a baby, it is better to use detergents intended specifically for infants - there should be a corresponding mark on the label. Let's list some of them:
Baby soap - liquid, gel or solid. Its main difference from conventional soaps is the minimum alkali content - pH neutrality. In this regard, baby soap does not cause unwanted drying and irritation of the skin. A newborn should be bathed with use no more than once a week, not counting regular washing. In the second half of life, when the child begins to actively crawl around the apartment, you may have to bathe him with detergents more often.
Baby shampoo. Used from 2–4 weeks of age to wash the baby’s hair, usually no more than once a week. It should be noted that you can wash your child’s scalp using baby soap or bathing gel. To soften and remove gneiss - a seborrheic crust on the scalp - before using baby shampoo, you can use any natural vegetable oil.
How to bathe a baby correctly?
The process of bathing a child should evoke positive emotions: only in this case will all the positive effects that we talked about at the beginning be achieved. If the baby doesn’t like something, then, first of all, the adults themselves need to tune in to the positive and analyze the entire bathing process, trying to find out what upsets the baby. Perhaps the time of the procedure or the temperature of the water is not suitable for the child, he is bothered by too bright light or is frightened by the noise of the water from the tap. We need to figure this out and create suitable bathing conditions for the baby.
How can you make your children’s daily bathing experience enjoyable and safe? We will answer the most FAQ parents.
1. What to do to prevent a newborn baby from crying while bathing?
The main thing is to create for the child the maximum comfortable conditions. That is, he should not feel hungry, discomfort from contact with hot or cold water, dry skin or excessive long nails his mother's hands holding him. The baby should be lowered into the water very slowly, starting from the feet, while gently saying sweet words. Getting used to the bathing procedure it will go faster, if the time spent in water is increased gradually, starting from 3-5 minutes. It is important to exclude noises that frighten the baby: the sound of water pouring into the bath, loud speech, and especially screams.
Often, no tricks can help avoid the desperate cry of a child. Then it’s better to quickly wash it under the tap and do this for another couple of days, then try putting it in the bath again. Remember: patience and perseverance will definitely bear fruit.
2. In what position should a child under one year be bathed?
A baby who cannot sit is held in the bathtub in a supine position. At the same time, care must be taken to rib cage in the area of the heart was completely immersed in water only for short periods of time. You can use a special plastic mattress with a raised head end and an inflatable ring around the neck for additional safety net.
When the child learns to sit steadily, you can bathe him in this position, but be sure to hold him by one shoulder. The baby is still so small that there is enough water in the bath to push him out of the bottom like a float. Having lost support, the baby can very quickly roll over on its side or face down and choke.
If your child enjoys bathing, he can be taught to swim by doing special exercises in different positions.
3. If water gets into the ears, will the baby get sick?
No. The ear canals in newborns are wide, short and located so that their inner end, closed by the eardrum, is at the highest point. Therefore, it is enough to give the child an upright position so that the water that gets into the ear pours out.
For those who still doubt, I suggest answering the question: “How did you “save” your ears from amniotic fluid baby swimming in its mother’s tummy?”
What can cause otitis after swimming? First of all, drafts. Then - poorly dried hair and scalp, if the baby is very a short time taken out into the street. It is also important that the child overheats in the bath or is wrapped excessively after it, which causes profuse perspiration and sweat soaking the pillow and hat.
4. Is it possible to feed a child before bathing?
After eating, at least an hour should pass. IN otherwise the child may vomit during the procedure, and after it, experience an attack.
5. What time of day is best to bathe?
There are no strict requirements in this regard. When it is convenient for the mother, then it is better. But we must not forget about the child: if after bathing he quickly falls asleep and sleeps for a long time “the sleep of the righteous” - of course in the evening! If water procedures, on the contrary, excite him, bathe him in the first half of the day immediately after sleep.
6. Why wrap a baby in a diaper and lower it into the water?
This useful recommendation in cases where a solution of potassium permanganate is added to the bathing water. The diaper fabric can become an insurmountable obstacle to the contact of a crystal of the strongest oxidizing agent potassium permanganate, which has not completely dissolved, on the skin, causing a deep, dry burn of the skin. Moreover, it is not necessary to wrap the baby tightly: it is enough, after pouring the marantovka solution into the water, to lower the diaper into it.
Practical advice: allocate one diaper for bathing, as brown spots will immediately appear on it, which cannot be removed.
7. How to bathe a child if the umbilical wound has not yet healed?
Heals on average three weeks. If the baby is not bathed all this time, diaper rash, prickly heat and even a pustular rash cannot be avoided. Let's open little secret: Most children are bathed already in the first day of life. Only this procedure takes place not in a bath, but under a tap. At the same time, short-term contact of the umbilical cord with unboiled water does not cause any concern to the pediatrician.
After the umbilical cord falls off and the baby is discharged from the hospital, the baby must be bathed daily. The baby bath should not be used for any other household needs. It must be washed with a rag and doused with boiling water before each use. Until the umbilical wound is completely healed, the water for bathing must be boiled. And in order to reliably insure the baby from harmful microbes and fungi, add a few drops of potassium permanganate solution so that the water eventually turns a faint pink color.
After bathing, the area of the umbilical wound is treated with 3% hydrogen peroxide (if there are crusts), then with medical alcohol or a 5% solution of potassium permanganate (store in a dark place).
From the 4th week of a baby’s life, you don’t need to boil water for bathing.
8. What is useful to add to bathing water?
Until the umbilical wound heals - nothing but potassium permanganate. If you want to treat diaper rash with herbal decoctions, it is better to pour them on the butt and other folds from a jug.
Neurologists recommend swimming once a week in water with the addition of pine concentrate or sea salt. This advice is especially useful for easily excitable children, with muscular dystonia, difficulties falling asleep and restless sleep. In some cases of severe agitation syndrome, on the recommendation of a doctor, you can add a decoction of valerian root, motherwort herb, and lavender oil.
Folk remedies in the form of decoctions help to cope with prickly heat, diaper rash, dry skin and peeling: string grass, sage, chamomile flowers, currant leaves and stems, birch leaves and buds. Plants (dry or freshly cut) are steamed in high concentration and stored for up to 3 days in a separate saucepan in a cool place. The strained broth is added to the bath immediately before bathing.
9. Basic rules for safe swimming.
- Any product that is added to water may cause allergic reaction at the baby's. Therefore, the first time it is necessary to carefully monitor the child’s well-being and skin. At the slightest suspicion of an allergy, bathing is immediately stopped and the baby is washed with tap water.
- Applying folk recipes for swimming, please clarify Are the plants poisonous or conditionally poisonous?. A child's skin has a high absorption capacity, so the baby can get poisoned. For this reason, celandine, lily of the valley, lilac, belladonna, bird cherry, spurge, soapwort, foxglove, adonis, and spring adonis are prohibited for use.
- Let's repeat the importance constant monitoring of a bathing child. Remember: in the presence of parents, the baby behaves calmer and more predictably. You should not rely on an inflatable ring or a special bathing chair. If you turn away, much less leave the bathroom even for a few seconds, you can find the little one choking!
- Due to the immaturity of the centers regulating vascular tone, children react differently to hot water. One may not be killed in a steam room, but another may need to raise the temperature a little or allow him to swim longer in the bath to cause overheating. Parents need monitor the baby's well-being. If bright redness of the skin appears, especially in combination with perspiration and paleness of the nasolabial triangle, with unmotivated anxiety or signs of fatigue, bathing should be stopped immediately.
- The older the child gets, the greater the distance from the bathtub to the products stored in the bathroom should be. household chemicals, shaving accessories, open sockets, light bulbs and electrical appliances (hair dryer, electric razor). Childhood curiosity and the desire to taste or experience everything in action can end in tragedy.
Swimming in open water and in inflatable pools is a great pleasure, but is not a hygienic procedure. On the contrary, after them it is recommended to at least rinse the baby with clean water, and before going to bed at night - to bathe him with soap.
Bathing the baby– the process is fascinating and, at the same time, very scary for new parents. If with feeding You can still figure it out quickly enough - you simply won’t have a choice at one point, then here’s how to find the answer to the question - feeding and bathing- unclear. The Internet is replete with all kinds of advice and recommendations on how and what to do. Let's look into this issue together, and also seek advice from experienced parents and the famous doctor Komarovsky.
Feeding and bathing
Regardless of how the baby is fed (breastfed or with formula), in the first days of life he wants to eat often. In this regard, a problem arises - in what period of time can one contrive and bathe the baby so that he would not be hungry and would not take a bath on a full stomach.
Of course, everything needs to be selected individually for each baby. Some people like it better swim during the day, to someone In the evening. The ideal option is when the baby is already getting ready for night sleep- that is, before the evening feeding he will eat and get tired, so his sleep, in theory, should be strong and long.
If baby is naughty while bathing, and all the issues have been resolved, then you also need to think about the state of his stomach. Some already advise well-fed child send for washing, some on the contrary say that the child must be hungry, so as not to spit up in the bath.
Bathing- this is not only a tribute to hygiene, it is also excellent a way to strengthen muscles and blood vessels, peculiar gymnastics, which helps in the formation of the entire body. Maximum attention should be paid to this process, teaching the child to water from the very first days. The most logical thing is send the newborn for a swim before eating so that he gets the most out of his swimming experience. If the process of washing and staying in the water is done correctly, then the baby will probably get tired, eat well and immediately fall asleep, without having “evening concerts.”
One of the most famous pediatricians, a doctor with many years of experience, Evgeniy Komarovsky, in his books and programs pays a lot of attention to the issue of proper children's bathing. From this video you will learn the doctor’s opinion and personal advice, which will probably suit you too.
If there is still doubt that the child will take a bath hungry and scream, then you can have a little feed. But not enough, so that the baby does not perceive bathing as a process that interferes with his restful sleep. If there is a fear that the baby will be very unhappy, then some doctors (and parents) advise feeding him directly during the process - especially breastfeeding.
Another option is mother to swim with baby. Then the problem with the baby crying from hunger or fear will be solved immediately. But the idea is somewhat dubious, because you still need to create a schedule for your child based on your needs. It is also advisable to rearrange the children's schedule to suit your own, so that motherhood is a joy!
Opinions from experienced parents
Evgenia, Sasha (2 years 4 months)
I was always afraid that my baby would hungry in the bath sit and cry, so fed him to his fill. Of course, in the bathroom he often went to the toilet, and this is not very useful; he had to immediately change the water. Then I realized that I still had to hungry, or at least through Wash 30-40 minutes after eating, then he is not capricious. Now he is already an adult, he bathes almost independently - he can rub himself with toys and even a washcloth, and he simply falls asleep after a bath.
Lena, Victoria (7 months)
We swim together We started from the first days, I pressed the little one to my chest with one hand, and carefully poured water with the other. The first days the little one was very uncomfortable, but she immediately latched onto the breast and endured it. Now she is already a completely contented child who loves to splash and is already swimming, and I don’t even need to be in the bathroom with her - I just need to hold her close. And when she gets tired in the water and I wash everything, we eat with pleasure and go to bed, almost all night!
Elizaveta, Masha (1 year 2 months)
And here we have I can’t swim normally and I can’t eat. We'll eat first, then we need to play with her, then just go to the bathroom. And after we bathe - she is always so cheerful, kicking, frolicking - you can’t put her to sleep. Therefore, I bathed her in the evening, after my husband returned from work - and just in time for bedtime - once again I fed her enough and my daughter slept.
Valeria, Angelina (5.5 months)
I was also afraid that the baby would swim hungry and not have fun. I'm her fed a little, and 15 minutes later she took me for a swim. And after we washed ourselves, she immediately demanded my breasts. But, she washed herself, ate and fell asleep on the spot, without “reaching” the crib.
Irina, Yaroslav (1.5 years)
I initially prepared for childbirth, read and watched Komarovsky. After we returned from the maternity hospital, I immediately kicked out all the grandmothers who “knew what’s best,” asked the pediatrician a couple of questions and started bathing. Until now, the child loves water very much, we have never seen any serious illnesses, and even in the summer we went to the river. The baby happily frolicked on the shore, and I wasn’t worried that he might catch a cold in the cool water. Everything was done correctly in advance, so I recommend it to everyone listen to doctors, and not “those who know what is best.”
All in all, how often and for how long to feed before bathing– It’s up to the parents to decide, based on the baby’s needs. But at the same time, experienced doctors know exactly how to save the situation if you have not found a solution.
Photos and videos: free Internet sources
In order for the procedure of bathing a baby to be enjoyable for both him and his parents, you need to prepare for it in advance and purchase the necessary equipment and tools:
Baby bathtub;
Thermometer for measuring water temperature;
Disinfectants (manganese solution and bath soda);
Herbs (chamomile, chamomile, etc.);
Baby soap (pharmacies offer liquid form for comfort);
Shampoo;
3% hydrogen peroxide and brilliant green to treat the navel;
Large soft towel;
Clothes after swimming (pants and undershirt).
When can you bathe a newborn for the first time?
Many parents are worried about when it is possible for the first time - immediately upon returning from the hospital or waiting for the umbilical cord to completely heal. If there are no contraindications, then it is better to bathe the baby after arrival.
For the first one, it is better to boil the water. For disinfection, use a weak solution of potassium permanganate or brewed herbs. You should pay attention to the temperature of the room where the procedure will take place. It should be no lower than 24°C. The water temperature for swimming should not exceed 36°C. Bathing usually relaxes the child, so it is better to carry out the procedure in the evening and always daily.
How to bathe a baby correctly
A newborn looks so fragile that many parents are afraid to hold him. There is no need to be afraid of this. The main thing is to put his head on your hand, and with the other hand support the baby by the butt. The water itself will hold it. While holding the head and upper body, you can gently pour water with your free hand.
After soaping the baby's head, you need to thoroughly rinse off the product. After this, begin washing the groin area and armpits. Getting it right is not at all difficult if you have an assistant. But even alone, mom can easily cope on her own. Many people worry that water may get into the baby's ears and nose. It's not scary. It will only rinse and free you from unnecessary germs.
While bathing, the baby can be turned onto his tummy. After the entire procedure, it is necessary to rinse the child with previously prepared water from another container. It should be a little cooler than the one in which you bathed. 34-35 °C is enough to rinse the baby. It is better to place it on your hand with your tummy down.
For the first time, 5 minutes is enough for bathing, and then you can gradually increase the time to 15 minutes. The main thing is that the water does not cool down during this period.
To keep your baby from getting nervous, you need to talk or hum a song while bathing. He should feel that his mother is nearby, and he does not need to be afraid of an unfamiliar environment.
It is necessary to start bathing the newborn in small quantity water, gradually increasing its volume if the baby gets scared and cries. As a last resort, you can wipe the child wet wipes. It is enough to use soap when bathing only once a week.
Is bathing a newborn dangerous?
There is a high probability that many parents pay so much attention to a seemingly simple and uncomplicated procedure because of the fear that during bathing the child may swallow water or even choke. These are unnecessary worries. The newborn’s body is perfectly adapted to such conditions: when liquid enters the respiratory tract, a reflex spasm occurs, holding the breath. So, in principle, the baby cannot choke.
Modern courses and training schools for young parents specifically teach how to dip their heads when bathing, so that the child does not lose such a useful skill for longer. The fact is that if a newborn does not bathe, the reflex fades away at about two months of age.
What else needs to be taken into account when bathing a baby to make the procedure a pleasant experience for him:
2. Avoid drafts in the apartment.
3. Starting from the second month of the baby’s life, gradually reduce the water temperature to 32°C for hardening.
4. When bathing a newborn, you can and even need to use special swimming circles and slides. This will create convenience for parents and comfort for the child.
Don't be afraid of this fairly easy procedure. The baby will enjoy the process itself and soon he will be willing to splash around in an adult bathtub.
