Baby Bath Time: Bathing Your Baby

Baby bath time is a special time for bonding with your baby.  Baby bath time is a time for bathing baby and playing gently, talking and singing.  Get everything you will need for bathing baby ready before you start!  The baby bath list includes warm water (of course), washcloth, alcohol pads, hooded bath towel, clean diaper, any items you routinely use during a diaper change, diaper ointment and clean clothes. Use an natural & organic baby shampoo & body wash: Aloe & Lavender Shampoo & Wash and Aloe & Lavender Therapeutic Bath Powder for the bath water; regular soaps and shampoos can be too harsh and drying. Babies lose body heat very quickly, so make sure the room you bath baby in is warm - 75 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal.

Gently cradle your baby's head in one hand and use the other hand to remove his or her clothing.  Gently wash his or her with a soft, warm washcloth, and dry baby off with a towel.  If you like, you can wash one area at a time, and put a fresh item of clothing on as soon as an area is washed and dried.  This is not necessary unless you are in a chilly room.

It's a good idea to start bathing baby with the "less dirty" areas first. For example, leave the diaper area until last, so you're not washing your baby in dirty bath water.  As you go, be sure to gently wash behind baby's ears; the crevices in baby's neck, elbows, and knees; and in-between baby's fingers and toes.  It's a good idea to wash a baby's hair near the end of bath time.  This will help prevent him or her from losing too much body heat.  Most newborns don't have much hair, so it is easy to sponge it with water much the same way you do the rest of the body.  Almost all babies dislike getting their eyes wet.  So if you tip the baby's head back just a bit and work your way from the front to the back, you can avoid getting water in your baby's eyes during the baby bath.

When you first look at a baby covered with flakes and acne, you may wonder, "why isn't his or her skin beautiful as I thought baby's skin should be?"  Did you know that there are many different kinds of temporary skin problems that can develop with an infant's skin? During the first few days and weekly, a baby will actually shed bits of the waxy protective membrane when he or she is born. Sometimes this is due to the delivery, and will be mostly on his or her hands and feet.  You might have seen a snake shedding his skin: that is about what a newborn baby's skin can look like during these days and weeks.  Baby boys are actually more prone to this acne than baby girls.

Babies may also develop rashes those first few days and weeks, from the humidity or dryness not being correct in the home.  Also, baby rashes can develop from the lotion, soap or creams used on his or her delicate skin. Babies can develop eczema, but this usually doesn't happen until the ages from two to five months.  If you find that your baby has very sensitive skin, keep your baby away from possible irritants. Be mindful of lotions with a fragrance in their ingredients on the label, as highly sensitive skin can develop a rash from these products. Sometimes when the baby is itchy, you may want to call the pediatrician to get some type of anti-itch ointment.

Several things that you can do to keep your baby's skin healthy and feeling soft to the touch:

• Regulate the humidity in the home so that it is not too dry. This is an excellent idea not only for your baby but for all your family members.
• Be mindful when you bring out the baby outside as too much direct sunlight is not good for an infant.
• Make sure to cover your baby with clothing as you walk in the direct sunlight. A baby's skin will sunburn very easily. Usually pediatricians will advise not to use sunscreen of any kind before six months of age.
• Bathe your baby regularly and wash the diaper area daily to prevent a rash.