Proper bathing of a newborn baby

Bathing a newborn baby is an important daily procedure for the baby, which should be carried out in special conditions to maintain the health and cleanliness of the baby's skin. It is very important to properly carry out hygienic measures for the baby, to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Technique and main principles of bathing a newborn

The first bathing of a child according to the new standards is carried out at home. This is a positive change, since bathing at home implies contamination of the child's skin with the microflora that is present at home. This allows avoiding the action of harmful bacteria that are present in the maternity hospital.

The first bathing of a newborn baby is recommended to be done the day after the mother and baby are home. Considering that bathing is something new for a three- to five-day-old baby, everything should go well, since the first reaction to bathing determines further water procedures. Therefore, this should be done carefully so that the child does not get scared. Correct bathing of a newborn baby is very important, since his skin has structural features at this age. The skin of a newborn baby is very thin and can easily let various bacteria in, so it is not such a good barrier as that of older children. The sebaceous and sweat glands of newborns are not sufficiently developed, so when children sweat, they cannot remove sweat to the surface of the skin. All metabolic products remain on the upper layer of the skin and can disrupt the respiration of skin cells. Therefore, it is so important to bathe the child often enough and, most importantly, correctly.

There are certain rules for bathing a newborn baby:

1. You need to bathe your baby every day until he is six months old;
2. A newborn baby up to one month old should be bathed only in boiled water;
3. a separate bath is needed for the child and separate toys just for bathing;
4. The thermal conditions of the water must be monitored every time.

Should you boil water for bathing a newborn baby? It is believed that you should bathe a newborn in boiled water until the navel falls off and heals. But the general recommendations are that you need to bathe in boiled water during the first month of life. This is explained by the fact that it is during this period that the child is vulnerable to the action of bacteria, and many microorganisms die when boiled, which reduces the likelihood of additional infection of the child.

The water temperature for bathing a newborn baby should be 36-37 degrees. This is a temperature that is comfortable in any weather and the baby feels good in such water. You need to measure the temperature before each bath, without relying on your own feelings. This can be done with a special water thermometer. The bathing procedure itself should usually not exceed fifteen minutes, so there is no need to add hot water.

How to properly hold a newborn baby when bathing? The procedure of bathing a newborn and a child up to six months should be carried out by 2 people, usually mom and dad. Dad stands on the side of the baby's head and holds the head suspended so that it does not touch the water too much. This can usually be to the level where the head is just wet in the water. At this time, the mother bathes the baby. Bathing a newborn baby with a ring is allowed after two months, when the baby confidently holds his head. In this case, the ring is put on around the neck and serves as a hold on the water, so outside help is not required in bathing. It is only necessary that the baby is not afraid of this ring for the first time, so everything should be done carefully.

When the baby sits at six months, the mother can bathe him herself. You can use special toys that can be washed, in no case soft and without small parts. The baby can only have a separate bathtub and it must be clean. Bathing a newborn baby in a large bathtub can be done after six months, when the baby sits confidently. Of course, before this you need to thoroughly wash the bathtub without any disinfectants or poisonous solutions.

If a newborn baby cries during bathing, then maybe the water temperature is not right for him or something is wrong. You can't force a baby to bathe, then you can just quickly wash him and dry him. It is possible that he wants to eat or has colic, so in order for the next bath to go well, you need to stop bathing him if he cries.

What can you bathe a child with?

The issue of using various products for bathing a child is very controversial. The latest recommendations say not to use various herbs and detergents when bathing a baby if the child is healthy and does not require any measures. It is believed that adding herbs to the water when bathing promotes the evaporation of these herbs, which can become allergens for the child and subsequently cause allergies. It is also recommended not to use soap, since it dries the skin, regardless of the composition.

What do you need to bathe a newborn baby? If the baby is healthy, then bathing should be done only in boiled water without adding anything. After all, daily bathing eliminates contamination of the baby's skin, for which you need to use soap or other means. In the future, you can use toys so that the baby enjoys the bathing process more.

Bathing a newborn baby with herbs has long been used for better cleansing of the baby's skin and for calming. Herbs have antiseptic properties, and some of them calm the nervous system and the baby sleeps better. Therefore, you can use different herbs for children who have increased emotionality, restlessness, and skin problems. If the baby has gneiss on the head or peeling skin after birth, then you can use herbs for bathing.

Bathing a newborn baby in succession and chamomile is used for additional antiseptic properties, as well as to prevent diaper rash on the skin. How to brew succession for bathing a newborn baby? You need to brew it in boiled hot water at the rate of two bags of grass at 20 grams per glass of water. After five minutes of infusion, you can add this solution to the baby's bath and bathe as usual. Bathing a newborn baby in a decoction of oak bark can also be done to prevent infectious skin lesions.

Bathing a newborn baby in salt water is recommended for manifestations of atopic dermatitis with pronounced exudation, but if there is no direct damage to the skin. For this purpose, it is better to use sea salt - one teaspoon per liter of water, and then add this solution to the bath.

Bathing a newborn baby in potassium permanganate is also common, as potassium permanganate has antiseptic properties and accelerates the healing of the navel. It has a direct effect on bacteria and viruses and neutralizes them on the skin. When bathing, you can use a weak solution of potassium permanganate so that the color is slightly pink.

It is better to use baby soap or shampoo for bathing a newborn baby after a month. But you cannot thoroughly lather the baby's skin or rub it with a washcloth - it is enough to simply apply soap with the mother's hands and wash it off with water. You can only use special baby products that do not contain dyes, which may cause an allergy. After bathing, you need to gently blot the baby's skin with a soft towel, without rubbing hard. What to smear a newborn baby with after bathing? If the baby has healthy skin, then you do not need to smear it with anything even for prevention. If the skin is dry or there are signs of diaper dermatitis, then you can use regular olive oil or special baby oil. In this case, you do not need to smear the entire skin, but only the areas where there is dryness or diaper rash.

These are the main principles of bathing that must be followed for the healthy skin of the baby and the peace of mind of the mother.

Bathing a newborn baby is the main principle of the baby's skin health. Therefore, the mother should know what should and can be used when bathing the baby and whether it will cause harm. Excessive care can be as harmful as insufficient care for the skin of the newborn, so all procedures should be in moderation, including bathing.