Infant Bathing Techniques, Part 2: Newborn & Infant Bath Safety

Hey guys, this post is the second in a series I’m writing about Infant Bathing Techniques to provide a little guidance in the world of infant bath times. As a new parent, I remember feeling a tad lost about the whole bath time gig with my newborn baby.

A lot of who I became as a parent stemmed from trial and error. I wasn’t exactly comfortable with that for awhile; my expectations for baths were a sudsy Baby Molly in the sink while I smiled over her. Once I let go of my expectations, I made space to allow myself to figure out a bathing routine that felt good for both my baby and me.

This post covers:

• My experience getting myself into the right mindset
• The bare necessities for the first baths… cuz keepin’ it simple is the key to easy
• Infant Bathing Techniques: developmentally appropriate methods and techniques we tried with Molly for safe and comfortable baths
• Molly’s bath stories: how bathing practice became swimming practice

Releasing Expectations
The reality is that I had no idea where to BEGIN to manifest that sweet image of baby bath time. My newborn baby was floppy and delicate, and I was sleep deprived and confused, not to mention recovering from L A B O R. I’m sure I googled “best way to bathe your newborn baby” 10 times. But I hadn’t written this blog yet, so I couldn’t find what I was looking for. 😉

Giving a baby a bath should be such a simple task, I’d tell myself. Eventually it was… once I got over the hurdle of the first bath. Like other new parenting skill sets I’ve learned (like breastfeeding and sign language), the starting line is tough. I faced a combination of “flood of new info” + “vacuum of not-knowing” and felt overwhelmed a lot. Yes? You’ve been there, too? I decided to change my expectations, and to simply expect I could learn by doing. What expectations do you hold onto that would feel better with a shift?

Click here to read Part 1 and Part 2 of the Infant Bathing Techniques series. The goal of the Pool Mom blog, etc. is to get parents and kids comfortable in the water via bath time. “Part 2: Newborn Bath Safety” includes ideas for bathing your newborn baby safely and comfortably for all involved.

By 3+ Weeks: Sponge baths

You need: warm water + soft washcloths + baby soap (if there’s poop)

• In my arms in the tub: Newborn babies like their mamas’ faces. New mamas might enjoy a warm bath. Put it all together and what do you get? My favorite, most comfortable way to bathe Molly safely while keeping her warm during the bath and afterward. I didn’t know it at the time, but this is called “co-bathing.”
  • Sit upright and next to the faucet, cradling baby in one arm
  • Soak a soft washcloth with warm running water
  • Wipe her body, head to toe; use different washcloths for different parts to avoid the spread of germs
  • Afterward, lay her on a towel in the rocker or hand her to someone else

We didn’t use soap until she was older, unless she’d just made us a “present.” 🙂 Soap can dry out baby’s skin and adds a layer to the maneuver. It’s a one-handed deal. Eventually, we pumped the soap directly onto her head or body. 

• In the sink: One time I tried a sink bath where I plugged our bathroom sink, put a soft hand towel down, and filled it with a few inches of warm water. I wouldn’t do this again. There are manufacturers that make a soft flexible bathtub for the sink, though, that probably work well. I didn’t love my towel method. I would love to hear from you if you’ve had success with sink baths! 
• Baby tub with sling: If you haven’t seen this contraption, it looks like a divine hot tub hammock. I want one for me. So comfy. I would not recommend this for exceptionally bouncy or roll-y babies. The baby tub sits on the floor of your bath tub or shower, or on top of your counter, and the sling stretches across it. Newborns kick back while you do the rest (with 2 hands.) BTW, fill the tub with warm water before baby sits in it; that way she’ll stay warm and happy longer. 😉 You’ll want to check the temperature of the water first, and keep your newborn dry and cozy as long as possible (aka, wet and cold as little as possible.)

This is the second post in a series I wrote about bathing your newborn baby. Read the first post here. Or the next post here.

If you haven’t yet, follow me @jennyleakmiller on Instagram. Tag your little swimmer’s water baby photos with #poolmom so we can join in on the splashy fun!

Learning is gradual, for both of you. Take it easy, go slow, and give your baby what she needs to feel comfortable. I believe in your baby’s ability to learn this and in your ability to show her how. Safe swimming, everyone!