Bathing your baby
Bathing your baby is both a moment of bonding between parents and child and it is also a moment of relaxation for baby.
For this moment to take place in the best conditions, you must adopt certain reflexes and have the appropriate equipment.
When toileting, your baby will need your 100% attention. It only takes a few seconds of inattention for an incident to occur. To avoid this, you need to prepare everything you need in advance.
How to prepare a newborn's bath?
From the first days of life, you can bathe your child. Bathing an infant requires following certain instructions to ensure their safety.
The water temperature, as well as the room temperature, must be adapted. The water must be at body temperature, between 35° and 37°, no more, no less to prevent baby from being uncomfortable. The room must be between 22° and 24° to prevent him from feeling cold when you undress him or when he gets out of the bath.
Everything you need should be within reach: soap, washcloth, bath towel, clothes, toiletry bag, etc.
As you will have understood, you will need essential equipment to be able to bathe your baby with complete peace of mind.
What equipment do you need to bathe your baby?
The bathtub
If you already have a bathtub at home, you can easily wash your baby in this bathtub, keeping him there at all times. Otherwise, you can opt for a special baby bathtub.
The bathtub you choose for your child must be adapted according to their age and size.
The classic baby bathtub has the same characteristics as an adult bathtub. It is spacious enough to accommodate baby and bathe him in a space adapted to his small size.
There are bathtubs specially designed for newborns, which adapt perfectly to their body shape to give them the feeling of being in a cocoon.
You can also choose a bathtub with an integrated seat or buy a deckchair that will adapt to your bathtub. This seat keeps baby in his position while offering him safety and comfort. Plus, it allows you to have your hands a little freer because you won't need to hold it up all the time.
To protect your back, you can adopt a free-standing bathtub. This is not intended to be placed directly in the shower, unless it is large enough (Italian shower type)
An organic neutral soap
A baby's skin is naturally sensitive.
You should favor mild soaps that do not harm the skin, and the most natural compositions possible. To do this, you must check soaps containing perfume, endocrine disruptors and ensure that it is allergen-free.
A bath thermometer
This little accessory is clearly essential to ensure baby's comfort when washing. In order to maintain the correct water temperature, you must check the thermostat regularly, since the temperature can drop over time.
A bath cape
As soon as you get out of the bath, wrap your baby in a cotton bath cape, Oeko-tex certified. This will bring softness and comfort to your child's sensitive skin. Baby will be well wrapped up in a cocoon of softness and will not feel the temperature difference between the bath and the room temperature.
A changing table
We recommend having a changing table near the bath. This helps prevent accidents when getting out of the water because babies are often slippery.
A changing table takes up a lot of space in a bathroom. There are different formats, foldable ones or even changing tables to place directly on the bathtub, to avoid carrying baby from side to side.
The toilet kit
The baby's toiletry bag must be within your reach, close to the changing table where you change your baby. This way, you will always keep one hand on your child while the other is free. It is in this large bag that you can store the massage oil, its little cream, or even its hairbrush.
When should you bathe a baby?
A baby, like everyone else, needs daily hygiene. You will need to wash his face, hands and private parts every day, and even several times a day. Daily bathing for a baby is not necessary if you follow these instructions.
On the other hand, if the bath is a time that allows you to calm down and relax, you can very well make it a daily ritual.
We generally recommend bathing every 2 to 3 days for an infant, for a duration of approximately 10 minutes.