Are you looking for tips about how to give a newborn bath? Girl, here is a complete guide on how to bathe your new baby.
Are you a new mom or a veteran mom looking for tips on how to give a newborn bath? As a mom of 4, I am going to walk you through the steps of giving your baby a bath.
You are going to learn about all the newborn bath tips from newborn bath essentials, how often to bathe your baby, bath temperature, and more.
After learning about all of these bathing tips, you will quickly become a bath time pro and be extra prepared when giving your newborn their bath.
Let's jump into the best way to give a newborn bath.
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Best Newborn Bath Tips
First thing first, NEVER leave your baby unattended during a bath. And I mean ever. This is so important. Things can happen in the blink of an eye when it comes to babies and kids!
Let’s address some common questions that come up about giving a newborn a bath. I had so many of these same questions when I had my first baby!
What Temperature Should A Newborn Bath Be At?
When getting the water ready for the bath, you do not want it too hot or too cold. It should be a nice lukewarm temperature.
You can guess that the temperature is right. But if I were you, I would get this temperature reading duck, found on Amazon. It is a thermometer and a toy, 2 for 1 – yeah!
This is an upgrade from the model I had but I loved ours and used it with all 4 of our kids for every baby bath!
How Often Does A Newborn Need A Bath?
A baby does not need to have a bath every day. It dries out their skin. Every 2 to 3 days is perfectly fine.
You will have those days though of poop explosions, spit-up everywhere, and eventually a big food mess. Do not hesitate to give your baby a good rinse-off after one of these amazing events!
We had one of these once, we still refer to it as the great poop explosion of 2015. It was grossly epic!
What Is The Best Time Of Day For A Bath?
Make it part of their routine to get ready for bed. Give your baby a nice calm and relaxing bath, get their pajamas on, and snuggle them in for, hopefully, a long night’s rest!
This is completely my opinion. The best time that worked for my babies to have a bath was in the evening.
What Bath Essentials Do I Need?
Before starting the actual bath there are some items that you should gather and have within reach. It is the worst to try and have to grab something while giving your newborn their bath.
Do Not leave them for a moment!
Bathtub
There are 2 different baby bathtubs you can choose from.
The first one is a small version of a regular size bathtub. The best one in my opinion is this newborn bathtub. It can fit in the bottom of your shower or bathtub.
The second option is one that will fit in your kitchen sink. I loved using this flexible bath mat. Until your baby can support itself, you will have to hold them with this mat. But that is true with any mat you choose!
You have to use some muscles to wring out the water, it soaks up water. It is machine washable and can go in the dryer on delicate, which is a win for me. No mom has extra time to clean anything!
Giving all of my babies their baths in the kitchen sink for the first few weeks was incredibly helpful for me. Everything was at a great height for me without adding pressure to my stomach area.
I had all-natural births, but man I was still so sore around my midsection. The less bending and leaning over I had to do the better.
Shampoo/Body Soap
This baby soap is so great. It is made to use from head to toe and it is tear-free.
Get the bottle that has a pump! I quickly learned that you need 1 hand to hold your baby and 1 hand to do everything else. The pump makes using the soap so easy.
We used it with all 4 of our kids until they were about 1 year old.
Side note – if you are traveling with your baby and they need to be freshened up, you need these baby bath wipes in your life. These are the bee's knees for sure.
It is a one-and-done product without have to go through the whole bath process.
Washcloths
Even if you are not a washcloth user yourself pick up some for your baby.
These washcloths are so soft and gentle for your baby’s delicate skin. They do a fantastic job of wiping every inch clean.
You can also use a damp washcloth to cover your little guy’s penis during the bath. You probably know what kind of mess that can turn into!
Baby Towel
Have a towel all laid out very near you for when bath time is over. It will make the end of the bath so much easier.
We used this cute hooded towel. It is made for infants so it is just the right size for them.
The hood helps keep your baby nice and snuggled up and it helps to keep the towel from sliding all over your baby.
Rinse Pitcher
When you are done washing up your baby, you are going to want to rinse them off.
Grab this adorable rinse pitcher and rinse away. This was always my babies’ favorite part of the bath.
Diapers
Believe me when I tell you to have a diaper unfolded and completely ready to put on before you start the bath.
It only took a few times that we took our babies out of the bath and didn’t have it ready and they went to the bathroom.
Some babies just like to go to the bathroom when they get out of the bath. You really had to watch out if the boys did it!
I used Huggies diapers and never had a problem with them. Other brands have a scent to them, but ugh those gave my daughter such a bad diaper rash that took days to clear and she only had it on for 1.5 hours.
Wipes
Have your package of wipes near the diaper for those messy after-bath time experiences.
I hands-down love Huggies wipes. None of my kids are in diapers anymore and I still keep a small stash of these at our house.
I have tried many other kinds of wipes; did I mention I am a daycare provider as well. None compare to my favorite!
Lotion
After you get your baby's diaper on, give them a nice and gentle massage with some lotion. Their skin can dry out so quickly.
We used this lotion for all our babies and still use it now. Our kids just have dry skin, especially during the winter.
If your baby has extremely dry skin or diaper rash, try Aquaphor. I learned about this product with my first baby and have had it in our house ever since.
Health and Grooming Kit
Since you have your baby all nice and clean, give their nails a close look to see if any trimming needs to be done. And it is a great time to comb/brush their hair. Do this even if they don’t have much, it will help stimulate hair growth.
I got this health and grooming kit as a gift with my first baby and it lasted for the other 3 as well.
To be honest, though, I did not like the thermometer that came with it at all.
I bought this thermometer which is much easier to use on a squirming baby.
Kneeler Pad
If you have bad knees or a really hard floor in your bathroom, you may want to consider investing in a kneeler and elbow resting pad set.
We had tile floor in our bathroom while our babies were infants and after a few baths with our first in there, I realized how hard it was on my knees. They hurt for a while after bath time! Bring on the kneeler pad!
Steps To Giving Your Newborn A Bath
1. Assemble all of your essentials and get them laid out nearby where you will give your baby their bath. This can be in the kitchen sink or your regular bathtub or shower.
2. Get water into the bath, add the soap right to the running water to create a bubble bath, and check the temperature.
3. Once the water temperature is right for your baby, place your baby (who should be in the buff by now) in the bathtub.
4. If you have a boy, place a washcloth over his penis to prevent him from peeing on you.
5. Soak the washcloth in the bubble bath and start washing your baby. Work from the head down. Make sure to get into every roll and crevasse. Your baby is little so this shouldn’t take all that long.
6. Once you are done washing your baby, grab the rinse pitch and pour water gently over your baby’s body to wash away the soap suds.
7. Remove your baby from the bath and place them in a towel immediately. From here I take it to the floor. There is a lot more space to finish up the second part of bath time.
8. Put a diaper on your baby.
9. Apply lotion to your baby, like a gentle massage. I like to work from the head down here so I don’t miss any spots.
10. Check their finger and toenails to see if they need a trim. I always thought baby nails grow so fast, and can be so sharp!
11. Get them dressed. This can mean different clothes, depending on what time of day it is and the weather. For me, it means a onesie and a sleeper.
12. Comb their hair, even if they barely have any. It will help stimulate hair growth.
13. Clean up all of your bath supplies.
Baby Bath Tips
Sometimes your baby will go to the bathroom in the bathtub. You will have to drain the water and start all over again.
I mean, would you want to go around with urine water on your body for a few days? It is certainly not for me!
There will be times that it is way easier for your baby to take a shower with you. This worked best if when my husband was able to help me. Still doable if it is just you too.
Be careful if you do this. Those little angels are so slippery. Place a wet washcloth between you and your baby to help prevent slipping. It really works!!!
If I Am On A Budget What Are The Absolute Must-Have Newborn Bath Items?
If you are tight on money and believe me mama I have been there, here are some ways to save your money.
The absolute essentials of a newborn bath are:
Congratulations on your newborn!!!
I am so excited for you. If you ever have any baby questions or just need some extra support, shoot me an email. I have been in your shoes mama and I am here for you!
This post was all about the best tips for a newborn bath.
Leave a comment below if you have any questions about giving your newborn a bath or have any funny baby bath time stories.
I look forward to hearing from you and thanks for stopping by.