First time?
Who could have guessed that washing a newborn would require such skill and thought?
Here are tips for first-time parents from Helen Coomb, a registered nurse at Women's College Hospital in Toronto.
• Bathe your baby two or three times a week, but wash his hands and bottom every time you change his diaper.
• Use a baby bath or a sink (but don't use the taps when you're baby's in it). You can also take your baby into the bathtub with you and hold him while you bathe him.
• Use a cloth and mild soap: start with your little one's face (wipe his eyes from the inner corner out), then wash his ears (outer ear only), genitals and creases. Dry him thoroughly, especially his creases.
• Wash your baby's hair separately. To keep him warm, swaddle him and hold him, football-style, under your arm. Put a little oil (any kind except mineral oil) on his scalp; gently comb it to loosen flakes of skin and help prevent cradle cap. With your palm, rub in a dab of baby shampoo, avoiding tender fontanels. Rinse with a washcloth or cup, then dry.
Safety basics
• Lower your water heater to 49 C.
• Apply decals to the floor of your tub to prevent slips and falls.
• To fill a tub, start and end with cold water so the faucet isn't hot.
• Fill the tub before your child gets in. If you must add water later, place her away from the faucet.
• Always stay within arm's reach and supervise your child; if you leave the bathroom, take her with you. A child can drown in seconds, in only a few centimetres of water.
• Test the bathwater with the sensitive skin of your elbow or forearm; the temperature should feel comfortable but not too warm. Remember that a child's skin will scald in one-quarter the time it takes for an adult's skin to scald.
• Use a bath mat on the floor to prevent slips.
• Keep electrical devices well away from the tub.
Page 1 of 2 - more baby-bath tips on page 2.
