When should you give your baby his/her first bath?

While it used to be standard practice for nurses to whisk away your baby after birth for a bath, recommendations in recent years have shifted in favor of waiting at least a couple of hours, if not longer, to give a baby the first bath (the World Health Organization recommends waiting 24 hours).

Studies indicate that there may be several emotional and physical benefits to delaying that first birth. Since young babies are particularly sensitive to cold, it can significantly cold stress and subsequently reduce the risk of hypoglycemia and hypothermia. Additionally, babies are born with a waxy coating on their skin, known as the vernix, which helps to retain heat and can serve as a barrier to infection.

Another reason to delay that initial bath is that it can improve your breastfeeding success rate, as well as promote bonding between mother and baby.

You won't need to bathe your baby in the infant tub until the umbilical cord stump falls off on its own (and the circumcision scar has healed, if your little boy had the procedure). This may take around 14 days, or longer. In the meantime, you'll have to stick to sponge baths.

What do you need for your baby’s first bath?

Here are the supplies you will need to give your newborn a sponge bath:

• Some cotton balls
• A bowl of warm water 
• Baby body wash (can also serve as shampoo)
• A diaper
• A towel
• An outfit change – like a onesie  

How to give your newborn a bath

• Topping and tailing

Here are the steps to follow to bathe your newborn during those first few days:

1. Fill the baby bathtub with warm water

Fill the tub with about 2-3 inches of water. Making sure to keep your baby's head supported at all times, gently lower him/her into the water. The bathwater temperature for a newborn should be between 90-100 degrees Fahrenheit. A good way to gauge the water temperature is by dipping your wrist in it, but if you want to get it exactly right, use a thermometer.

2. Keep your baby warm during the bath

Even when you use warm water, your baby can still lose body heat quickly. To prevent this, turn up the thermostat a little bit to make the room warmer before bath time.

3. Give him/her a gentle but thorough wipe down

Dampen a cotton ball and use it to gently wipe your baby’s eyelids from the inside corner out. Use a cotton ball for each eye, and another one to clean around their nose. Take another piece of damp cotton wool and wipe around the ears, but not inside them. Use this technique to wash the rest of your little one’s face and neck, making sure to clean between the folds of skin.

Use a fresh piece of cotton wool to clean your baby’s bottom. If you have a girl, it’s crucial to wipe the genital area from front to back, to avoid spreading bacteria from the bottom to the vagina. If you have a boy, wipe around the penis and testicles gently.  You don’t need to pull back the foreskin. 

There’s no harm in using a gentle, natural, scent-free baby body wash, but cotton balls and water should be enough to get your baby clean. If you do opt to use shampoo, make sure you cup your hand across your baby’s forehead when rinsing his/her head so the lather doesn’t get into his/her eyes.

4. Dry your baby

Once you finish bathing your baby, dry his/her skin gently, but thoroughly – making sure to dry in all those folds and creases – and put the clean diaper on. 

You don’t need to worry about slathering your baby in after-bath products. Newborn skin can often appear dry, so you might be tempted to apply lotions, but they're not necessary – babies are born with soft and supple skin, so they don't need fancy lotions. For any dry patches, try using scentless petroleum jelly. You should also skip baby powder; pediatricians don't recommend it because the particles can find their way into your baby’s lungs and potentially cause respiratory problems.

In terms of when you should give that first official bath, it’s entirely up to you. You may want to wait a few days and just give your little one top and tail cleanses in those first days instead of full baths, but you might also want to create a bathing routine as soon as you get your baby home.

How often should you bathe your newborn?

It may come as a surprise to learn that you don’t need to bathe your newborn daily. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, bathing your baby three times a week is fine as long as you thoroughly clean their neck, face, hands, and diaper area daily. 

When is the best time to bathe your newborn?

It's entirely up to you to decide when to bathe your baby. Just make sure you choose a time when you don't have to worry about interruptions. As a rule of thumb, you'll find that you'll have the easiest time bathing your baby when he/she is content and relaxed. If you intend to bathe your little one after a feeding, consider waiting a while to allow his/her tummy to settle.

Final thoughts

It can take some time and a bit of practice on your time, but bath time could soon become something that you and your baby look forward to. By making your child’s first bath a comfortable and stress-free experience, you can help them learn to see bath time as a fun, relaxing time spent with Mommy or Daddy.

Here is a comprehensive guide to baby massage.

Getting started

Here are some tips on how to get started.

• Choose a warm, quiet room. Make sure your baby is content and alert – not immediately after feeding, or when she’s tired or hungry. Babies are more receptive to massages when they’re at ease.
• You will need a skin-friendly massage oil and soft towels or pieces of cloth.
• Strip your little one down to her diaper, and then lay her in an upwards facing position on a towel or soft cloth, with a pillow under her head.
• Make sure the position is comfortable, giving you direct eye contact with no overhead lights.
• Give your baby a cue by asking, “Can I give you a massage?” With time, your child will become familiar with this prompt and know that they are about to get a massage.

How to give your baby a massage

1. Legs and feet

• Lift your little one’s right leg by the ankle and gently tap the upper thigh to relax it.
• With one hand on her ankle and another around her upper thigh, stroke your baby gently from her thigh down to her foot. Gently apply a bit of pressure as you go.
• If she is comfortable with this motion, gently grasp the leg at the thigh, with one hand above the other, and stroke down, rotating your hands in opposite directions as if wringing a towel.
• Reverse this motion and go from her ankle to her thigh.
• To massage her feet, use a thumb-over0thumb motion, moving from her heel to her toes.
• Carefully rub the top of her foot, and then gently uncurl and stroke each toe.
• Repeat these motions for the left leg.

2. Tummy

• To massage the tummy, start at the base of your baby’s rib cage by stroking down her tummy with one hand, then the other.
• Using your fingertips, draw a circle or oval shape below your tot’s belly button. Do this in a clockwise motion, to follow the natural path of the digestive tract.
• Walk your fingertips gently from one side of your baby’s tummy to the other.
• If your baby is gassy, hold her feet and knees together and gently press her knees up toward her abdomen. Rotate your baby’s hips around a couple of times to the right. This can help expel gas.

3. Chest

• Place both of your hands on your child’s chest and slowly stroke outward from the center to her shoulders.
• Beginning at the sternum, trace a heart shape, bringing both of your hands up to the baby’s shoulders, then back down together.

3. Back

• Place your baby on her tummy with her hands in front of her.
• Move your hands back and forth in opposite directions on the baby’s back, going from the base of the neck to her tush.
• Use your fingertips to gently massage down one side of your baby's spine and up the other. Avoid applying direct pressure on her spine.
• Massage her bottom gently with big circular motions, and her shoulders with small circular motions.

4. Arms

• Massage one arm by gently stroking from her shoulder down to her wrist. With both hands, stroke her hand with both hands rotating in opposite directions.
• Massage her palm, gently uncurling and stroking the toes.
• Massage the wrist by moving your fingertips in circular motions.

5. Head and face

• Cradle your baby’s head in both hands and gently massage the scalp with your fingertips as if working in shampoo. Make sure to avoid soft spots on the head.
• Gently rub her ears between your index finger and thumb.
• Stroke your baby’s cheeks with your thumbs.
• Massage her jaw in circular motions using your fingertips.

What massage oils should I use?

It is important that you use massaging oil as it will make it easier for your hands to glide over your little one’s skin, and it may be more relaxing for your baby. Vegetable oils that have a high concentration of linoleic acid may be gentler on your baby's sensitive skin. Vegetable oils that have high levels of linoleic acid include grape seed oil and sunflower oil.

If your baby suffers from dry or peeling skin, avoid using vegetable oils that are high in oleic acid as they may be harsher than those that have linoleic acid or baby mineral oils. Olive oil has high levels of oleic acid, so you may want to steer clear of it if your baby’s skin is sensitive.

Perfume-free baby mineral oils are another great option for use on babies who have sensitive skin. If your baby suffers from eczema, you should stick to using her prescribed emollient or cream during massages.

What are the benefits of giving your baby a massage?

The perks of massaging your little one include:

• Studies have found that giving your baby a full-body massage can reduce fussiness and crying, as well as help her sleep more peacefully. This is because a massage stimulates your baby’s central nervous system and triggers the brain to release more serotonin (the feel-good chemical), and less cortisol (the stress hormone)
• A massage is a great way to bond with your baby. The affectionate touch and rhythmic movement that a massage allows can make you and your baby feel closer to each other.
• Giving your baby a gentle rub-down can help you understand her cues and respond to them better.

Final thoughts

Paying close attention to your baby’s cues is crucial when giving a massage. Your baby will let you know when they have had enough of the massage and which techniques she enjoys or dislikes. If your baby turns away or cries during the massage, it’s time to stop, and maybe try again later when she calms down.