The appearance in the family of a child is an event very emotional and exciting. Fees at the maternity hospital and the long-awaited discharge. And now you are already at home. Now mom’s whole life is centered around a tiny creature. Feeding, changing clothes, measuring temperature - these worries take away from mom almost all the time. And many parents are interested in the question of when to bathe a newborn for the first time. Usually a nurse from the postpartum department tells about this, but it will not be amiss to discuss this issue again.
Differences of opinion
More recently, doctors agreed that water procedures are shown to the baby from the moment the umbilical wound has completely healed. Today, mom can hear very different recommendations. Discharge from the hospital occurs on the fourth day, and only if there is no doubt about the state of health of the mother and child. During a general briefing, nurses explain when to bathe a newborn for the first time. Usually the next day is chosen for this, that is, the fifth day from the moment of birth. Some parents listen to the opinions of experienced pediatricians, others trust grannies who are categorically against water procedures, until the umbilical cord is dry and the wound heals.
Consulting with a pediatrician
More precisely, the local pediatrician will answer the question of when to bathe a newborn for the first time. He usually visits babies in the coming days after returning from the hospital. General recommendations are averaged, which means they cannot be suitable for every child. A doctor will examine your baby and give advice.
Then, every week, the patronage sister will come and examine the child. If the condition of the umbilical wound will alarm her, she can give a recommendation to stop bathing and prescribe treatment with hydrogen peroxide and brilliant green. Usually, improvement occurs after 2-3 procedures, so do not worry if the wound is slightly inflamed or pus appears. The main thing is not to start the state.
Basic conditions
The body of the newborn is very tender. Therefore, in addition to the question of when to bathe a newborn for the first time, it is necessary to study the technique for performing this procedure. This question is inextricably linked with the first. Speaking about when you can bathe a newborn for the first time, we assume that the young mother already knows how to do it. In fact, even if theoretical information was received in the maternity hospital, upon arrival home all this is erased from memory. All that remains is fear for this tiny and defenseless creature.
Water will fall into your ears! The child can be subcool! He's overheating! How to put it in the bath so as not to damage the neck? These and thousands of other fears and questions are carried in the head of the mother and make her give up the desire to start bathing. Usually a grandmother is called, next to which it is much easier to carry out hygiene procedures.
Bath preparation
Bathing baby in a large bath is not recommended. All other family members wash it, wash it, and it’s quite problematic to clean and disinfect its entire surface every day. A small, plastic bath is bought for the baby and thoroughly washed with soda or another detergent. After that, it is rinsed with boiling water and you can safely start bathing.
There is a second important point. Until the baby’s umbilical wound heals completely, you can bathe it only in boiled water. This is necessary to destroy the pathogenic microflora, which can lead to an inflammatory process. The easiest way is to buy a boiler and pre-heat a bucket of water. To start, fill the bath one third and check the temperature. Just do not dilute the hot water with cold, otherwise all your manipulations will be in vain. Just wait a bit.
What you might need
There is a huge selection of bath towels, bath toys, rugs, silicone anti-slip pads on the bottom of the bath. Sometimes parents are lost, which of this they may really need. It turns out that not so much. In addition to the bath itself, immediately prepare:
- Thermometer for measuring water temperature. In most cases, parents do not buy it at the birth of their second child, because practice already allows doing without it. Below we will discuss at what temperature to bathe a newborn for the first time.
- Soft cloth or sponge. This is not a mandatory attribute, if you wish, you can simply foam a special gel or soap and wipe the crumbs with your hands.
- Toys are not necessary for babies, they can be taken only after 6 months. By that time, the child will be confidently sitting in the bath and will be able to interact with them.
- Fragrance-free baby soap. A very good option recommended by most pediatricians.
- A clean towel and replaceable clothes, a diaper, cotton buds, peroxide and green stuff in case you need to treat the wound.
As you can see, nothing special. Our mothers managed the minimum of the following: a bath, a towel and a pair of diapers.
Water temperature
It is very convenient to check it with the elbow. The skin at this location is very delicate and will quickly respond to too hot water. If the elbow is comfortable, then you can immerse the child. But for a young mother it is too difficult. Therefore, a special thermometer is bought. Usually it looks like a toy that floats in the bath. If he shows 36 degrees, then everything is in order. This is the optimum water temperature. You can bathe a newborn for the first time in it without any fear.
What you need to add to the water
Most often, the baby is not bathed in plain water, but in a decoction of herbs. This avoids many skin problems that begin in childhood. These are various rashes, diathesis, erythema. In order to prevent an increase in the area of damage, it is necessary to add decoctions of herbs to the water.
Concentration should not be too strong. Usually a bath of chamomile is used for bathing the crumbs. Do not take St. John's wort or celandine, as they dry the skin very much. Usually they are prescribed by a doctor for more serious problems. Brew them as follows: per liter of water you need to take a spoonful of dry grass and boil for 5 minutes. Add a decoction in a glass to the baby bath. The water level should not exceed 15 cm.
We establish a bath
We already know when you can bathe a newborn baby for the first time. Now you need to prepare for this day. It is clear that the baby will not be able to raise its head, therefore, it is necessary to ensure the distribution of water in such a way that it does not flood the face, but also does not leave the body open. This issue is solved very easily. To do this, put the bath on the changing table. Under one edge you need to put a few thick magazines.
Place a diaper under the baby’s head, wrap it in the other and carefully put it in the bath, holding the neck with one hand. Now it remains to carefully monitor the reaction of the child. If he cringes and protests, then the water temperature is too low. Urgently need to take out the crumbs. If the bathroom is hot, then the child will also be capricious. Since you will have to bathe a newborn girl for the first time at home only on the fifth day, the young mother will have time to get used to her role a little and stop being afraid.
Swimming duration
Since the thermoregulation in the child is still very imperfect, the duration of stay in the bathroom should not be more than 10 minutes. This is if the baby is cheerful and calm. If even my mother’s voice and stroking cannot calm him down, then you need to finish the procedure immediately.
The next time the reaction will be the same as with the first bath. Therefore, try to approach the organization of the debut as carefully as possible so as not to scare the baby. If he treated the bath favorably, then you are in luck. Every day you will have a great way to entertain and calm the baby.
Swim with a circle
This accessory is today in almost every pharmacy. This is a small circle consisting of two chambers, each of which is filled with air. It has Velcro and comfortable chin notches. The question is, at what age can this accessory be used? You can start from birth. A baby can swim in a circle up to 2 years. He holds his head securely, and the baby does not swallow water. He can freely explore the bath, wave his arms and legs and have fun.
Now a few words about the first time to bathe a newborn with a circle? To do this, you first need to introduce the baby to a new subject for him. On the eve, let him play with him, touch and consider. And the next day before bathing, fix it on the neck and go to the bath. Even newborn children are very interested in such bathing, because water is a natural element for them. And older children will simply be delighted with the opportunity to frolic. Do not leave your child unattended. Despite the reliability of these accessories, anything can happen.
Camping trip
Someone washes the baby in a cooling steam room from the first days of his life. Others, on the other hand, do not allow children to visit the bathhouse before they reach school age. Pediatricians have no consensus on this. Of course, a pregnant woman or a lactating woman should not go to a hot steam room. And even more so, take a newborn to bathe with you. But when the bath is almost cool, then please. The air temperature should be comfortable, a little more than 30 degrees. Otherwise, you must follow the previous recommendations.
Boil water and install a bath in the bath. Bring all the necessary accessories with you. When the water reaches the optimum temperature, you can carefully put the child in it. Speaking about how to bathe a newborn in the bath for the first time, it is worth noting that it is necessary to pay a little more attention to distracting maneuvers. Talk to the baby, show him the toys. Otherwise, the novelty of the bath room may frighten and push him away.
After swimming
Swimming time is coming to an end. Sometimes this upsets the baby, but the water has cooled, and it's time to leave the bath. It is better if one adult opens a large towel, and the second takes out the baby and quickly wraps it. This will add a positive color to the whole procedure. After this, gently pat the crumbs with a gentle motion, grease all the folds with a cream and swaddle.