Bathing a newborn is a very exciting event for many young mothers and dads. How to hold a tiny little man so that he doesn’t get scared and slip out of his hands? Boil water or disinfect with potassium permanganate? What should be the temperature in the room when bathing a newborn? Let's try to answer these and other questions that concern many happy parents.
We buy a bath
Even during pregnancy, parents think about where to bathe the baby. An “adult” bath does not limit the baby’s movements, after active swimming in it, an excellent appetite and a good sleep are provided to the child. At the same time, it is more difficult to disinfect. Even after thorough processing, dangerous microbes or detergent residues can be inside.
A bath for newborns is safer. It is easier to fill if hot water is turned off. It is convenient to take herbal baths prescribed by a doctor. The conclusion is simple: such a purchase is among the necessary.
There are several types of baby baths on the market:
- Classic. These are smaller copies of an adult bath. They are made of plastic. Products are suitable for both a newborn and a one-year-old baby. The only negative: mom will have to constantly maintain the crumb head, which makes it difficult to wash. This can be fixed by purchasing special devices.
- Antibacterial. Their special coating prevents the formation of microbes, disinfects water. Ideal for babies with sensitive skin. Products have a fairly high price.
- Anatomical They are available with a built-in slide, which copies the natural curves of the back of the newborn, fixes the head, handles, ass. The baby is in a reclining position, and it is convenient for mom to wash it. However, after six months, when the child grows up, you will have to choose another bathing capacity.
- Inflatable. They are soft, can have a built-in slide, armrests, embossed bottom. Great for traveling to the country, but fail if damaged with a sharp object.
- "Mom’s tummy." This device was developed by doctors, and its shape is more like a bucket. The baby is in a familiar embryo pose, which calms the baby, relieves stress, and relieves colic. True, bathing it in such a tight design is inconvenient. Yes, and he grows out of her by 2 months.
Additional devices
To make the bathing procedure more comfortable for parents and crumbs help special devices. Which of them can be useful in the first days of your stay at home? Consider the popular devices for bathing newborns:
- Stands for the bath. They can be attached to the sides of a large bathtub or mounted on the floor. Mom does not have to stoop low to reach the baby. The height of the floor stand is usually adjustable, thanks to the rubber nozzles the legs do not slip. The design is easy to fold and takes up a minimum of space.
- Slides. If there are no anatomical inserts in the bath, this acquisition will be very useful. Mom will not have to lather the baby and at the same time make sure that he does not slip out of her hands. Slides can be made of plastic (it is better to cover them with a diaper during hygiene procedures) or metal covered with fabric. True, for newborns with low body weight, the device may be too big.
- Hammocks. For bathing newborns, you can use models from the grid, which are attached with hooks to the sides of the bath. They are more convenient for babies with small weight and height, they last up to about 4 months. Over time, the mesh stretches, the product under the weight of the child sags and becomes unsafe. Therefore, pay particular attention to the strength of the material.
- Mattresses filled with silicone balls. With their help, you can bathe a baby weighing 3-8 kg. They have protective edges at the edges and a pillow with a recess for the head. The main drawback is that the baby can roll over if it actively moves its legs and arms. Therefore, it has to be constantly insured. In addition, the material is easily soiled, after taking herbal baths, the mattress quickly changes color.
When to bathe?
The first bath of the newborn after the hospital raises many questions. The main one: “Do I need to wait until the umbilical wound is healed?” Modern doctors allow water procedures from the first day of stay at home. This allows the baby to feel in a familiar environment, calm down, relax. It will be necessary to confine oneself to wet wipes only if there are any problems with the healing of the navel: for example, it becomes wet or festering. You will definitely be warned about this at discharge.
Most often, the first bath is on the second day of stay at home. The baby and parents during this time manage to adapt a little to each other. In addition, newborns are usually given a BCG vaccine, immediately after which you can not wash.
It is better to bathe the baby in the evening, before the last feeding. Then he will sleep soundly at night. At the same time, the newborn should not be hungry, otherwise a loud roar during the procedure is provided to you. Some babies get excited after bathing and cannot fall asleep. In this case, the procedure should be moved to daylight. Never bathe crumbs immediately after eating, this will provoke a regurgitation. Wait at least an hour.
What to prepare for swimming?
It is better if during the crucial procedure everything you need is at your fingertips. Rinse the bath for the newborn with soda, rinse thoroughly and pour over boiling water. Do the same with a slide or hammock. In addition, for the first bathing of a newborn you will need:
- a jug from which you will pour over the crumbs at the end of the procedure;
- thermometer for water;
- a diaper in which you will immerse the baby in water;
- washcloth or soft cloth;
- soap and shampoo for newborns (they can be used once a week);
- natural towel;
- clothes for changing clothes (diaper, baby's undershirt or jumpsuit from knitwear, diaper, bonnet);
- baby oil, cream;
- Umbilical wound treatment products recommended by your doctor;
- blunt comb;
- cotton pads and flagella.
We collect water
Do I need to boil water for bathing a newborn? Or is it enough to disinfect it with a light solution of potassium permanganate? Modern doctors claim that none of this is required. In the hospital, children are washed with ordinary tap water without the addition of potassium permanganate. It has already been proven that it dries delicate skin, if improperly diluted, causes irritation or burns, and if swallowed, it causes poisoning of the crumbs.
Boiling is necessary only when you doubt the quality of the water used. If it is typed from a well or has an unnatural color, an odor, it is better not to risk it. But in this case, boil the water for the first 10-14 days - until the umbilical wound heals.
The optimum temperature for bathing a newborn is 36-37 ° C. It can be doused with water 1 ° C lower. In order to harden, this temperature is gradually reduced and brought to 30 ° C. Fill the bath approximately 15 cm. The air temperature in the room can be 22-23 ° C.
The first bath of the newborn
Infants under 6 months are bathed daily, then every other day. A young mom should bring her father or grandmother to this procedure. While one fills the bath, prepares water for pouring, measures its temperature, sets a slide or a hammock, the second undresses the baby, wash it, if necessary.
Let the crumbs lie down naked for 5 minutes. During the first air bath with the newborn you need to gently talk, iron the back, arms, legs, massage the tummy clockwise. Crusts may appear on the baby’s head. 15-20 minutes before immersion in water, grease them with vegetable oil.
When everything is ready, wrap the newborn in a diaper. Carefully lay it on a hill or hammock, immersing the legs first in the water, then the buttocks and back. If you are bathing a baby without accessories, hold it with your left hand. The head is located on the elbow, with a brush support the baby under the knees. So that he does not get scared, talk to him, explain what is happening. With your right hand you need to gently wash the body. If you have an assistant, support the newborn by the shoulders and under the ass. His head rests on your wrist.
To start, wash your face with some water. Then lather the body with light movements, paying special attention to the folds of the armpits, on the neck, in the inguinal region, between the fingers, behind the ears. If the water in the bath has cooled, pour warm and stir. Gently lather the head, massage, rinse from the face to the back of the head. Wash your genitals last. The boy is rinsed with a penis, scrotum, while the foreskin is tried not to even touch. Girls are washed from front to back.
If the child is nervous, shake him right in the water. It happens that the baby during bathing fell asleep, burst into tears or went to the toilet. Then we interrupt the procedure. Pulling out the newborn, we release him from the diaper, carefully turn it upside down. The assistant at this time rinses the baby with water from the jug, wraps it in a towel and takes it to the changing table. The whole procedure should take about 5 minutes. In the future, this time can be increased, focusing on the well-being of the child.
After swimming
A newborn cannot be wiped. Gently pat the body, dry the folds with a diaper. Turn around gradually so that the baby does not freeze. Using a cotton pad moistened with boiled water, wipe the eyes in the direction of the nose. Use the flagella to clean both nostrils by turning them counterclockwise. Wipe the ears with flagella. Do not be afraid that water will get there. If this happens, simply turn the crumbs first on one barrel, and then on the other.
Blot the umbilical cord and treat as directed by the doctor. Most often, hydrogen peroxide and brilliant green are used for these purposes. If there are redness in the creases or on the butt, a special cream or ointment is applied. With dry skin, baby oil is used. The crusts on the head after bathing are softened. They are greased with a fat cream and carefully combed out with a comb. It is impossible to scrape off unseparated remains; be extremely delicate. Repeat the procedure once a week.
Try to do all these operations quickly and confidently, with jokes and songs, so as not to cause a negative reaction in the crumbs. A tired baby is dressed up, fed and laid to sleep.
Decoctions of herbs
Pediatricians do not recommend bathing newborns in baths with herbal or other additives, unless there are special indications for this. The fact is that the skin of the crumbs is very sensitive. Many herbs dry it. Even the most harmless supplement can cause an allergic reaction. Usually this becomes clear after 15 minutes after the start of bathing - redness, small spots appear on the skin of the baby.
Another thing is if at the reception in the clinic you were prescribed baths with medicinal herbs. They are useful in the treatment of diaper rash, diathesis, for relaxation with hypertension and other problems. Consider the most common types of herbs:
- Chamomile for bathing newborns relieves irritation on the skin, reduces itching, gently soothes anxious children, and has a good effect on the girl’s urogenital system.
- St. John's wort is useful for boys. In addition, it heals wounds, helps with diathesis.
- Nettle softens delicate skin, promotes hair growth, has an anti-inflammatory effect, improves the condition of the entire body of the baby.
- A series for bathing newborns reduces the rash, helps with crusts on the head, but also dries the skin. You can’t swim in it more often 1-2 times a week.
- Lavender and Valerian are recommended for troubled babies. They improve sleep, relieve cramps, are effective in rashes.
- Bearberry or motherwort will save you from colic and help regulate bowel function.
We make grass
Buy the prescribed remedy at the pharmacy. If you purchased filter bags, you will need 5 pieces per 1.5 liters of water. A handful of dry grass is bred in 5 liters of liquid. Use enameled or earthenware utensils. Remember that aluminum reacts with components. The broth is infused for at least 1 hour, then carefully filtered through a sieve or gauze. Pour 30 g of infusion into the bath.
Before bathing a newborn, conduct a test by spreading a decoction of a small area of the baby’s skin and making sure that there is no reaction. Use only freshly prepared herbs. Do not bathe your baby in baths with supplements more than 3 times a week.
Bathing in a large bath
An “adult” bath allows kids to move more actively. In it you can conduct special gymnastics, learn to swim. Newborns begin to bathe in a large bath only after complete healing of the umbilical wound, at the age of 2-4 weeks. The surface before this is washed with soda or laundry soap, rinsed with boiling water.
Children of this age usually keep well in the water. Dip them in the bath gradually, allowing you to get used to new sensations. In the position on the back with both hands, hold the crumb under the back of the head, his tummy and chest themselves will float up. When the baby swims on the tummy, put one hand under the chin, the other under the breast.
If parents are afraid of a large amount of water, you can practice swimming together with their mother. Before that, a woman should take a shower. For many families, the acquisition of a special circle for bathing newborns is an excellent solution. Since how many months can it be worn on a crumb? The optimal age is from 5 to 7 weeks. This device allows the baby to stay well on the water and actively move without exerting pressure on the neck or spine.
However, there are cases when a circle around the neck for bathing a newborn can not be used. These include:
- high intracranial pressure;
- injuries of the cervical spine;
- cold;
- rash or redness on the neck.
To put on and remove the device you need outside the bath, preferably with an assistant. During swimming, do not leave the child for a minute, constantly keep in touch, encourage to turn around at your call, to get toys.
Bathing a newborn is not only washing the body. During the procedure, hardening occurs, muscle clamps are removed, the child actively moves, spends energy. After a bath he eats better, sleeps better. Many babies like to swim. When properly organized, this daily event will bring a lot of joy to both parents and the newborns themselves.