I’ll be the first to admit that washing a baby can seem like an overwhelming task. But it doesn’t have to be. I’m going to walk you step by step through how to give a newborn a bath, even one whose umbilical cord hasn’t fallen off yet.
After you read this, you will have a better picture of what a bath looks like at this age and you feel more confident during this new experience as a first time mom.
Gather Your Supplies
First, gather all of the items you will need for the bath. Since you can’t leave the baby unattended, it’s even more important to get organized before the baby is in the bathtub.
- Baby bath – I used this one
- 2 washcloths
- Towel
- Baby soap
- 2 bowls or cups – this is one of my favorites
- Lotion
- Clean diaper
- Clean clothes
I recommend leaving the new diaper and clean clothes by the changing table. I actually created a station on my dining room table when my son was a newborn. It might sound silly but it saved me many trips up the stairs, especially while recovering from a c section.
Fill the Bathtub
Next, place your baby on a flat surface and fill the tub with lukewarm water. You don’t want the bath to be cold but too hot isn’t a good idea either.
I recommend waiting until the last minute to take off your baby’s clothes and then carefully place your baby in the bath.
If your baby’s umbilical cord hasn’t fallen off yet, you won’t be fully submerging him or her in the water – it will be more of a sponge bath. I recommend filling two cups or bowls with the water instead of filling the bathtub.
The most important thing is to never leave your baby unattended in the bathtub.
Wash and Rinse
Wet a washcloth and gently wipe around your baby’s eyes and face. Then you can put a little bit of soap on the washcloth and continue to wash the rest of your baby’s body.
For those babies with umbilical cords still attached, I recommend the cup method so you have better control over the water. Basically you use one cup to re-wet the washcloth when needed and one cup with clean water.
If your baby has a lot of hair like my son did, you’re going to want to wash it as well. Carefully pour water onto your baby’s head using the cup of clean water, massage a little soap into his or her hair and then carefully pour more water from the cup to rinse it out.
Try not to get it in the baby’s eyes or get the umbilical cord wet if it’s still attached.
Dry Off
Take your baby out of the and lay the baby directly onto the towel while supporting the baby’s neck. Expect that the baby will be a little extra slippery.
Dry off your baby and carry him to the changing table. Put on a clean diaper, apply lotion and dress your baby.
Don’t panic if the umbilical cord got a little wet. You’re not the first mom to face this! Just make sure it stays clean and let it dry fully.
And just like that you know how to give a newborn a bath! Yay you did it!!
It’s understandable if you’re nervous though. Give yourself some grace, mama.
Overall, just try to have fun with it. But know that newborn baths are usually short (and your baby is going to cry a little). But as your baby grows older, bathtime will become easier and it will most likely become one of the highlights of the day!
What other questions about bath time do you have? Let me know in the comments below!
Related: How to Get Sleep with a Newborn