Baby's first bath

Whether you're on your first or even your second, third child, baby's first bath is one of those moments that requires prior preparation from parents. The newborn is small and fragile, with an umbilical cord that is still unattached, and is not likely to be at all thrilled with its first few feeds. But slowly, over time, these moments will become some of the most beautiful and relaxing.

So, preparation and attention to detail are essential to make your baby's first bath a safe, comfortable and loving experience. 

In general, a suitable temperature for the baby's room is 21-23°C and the optimum humidity is 50-60%. In the room where the bath will be held (newborn's room or bathroom) can grow temperature at 25-26°C.

Baby bath will be done daily until the age of one (according to some opinions) or a maximum of two or three times a week (according to other opinions). As a rule it's evening and always before lunch, to avoid regurgitating the milk just eaten. 

Before you start baby's bathwe will prepare the following for you to have at hand necessary items:

• cadita for children
• anatomical support sponge or plastic/cotton canvas or finet, on which the baby will sit in the tub
• thermometer for measuring water temperature
• cup for rinsingof the baby
• shower gel
• body lotion/oil for massage
• aleza (over which the baby will sit in the towel, so as not to wet the bed)
• hooded towel or cotton or finet cloth, with which we wipe the baby of water
• diaper clean, disposable
• cream Bepanthen or marigold cream that we apply to the diaper area
• clothes clean, spare
• sterile compresses for eye hygiene
• saline solution for eye and nose hygiene
• nose pump
• Betadine or potable alcohol for umbilical stump care
• Baneocin powder for umbilical stump care

If prepare the water tuband if it is not already provided with an anatomical support of its own, a anatomical support from the sponge. The anatomical support is useful for several reasons: it provides a stable and comfortable position for the baby during bathing, avoiding the risk of slipping or sinking in the water; it keeps the baby in an ergonomic position, with support for the head, neck and back; it makes bathing the baby easier for the parent, as it allows them to have both hands free to wash the baby and to easily use the necessary care products.

The water put in the tub, necessary for bathing, will be much less at the beginning, so that the umbilical cord area is not submerged in water.

Water temperature will be verified to be of 36-37°Cwith the help of thermometers of different shapes and colours available on the market.

If wash the baby on the body and then on the hair, gently, like a caress, insisting on folds, with a cleansing lotion for body and hair. It is necessary to use only special cosmetics for babies.

Ii clatim hair and body with a mug for plastic baby flap.

Take the baby out of the tub and delete very easy, by dabbing (without rubbing)starting with the head and ending with the legs, using a soft, absorbent cotton towel with a hood (capison).

Urechiusele clean with special baby ear swabs with a stopper. The pavilion and outer ear will be deleted bland with a corner of the towel or the cotton diaper.

Ii we clean the eyes only if necessary, from the external to the internal angle, with sterile compresses, damp with saline.

The nose is maybe curated also with saline only if necessary, and the mucus thus soaked is pulled out of the nose with sterile compresses. Otherwise, mucus from the nose can also be aspirated with a nose pump (nasal aspirator).

If massage baby with body lotion or body oil. It is necessary to use only special baby cosmetics.

In the first few days, until the umbilical cord dries up and falls off, ask a health professional for advice on how to do it. umbilical stump toilet. It can be cleaned very gently (touch) with rubbing alcohol (according to the instructions received at the Regina Maria private maternity hospital) or Betadine solution (according to the instructions received at the MedLife private maternity hospital) and sprinkle with Baneocin powder, which you can get at any pharmacy. The umbilical cord should be cared for in this way three times a day, until it falls off (7-21 days) and another week afterwards, according to the information received from MedLife private maternity. When the umbilical stump has not yet fallen off, it is preferable not to wet it too much when bathing, not to keep it submerged in water, as its detachment may be delayed.

Ii we put a disposable diaper Pampers or Huggies size 1, these sizes are suitable for normal weight newborns (over 3 kg) and you give the creamy butt Bepanthen, purchased at the pharmacy or with a cream with marigold.

We dress him up and...ready for the baby's first bath!