The skin of your baby is the most vulnerable after a bath. Babies have sensitive skin. Hence, taking proper after-bath care for babies is necessary to help retain the skin’s natural oils and prevent them from drying out. It is essential to know how to care for a baby after a bath.
The thin and delicate skin of babies needs your utmost attention. You need to know when to bathe them and how to care for them after a bath. Using the right bath techniques and bath products is vital. This will ensure your baby stays comfortable. Here is a complete guide for your help.
In This Article
- When Can You Start Bathing A Baby?
- Why Is Caring For A Baby After A Bath Important?
- Steps In Caring For A Baby After A Bath
- Precautions To Take In After-Bath Care Of Babies
- FAQ’s
When Can You Start Bathing A Baby?
You can give a full bath to your newborn baby as soon as the umbilical cord falls off. Usually, the umbilical cord falls off within a week (1). For that time, you can rely on gentle and warm sponge baths.
NCBI suggests avoiding the first bath within 24 hours of birth to avoid hypothermia (2). The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests keeping newborn baths brief and gentle to avoid catching a cold. So generally, after the first week of birth, you can start bathing your baby properly. Newborns do not need to bathe regularly. 2 to 3 baths a week is what your newborn needs (3).
Why Is Caring For A Baby After A Bath Important?
Caring for the baby after a bath is very important, as their skin is very delicate. Overexposure to water and rubbing while bathing can make their skin dry and itchy (4). Gentle baths and proper moisturization after them are thus very important. So you need to maintain proper care during and after baths for your baby.
Steps In Caring For A Baby After A Bath
A step-by-step method of care will help you to properly look after your baby after a bath. Here are the steps you can follow;
1. Properly Wipe The Baby
Properly wiping your baby after baths is very important. Place the baby on a safe surface to wipe off all the water using a soft cotton towel.
2. Care For The Baby’s Skin
Moisturizing your baby’s skin is important to keep it soft and supple. You will have to be extra careful, especially if the baby has certain skin conditions such as eczema, skin infections, and rashes. Use only medicated cleansers ointments and creams that the doctor advised to clean and hydrate the infected area of eczema (5).
3. Put The Baby In Comfortable Clothes
Make your baby wear weather-appropriate clothing. In summer, prefer breathable, soft cotton clothes for babies. Whereas in winter, make them wear warm and cozy woolen clothes for warmth and comfort.
4. Use The Right Accessories
Using the right accessories for your newborn is important. You can avoid using blankets that may result in suffocation and choking. Prefer baby-friendly clothes like a sleep sack, jackets, long-sleeve pajamas, and swaddles (6). Use mittens and booties to warm their small hands and feet and prevent them from scratching, poking, or hurting themselves.
Precautions To Take In After-Bath Care Of Babies
Here are some important precautions you must consider during the after-bath care of your little one.
- Place the baby on a safe surface for after-bath care. Ensure that the baby does not fall from that elevated place. You can use the baby cradle for this purpose.
- Use only dermatologically tested baby special products that your doctor suggests for safety.
- Avoid using products meant for adults for babies, as these products contain harmful chemicals not suitable for delicate baby skin (7).
- If your baby is premature or underweight, your doctor may give you special instructions regarding the right time to start bathing your baby and sponge bathing your baby until it reaches a certain weight. Follow these instructions carefully.
The right-after-bath care and attention of the parents is the secret behind the soft and supple skin of babies. Use baby-safe products only for the baby’s care. Use weather-appropriate clothes to cover their skin and do not touch them without cleaning your hands.
FAQ’s
1. What Is The Best After-Bath Care For Babies?
The best after-bath care is to ensure your baby’s skin is moisturized, hydrated, soft, and plumpy. Gently pat the skin to remove water after a bath. You can use non-perfume moisturizer or cream for the dry areas of your baby’s skin. Using talcum powder before one month is not recommended.
2. How To Care For Babies After Their Bath?
For after-bath care, gently support the neck of the infant to take them out of the bath and place them on a soft, clean, and dry towel. Wrap the towel around and gently pat them to dry. Then use the baby lotion your doctor recommends. Change wet diapers frequently to avoid diaper rash and trim the tiny nails to avoid scratching.
3. What Is The Nighttime Care Routine For Babies After The Bath?
You can give a warm water bath to your baby on alternative days to better induce sleep. Feed your infant well and make sure they burp before laying them on the cradle for sleep. Sing a lullaby or gently hum in their ears to soothe the baby. Make sure you follow the same time and place for nighttime sleep to ensure maximum comfort.
Reference
- Umbilical cord separation time, predictors and healing complications in newborns with dry care – [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6953818/]
- Timing of first bath in term healthy newborns: A systematic review – [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9380966/]
- Recommendations from a European Roundtable Meeting on Best Practice Healthy Infant Skin Care – [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5069619/]
- Skin Physiology of the Neonate and Infant: Clinical Implications – [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4593874/]
- Childhood atopic eczema – [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1123328/]
- The effect of swaddling on infant sleep and arousal: A systematic review and narrative synthesis – [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9748185/]
- Tolerance of natural baby skin-care products on healthy, full-term infants and toddlers – [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3921078/]
