How to bathe your baby

Of course, you can’t control how your baby feels about bathing, but you can increase the chances of it being a positive experience by making sure your little one is full and happy at bath time. But if you do find that they do not seem to enjoy the water, it might be wise to wait a few days and then try again. Maybe it will be better next time.

What do you need for your baby’s first bath?

• First of all, a bath tub. Or any tub they can bathe in – you can put a regular plastic tub on the shower floor and kneel down next to it. Just make sure to clean it properly beforehand.
• Your hands are fine for washing your baby’s body, but if you want to, you can use a washcloth or a soft terry towel.
• A thermometer to find the right bath temperature for your baby. You can also use your elbow to make sure it’s not too cold or too hot – but it can be a little harder to find the right temperature like that.
• A large towel, preferably soft terry cloth, to dry the baby afterwards.
• A fine-toothed comb, in case you want to remove any cradle cap from your baby’s head while bathing.
• Baby oil is the only thing you need to put in the water to leave your baby clean and smooth. But be aware that oil in the water also makes your baby slippery, so make sure you keep a firm grip.
• You can buy bath seats and supports for your bath tub, but it works just as well without them.

When can you bathe your baby for the first time?

You can bathe a newborn as early as the first week after coming home from the maternity ward or clinic, even if the umbilical stump has not yet fallen off. How often you should bathe your baby afterwards depends entirely on your baby. If they like bathing and don’t get dry skin, you can do it several times a week, but if they have eczema, it’s a good idea to cut back on bathing as water dries out the skin and can make eczema worse. It is also said that small babies should not be bathed for more than five, maximum ten, minutes at a time to avoid unnecessary drying out of the skin, and the water is usually too cold to be comfortable after that.

What temperature should babies bathe in?

The temperature of the bath water should be around 37 degrees centigrade, i.e. body temperature. It’s best to have a thermometer, but you can also feel it with your elbow; if you don’t notice any difference when you put your elbow into the water, it’s just right. Bathing a small baby in the sea or a pool is a bit too cold. But when your little one gets a little older it’s of course fun, or at least exciting, to go to baby swim at the pool and to splash around on the beach.

Tips for bathing your baby

So you have a bath tub, water that’s the right temperature and a full and happy baby – what else do you need to consider and how do you go about bathing your baby in practice? Here are out tips on how to bathe your baby:

• Put everything you need within reach before you start to bathe your baby.
• If the baby has pooed, clean their bottom before the bath.
• Hold your baby in a way that steadily supports their head and neck, making sure their face is above the water at all times. Watch our film about bathing babies for tips on how to hold them.
• Start by washing the eyes. Wipe from the outside to the corner of the eye in the direction of the tear duct.
• Clean the baby’s face, ears and also behind the ears, in all the little folds and crevices where milk or formula and dirt can collect.
• Rub the scalp with a gentle hand and massage in a little water.
• Lift the baby’s chin and wash under the chin and around the neck, remembering to clean the folds and creases.
• Lift your baby’s arms and wash their armpits.
• Wash their back and belly with your hand or a washcloth.
• Wash their bottom last. Make sure to clean the skin folds between their thighs and around the groin area.
• Lift your baby out of the bath and dry them well – especially in the skin folds around the neck, armpits, groin and belly button areas. Dry by gently dabbing with a soft towel, but do not rub.
• If you want to you can give your baby a relaxing massage after their bath. If you do, keep your baby warm by covering all bare areas with a towel.

Please note that all information above is based on Swedish recommendations.