How to Use Soap on a Newborn at Bath Time
When bath time for your newborn arrives, gather everything you will need before you begin to ensure a calm and enjoyable bath. Newborns have sensitive skin and do not get that dirty. For this reason, you do not need to use excessive soap on a newborn at bath time.
Some newborns enjoy baths and others do not like the experience. Once you understand the steps involved, you can then bathe your infant confidently.
Things You’ll Need
- Baby bathtub
- Warm water
- Baby washcloth
- Gentle baby soap
- Hooded baby towel
- Mild baby lotion
7 Steps to Use Soap on a Newborn at Bath Time
1. Fill the bathtub with warm water.
Gather all of your bathing equipment and tools. Everything you may need should be accessible and within easy reach.
2. Place the undressed baby gently into the warm water.
Hold the baby with one arm beneath the baby’s upper body. This arm will support the baby’s head and body; hold the baby under the armpit. This frees your other hand to wash the baby.
3. Saturate the washcloth with plain water; wash the baby’s face first.
Do not use soap on the baby’s face. Wash the baby’s face gently with water only.
4. Squirt a small amount of gentle baby soap onto the washcloth.
Lather the washcloth until bubbles appear. Rub the soapy washcloth over the front of the baby’s body, making sure you wash the skin folds well to remove any bacteria that may accumulate there. Wash the baby’s genitals last.
Wash gently, wiping a little girl from front to back. Wash an uncircumcised penis without retracting the foreskin. If a little boy has a healing circumcision, avoid the head of the penis.
5. Flip the baby over.
Still holding the baby under the same armpit and supporting the baby’s head and face with your forearm. Placing the front of the baby’s body in the water will rinse the soap from the baby’s body. Wash the baby’s backside in the same fashion as you washed the front side.
6. Turn the baby back over to rinse the backside of the baby’s body.
7. Remove the baby from the bathtub.
Wrap the baby in a hooded baby towel. Dry the baby completely. Apply a mild baby lotion, if you desire.
Tips and Warnings
Due to the sensitive nature of newborn skin, you can give a newborn a bath with plain water and no soap at all, if you choose. Never use anything other than mild baby soaps for a newborn’s bath.
Due to the sensitive nature of newborn skin, you can give a newborn a bath with plain water and no soap at all, if you choose. Never use anything other than mild baby soaps for a newborn’s bath.
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How to Use Soap on a Newborn at Bath Time
