Bathing a baby or child Bathing a baby or child Giving your baby his first bath at home can be an intimidating experience for some new parents. You are not sure of the water temperature, what kind of soap, or how thorough to be. Here are some tips to get you started and put your mind at ease. There is no need to immerse baby in a tub the first few weeks home.
Experts recommend against getting the umbilical area wet and even daily bathing.
Until they are crawling around and smearing spaghetti sauce in their hair, most children only need a bath two or three times a week. You may not even need to use soap most of the time. A damp washcloth is often sufficient for baby s hygiene needs. In fact, keep the use of powders, lotions, etc. to a minimum unless your pediatrician recommends something. It s best to leave baby s skin alone as much as possible.