Your newborn is so small, so floppy, so squirmy and wiggly - and so surprisingly slippery in the bath. No wonder you or your partner may feel like no bath is safer than the alternative. Believe it or not, bathing a newborn baby is a skill worth acquiring. All it takes is a few tips and things to remember- and practice.

Before you know it, you’ll be getting your baby in and out of the bath, and wrapped up in a soft towel, without having to think much about it.

Babies Don’t Need Baths Every Day

Perhaps the first and most simple thing to know is that babies don’t need baths every day. According to healthychildren.org, “The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends delaying baby's first bath until 24 hours after birth—or waiting at least 6 hours if a full day isn't possible for cultural reasons.”

Your baby is learning to regulate his/her core temperature - which predominantly requires access to warm, loving arms. Bathing babies too early makes them unnecessarily cold, and the stress can disrupt their blood sugar levels. Also, over-bathing a baby removes essential oils from their skin, which can leave him/her dry, itchy, flaky or can exacerbate baby acne or eczema. In the very beginning, bathing your baby everyday can also prevent the natural drying out of the umbilical cord, which can delay its dropping off and put your baby at risk for infection.

Most health experts advise that you only wash your baby every few days or so, to protect his/her gentle skin.

Sponge bath your infant for the first few weeks

Keep the first few weeks bath-free, and use sponge baths instead. This gives both yourself and your newborn time to adjust to your new lives together. Warm, gentle sponge baths are easier to perform safely and in a warm environment. Pay careful attention to the folds in the neck, the face, and the diaper areas.

After week 3, your baby should be umbilical cord-free, and both of you will be ready to begin a more regular bathing routine.

Use a small tub or the sink as the first baby bath

As always, your baby’s safety is always the first priority, which is why a sink with a towel or anti-slip rubber mat, or a small, plastic tub, makes the ideal “first baby bath tub.” The small quarters make it easier for you to secure your baby as you use one hand and the other to support her/him while using nearby bathing essentials.

While baby baths are a common baby shower registry item, you can also use an inexpensive dish tub used for camping or a small, flat-bottomed foot bath you may already have on hand. There are intentional inserts to use in a regular size bath, but this can be hard on the bathers back.

Never fill the tub more than 2- or 3-inches so that the occasional slip or twist can occur without compromising your baby’s safety, security, or well-being. It’s still best to use the sponge bath method to wash the baby’s face and eyes, so their breathing isn’t compromised by any running water or dripping clothes from the bath.

Always support their head and torso

It will take a bit of adjustment to get your “ideal grip,” during infant bath time. Most parents find that using one arm, wrapped around the back of Baby’s body, such that his/her head is supported by your forearm, your fingers secure the torso (near the ribs) and the thumb wraps around the shoulder provides a safe hold that also allows the parent or caregiver to move the baby a bit from side-to-side, and forward/back, to access their parts.

Use baby-safe soap - preferably fragrance-free

All those lovely smelling baby products are enticing, but they aren’t necessarily good for your baby’s skin. Your best bet is to use the mildest (hypo-allergenic, scent-free) baby-safe products you can find.

Always have a warm, dry, soft towel at the ready

Once the bath is over, your baby needs to warm up, especially in those first few months when s/he is still relying on skin-to-skin contact or warm environments to regulate body temperature. Having a soft, warm, dry towel within arm’s reach during the bath allows you to wrap your baby up immediately after removing him/her from the water.

Once dry, put on a fresh diaper and some clothes so the baby can warm up. A nice, long feed and snuggle is almost always welcome at this point.

Bonus Tip: Use baby’s bath time as part of the nighttime routine

Your baby’s warm bath can become a relaxing part of the nighttime routine, and can ultimately contribute to better sleep habits down the road.

For more detailed instructions on how to give a newborn a bath, read healthykids.org’s post on Bathing Your Baby.

My name is Marcela Limon and I’m a professional, Bay Area maternity and newborn photographer. I love nothing more than to photograph newborn infants in all their glory or bundled up as snug as little bugs in rugs. Are you interested in capturing some of the magical and priceless moments of your newborn's first weeks of life? Contact me at Lemonshoots to schedule your session.

Things to Remember When Bathing Your Newborn