Washing Baby

IV loved smearing peas all over himself! He is also manly enough to wear purple and rock it.

It takes work to keep our babies smelling fresh! Here are some tips on how to bathe your baby.

*Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional, so please consult your physician before attempting any of these suggestions. Use your best judgment. What worked for me may not work for you. Each body is different and unique. Do what you feel is best at your own risk. I am not liable for any consequences. I am a blogger. This is a blog meant to provide opinions, suggestions, experiences, and information. Not medical advice. I am human and make mistakes, so information may not be 100% complete or accurate. Thank you, and enjoy!**Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. This means that, at no added cost to you, I may receive compensation for products you purchase through links found on my blog. (Thank you, thank you!) This in no way affects the products I recommend (I only recommend the best)!*

METHODS:

There are many methods for washing your baby, and there are pros and cons to each. Here are the ones I have found, but everyone does things differently

• Sponge/washcloth:
  • Pros:
    • A level up from wipes
    • Good for when belly button stump has not fallen out yet
    • Good for when circumcisions, or other surgeries, have not healed yet
    • C-section survivors don’t need to worry about holding them for an extended period of time
  • Cons:
    • Baby can get cold easily
    • If baby is partially dressed, s/he will get cold if clothes accidentally gets wet
    • Can be difficult to thoroughly clean all of Baby’s tiny nooks and crannies
    • Can irritate baby’s skin with rubbing cloth
  • My opinion:
    • Infinitely better than nothing, but personally, I feel like sponge baths just push dirt around. To me, they are more of a hassle, and don’t clean as well as good-old running water. I tried washcloth cleaning when IV was a newborn, and his neck and back of ears never really stopped smelling like old cheese. No matter how much I scrubbed and wiped. Needless to say, I was ecstatic when his stump finally fell off.
• Baths:
  • Pros:
    • Reduce diaper rashes
    • Baby can be kept warmer than sponge bath with water poured on him (or colder with no clothes)
    • Baby can lay on a sponge or infant bathtub, so C-Section survivors don’t have to hold them for extended periods of time
    • Higher risk of water getting on belly button stump and circumcision/surgery areas, but still manageable
    • Baby’s can splash and play in water
  • Cons:
    • If water is too hot, baby body temperature will rise, and could overheat
    • If water too cold, baby will be cold
    • Drowning hazard
    • C-section survivors: potential incision pain from crouching down to reach baby in normal sized bathtub
    • Knee/back pain from kneeling to reach baby in normal sized tub
    • Clothes gets wet with splashing
    • Will need sponge or baby tub, washcloths or buckets or extendable shower heads, etc.
  • My opinion:
    • I feel like they are a drowning hazard, and if the water is too hot, they will just bake, and if the water is too cold, they will freeze. Also: they are just lying in their scum. I never liked the idea of baths myself until I was SUPER pregnant, and only then because it was December, with no available pools and my hips were absolutely dying. The “baths” I give IV are half bath, half shower.
• Showers:
  • Pros:
    • Younger babies will be calmer and warmer while being held by a parent the entire time
    • Promotes skin-to-skin time between parent and baby
    • Reduces diaper rashes
    • Promotes good hygiene and health
    • No chance of your clothes getting wet, because you aren’t wearing any!
    • Don’t need any fancy equipment. (Just good soap and gentle shower-head, if you want to)
  • Cons:
    • Risk of baby slipping and falling (following my detailed how to, and keeping a firm grip on your baby, should reduce this risk)
    • More labor intensive (have to hold baby the whole time)
    • Older baby’s won’t have as much chance to play in small pool of water (younger baby’s don’t care. They can watch water spray down, which is fascinating enough)
    • Cannot do (harder to manage) if umbilical stump has not fallen off yet, or surgical areas need to stay dry
• • My opinion:
    • Showers let water run through every tiny nook and cranny, and they let all the filth wash away instantly. No pool full of grime. In addition, if you take a shower with your little one, then they are comforted by being held in your arms, and they are kept warm with your body heat. Plus, you constantly feel how warm or cold the water is, which leads to better temperature control.

PRODUCTS:

Here is my post on things I consider nice to have for bathing a baby.

HOW TO:

Here is the link for my incredibly detailed written out version of how to shower with your baby. I hope to post a video soon.

What do you think about washing baby? Any other pros and cons you can think of? Post a comment below!

Thanks for rolling with me! See you next time!

~Kimberly

If you have any feedback, I would love to hear it!

***This post may contain affiliate links, but it in no way affects my reviews or recommendations, which are my full and honest opinions. It is at no extra cost to you, it is just a thank you from Amazon for sending people to them. I am not a medical professional, and these are just my opinions, based on experience***