Parents Must Know, Here Are Basic Tips For Bathing Newborn Babies

Illustration (RDNE Stock Project/Pexels)

JAKARTA - Bathing a newborn baby is something that many new parents have been waiting for. This is one of the strongest moments between parents and children. However, you may also have questions and concerns regarding bathing a newborn baby. Whether your little one will be comfortable when his body is splashed with water or maybe you're not sure how to find the right water temperature for your little one.

Rest assured, bathing a baby is not as complicated as you can imagine. Here are some basic tips that can help you feel confident about your childcare assignment, adapted from Very Well Family, Wednesday, June 7.

Bathing activities in the early weeks of your little one's life will be different from bathing by the baby when they are older. The first 24 hours after birth are unique times in the lives of children. They just learn about the world around them, adapt to life outside the uterus and also learn how to breastfeed.

The baby is born with a waxy coating or vernix, which is a natural moisturizer and also has antibacterial properties. Although it seems opposite to intuition, delaying the first bath keeps your baby's skin soft, healthy, and clean. Bathing as soon as birth can also cause a decrease in body temperature and can cause low blood sugar.

Bathing babies too quickly after birth can also interfere with the much-needed timing of bonding between parents and children. In addition, research shows that delaying bathing first increases the level of exclusive breastfeeding after giving birth and opportunities for sustainable breastfeeding success.

Florencia Segura, MD, a board-certified pediatrician at Einstein Pediatrics in Vienna, VA, noted that AAP recommends bathing the baby with sponges until the umbilical cord is released and healed, known as a dry central rope treatment.

"Maintaining the central rope as clean and protective as possible for healing is very important in order to minimize infection," Segura said.

Here are tips for bathing a baby with a sponge:

Tunggul the baby's umbilical cord will be released in the first three weeks after birth. After this point, you can start bathing it. Experts recommend the use of a baby bath with an anti-slip surface inside to keep the baby safe. Here are the next steps:

Make sure to take care of the baby with one hand every shower. If you need to go for a while, take your little one with you and wrap it with a towel. Remember, babies can sink quickly even in just a few inches of water.