How correctly to bathe the newborn?Photo: Getty A newborn baby needs proper hygienic care. On the day of arrival from the maternity hospital, you do not need to bathe the crumbs: the mother and the child should rest. Before discharge, you should ask the doctor when the BCG vaccine was given (against tuberculosis).
When can I bathe?
After vaccination, 2-3 days or more must pass.A visiting nurse who will visit the newborn in the first days of his stay at home will tell you more. Do not worry that the child is not washed: there are still traces of birth lubricant on his skin, which protects against infections. In the first days, it is enough to wash the little one, clean the eyes with sterile cotton pads moistened with boiled water. The nose can be cleaned with cotton swabs. Sterilized sunflower oil is suitable for softening and removing crusts from the nose.
How to bathe a newborn baby
You need to prepare for the first procedurebaby bath. Do not use a shared bath. The air temperature should not be lower than 22-24°C. Put a soft diaper on the changing table, prepare a towel, oil for baby skin, powder. A comfortable water temperature for a child is 37-38°. It is better to carry out water procedures daily, at the same time, before feeding. Until the wound on the navel heals, add a weak solution of potassium permanganate to the water. Then you can use herbal decoctions - chamomile or string. It is important to ensure that the baby does not have allergic reactions to herbs.
How to bathe a newborn so that he does not cry
If the first bath goes smoothly,Later, the baby will happily take a bath. Until the young mother gains experience, it is better to wash the baby together with an assistant. The newborn is lowered into the water gradually, so as not to frighten him. The mother's left hand supports the head and back, the right hand - the legs and buttocks. First, wash the palms and shoulders, then rinse the legs. Carefully pour water over the stomach, wash the skin folds on the legs and arms, armpits. During bathing, you need to talk calmly with the baby, touch the skin gently and affectionately. The first bath lasts no more than 3-5 minutes, then the time is gradually extended. The baby is taken out of the bath, held on your hand with his tummy down, poured over his head with clean water from a jug. Wrap him in a warm towel and put him on the changing table. Do not wipe the baby's skin, blot it with a soft cloth. Lubricate the folds on the body with baby oil, for the groin folds you can use powder. Dress or swaddle the baby. After bathing, the baby needs to be fed and put to bed. During bathing, the mother should not worry: her calmness is transmitted to the baby, and the baby will respond with pleasure to the next water procedures. Read more:
