When you bring your baby home for the first time, there are many things you’ll need to have ready to bathe them. Of course, there are the products you’ll need to get, such as the baby bathtub and care items. But you may also wonder about the best way to go about bathing them. If this is new territory for you, knowing some bath safety tips beforehand will go a long way once baby is here!
8 Bath Safety Tips for Baby
Keep in mind that your baby will probably cry during their bath, but this doesn’t necessarily mean you’re doing anything wrong.4 A bath is a new experience for your baby, too! Here are some tips to help calm the entire experience for both of you:
1. Don’t Put Baby in a Tub Too Early
You cannot submerge the umbilical cord stump in water until a few weeks after birth. The cord needs to have fallen off, and the area needs to heal before you can put your baby in a tub. Before this, you can give your baby a sponge bath to help clean them. You don’t want to irritate the area where the cord was attached.1,5
2. Have All Your Essentials Out Ahead of Time
Before getting your baby ready for bathtime, get out everything you need and have it within arm’s reach. You won’t be able to get something if you forget it because you cannot leave your baby in the tub alone.1 Make sure to have a washcloth, towel, and soap/shampoo.6 When your child gets a bit older, you’ll add bath toys to this list, but you only need those three things right now.7
3. Don’t Wash Your Baby More Than Three Times per Week
Even though we like to shower/bathe daily (or whenever we get the chance as new moms), babies only need two or three baths per week.8 Any more than that, you risk drying out their skin by stripping the natural oils too often.9,10 The point of a bath is to help clean off the gunk, not make their skin more uncomfortable. Plus, you’re cleaning up the diaper area often with wipes, so your baby is getting cleaned multiple times a day in that area anyway.
4. Make Sure the Water Is About 90 Degrees Fahrenheit
Ensure the water is lukewarm to the touch instead of hot. This should be about 90 degrees Fahrenheit, according to UW Medicine, while the Mayo Clinic recommends keeping it closer to 100 degrees Fahrenheit.2,9,11 You don’t want to risk scalding your baby or hurting them with too-warm water. Setting your home’s water heater to 120 degrees is a good idea to ensure you don’t accidentally get any water hotter than that in the tub.2,3,9,11
A rubber duck that can measure temperature is helpful to verify that the bathwater is at the right temperature. Other ducks give you an accurate reading as well. One word of caution, though: I had one of the simple ones, and we took it outside to play with on a sweltering day. Now it always reads “hot” on the bottom and won’t change back, so it is possible to break them!
5. Only Have About 2-3 Inches of Water
It will sometimes be hard to keep your baby steady in the bathtub, so don’t fill the tub up high or keep the water running.7 Be sure you’re only putting in 2-3 inches of water when they’re in the bath and monitoring them the entire time so their face doesn’t get submerged.2,7,11 You don’t need more than that to get them clean, and this amount will keep their lower half warm.2
6. Don’t Use Q-Tips or Soap on Baby’s Face
Cotton swabs can cause injury to your baby’s little nose and ears, so don’t use them.12,13 Also, soap can irritate your baby’s eyes and get into their mouth, so be sure to use clear water to wipe down their face.2
7. Always Keep a Hand on Your Baby
Things can change quickly, and babies are super slippery! The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) notes that babies can drown in 1 or 2 inches of water.14 So, it’s essential to always keep a hand on your baby when you’re bathing them. This will help avoid injury and keep baby steady as you wash them.7,9
8. Use a Baby Bathtub or Get In With Them
Baby bathtubs are the best choice because they will help keep babies in place, and you will be able to handle your baby much easier. When my kids outgrew these tubs, I would get into the full-sized tub with them for a while to ensure they didn’t tip over.
When choosing a bathtub, the AAP encourages parents to only use baby bathtubs manufactured after October 2017, which meet safety standards set by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).7 (Learn more about the CPSC’s guidelines on infant bathtubs here.) It’s also recommended to use a tub made with thick plastic and one with slip-resistant backing. For baby’s safety, you should avoid inflatable bathtubs, bath rings, bath buckets, and bath seats.15
Bathtime can be fun for you and your baby, but keeping them safe is essential. With some planning, the right tools, a gentle hand, and these safety tips, you can make baths enjoyable for everyone. For more, check out our video on how to bathe a baby:
