Bathing your newbornIf you gave birth in hospital, you may have been given a quick lesson in bathing your newborn before you were discharged. But even if you were actively involved in the demonstration, getting to grips with the job at home can be a worrying prospect. Some parents put off the inevitable for several weeks, preferring to make do with a quick ‘top and tail’ each day. But with the right preparation and confident handling of your baby, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t take the plunge as soon as you are both home. You will need to decide how and where you are going to bath your baby. Using a baby bath allows you to bath him in the warmest room (which may not be the bathroom) and saves you bending over the big bath. However, you may find filling, lifting and emptying a baby bath hard work. You may decide to use the baby bath within the big bath: it can be awkward bending over the rim of the bath, but the advantage is that you can tip it up to empty it afterwards. Or you may choose to buy a baby bath that fits across the rim of your bath, or a changing station with a built-in bath at waist height. Of course, may decide not to use a baby bath at all. In the early days you can bath your baby in the kitchen sink, bathroom basin (if it’s big enough) or in a clean washing up bowl. If you’re using the sink or basin remember to wrap some facecloths around the taps to avoid burns, knocks or bumps. If you feel confident, you can use the big bath straightaway. You can buy special baby bath seats which allow you to keep both hands free, but you should never leave your baby unattended in one of these, even for a minute, as a baby can drown in just a couple of inches of water. Alternatively, if there is someone else in the house to help you lift your baby in and out, you could get into the bath with your baby. The downside of this arrangement is that you should use only baby bath products, and the water temperature will need to be much lower than you would probably choose.
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