I love baby bath time! (and so do my babies…)
I mean who wouldn’t? It’s the best excuse to indulge in one of the most comforting things to do at home.
You get to take care of yourself while still giving your baby the much needed attention.
That’s a win-win for me!
Just to warn you though, not all babies love bath time. Your baby might squirm and scream at first, but he will come to love it too pretty soon.
Don’t fret, Mama!
On that note, let’s talk about the basics of baby bath time.
“Happiness is taking a long warm bath.”
~ Anonymous
Related: How to Prepare for your Baby {with Printables}
This page may contain affiliate links. In the event of a sale, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Read my full disclosure policy for more information.
(This article has been updated on November 15, 2019.)
Why Baby Bath Time is Important
Baby bath time has tons of advantages and here are a few of them:
- Bathing with your baby is a great way to spend quality time with him, thus strengthening your bond.
- A warm bath before bedtime promotes relaxation so your baby can sleep better.
- Bath time is a good time to introduce your little one to his senses so he can slowly maximize them which can lead to improving his brain development.
When should your newborn baby get his first bath?
The World Health Organization strongly recommends that a newborn baby’s first bath should be delayed until 24 hours after birth.
If cultural factors inhibit this recommendation, hasten newborn baby bath no sooner than 6 hours later.
What You Need for Baby Bath Time
Your baby bath time essentials must be safe and should be made of good quality materials. Here are my must-haves when giving my baby a bath:
1. Baby Bath Tub
You can find an inexpensive yet durable baby bath tub from your friendly neighborhood department store.
However, I suggest that you get the best baby bath tub to last the whole year until your baby is ready for a real one. Most importantly, a good quality baby bath tub can help ensure your baby’s safety during baby bath time.
I recommend this baby bath tub from Fisher-Price. I am a big Fisher-Price fan and both my kids used the older blue whale baby bath tub when they were still very little. This is a newer version of it.
Here are my 2 other recommendations. My friends love them!
2. Baby Body wash and Shampoo
Be careful in choosing a body wash and a shampoo for your baby. Make sure that they feature a gentle formula that won’t easily dry your baby’s delicate skin.
I strongly recommend these baby bath toiletries. Both my kids are still using Aveeno baby bath time products up to this very moment.
3. Baby Scalp Massaging Scrub
Are you familiar with the cradle cap?
A cradle cap is a common and harmless condition that affects newborn babies. Rough, scaly patches will appear on your baby’s head for no known reason at all.
To prevent cradle cap (or treat it), you are advised to gently scrub your baby’s scalp with a soft-bristled brush or any kind of scalp massaging scrub and a mild shampoo.
4. Rinsing Cup
As a mom, you think of ways to make everything easier for you without jeopardizing the safety of your baby.
This rinsing cup from Skip Hop is great for giving your baby a bath. It is designed to keep water out of your baby’s eyes and ears. It also has a soft lip that cushions your baby’s forehead. Truly safe so you can be comfortable all through baby bath time.
5. Soft washcloths
When purchasing washcloths, always look for something that is gentle on your baby’s skin yet super absorbent.
Washcloths made out of thin and soft materials are the way to go as they can provide your baby a comfortable bath time experience.
6. Hooded baby towels
Last but definitely not least, you are going to need some baby bath towels. Hooded ones are mostly recommended as they will cover your baby’s head too.
I love buying baby bath towels with adorable animal designs as they are so fun. They surely give me a serious dopamine boost! (Ha!)
Now on to the most intimidating yet special part of all… How do you really give your baby a bath? Yes, I said intimidating. Not so encouraging, right? Stay with me please.
As any first time parent, everything that involves the safety of your baby is always scary. (Like when you give your newborn baby a fingernail trim?! What now, huh? Let’s talk about that later. I will be preparing a whole blog post about that soon.)
You might also like this article about what non-baby and baby essentials to stockpile: What You Need to Stockpile Before Baby Arrives
How to Give your Baby a Bath the Right Way
Reminder: Always protect your baby’s head and neck.
- Make sure the room’s temperature is around 75-degree Fahrenheit as baby gets cold easily.
- Fill your baby’s bathtub with warm water. (Check the water’s temperature with a water thermometer to be sure. Baby’s bath water temperature should be between 90 to 100-degree Fahrenheit. Any temperature over that will be too hot and any temperature below that will be too cold. If a water thermometer is not available, check the water’s temperature with your wrist or your elbow. It should feel pleasantly warm and not hot. If it is hot for you, it will be too hot for the baby.)
- Carefully slip your baby’s feet into the tub, gradually putting his whole body to the warm water so he won’t be surprised.
- Gently pour cupfuls of warm water on to his body frequently so he won’t get cold.
- Squirt a little baby shampoo or body wash to the soft washcloth and wash him from head to toe, front to back.
- Softly scrub his scalp with a massaging brush to prevent cradle cap (or treat it).
- Rinse the washcloth thoroughly and use it to wipe his eyes from the inside corners to the outside corners very gently.
- Rinse your baby thoroughly with cupfuls of warm water.
- Lift him swiftly out of his tub.
- Wrap him very carefully with a hooded towel and pat him dry.
- Put his diaper on and dress him in fresh, warm clothes.
Related article: How to Trim your Baby’s Nails like a Pro
A Video Guide to Baby Bath Time by Today’s Parent
Important Notes for Baby Bath Time
- Baby’s skin is more prone to lose moisture more quickly than the adult skin. If you wish, you can apply a dab of baby lotion after your baby’s bath to prevent skin dryness.
- It is not recommended to give your baby a bath every day unless he starts crawling and gets himself in a mess.
Conclusion for Baby Bath Time
Every baby is different. Not everyone will have an instant fondness to bath time in general. Keep doing it to establish a routine though. Babies love routine. Routine provides them comfort.
Baby-related articles:
First Weeks with A Newborn Survival Guide
Fever in Babies and Toddlers: Everything You Need to Know about
Thank you for reading! Don’t forget to share it with your friends.
Talk to you soon,
The Basic Guide to Giving your Baby a Bath and the Essentials to Baby Bath Time
Such a great guide, very informative. Thanks for sharing ♥️ ♥️ Let me know if you are interested in doing collabs! xx
Thank you, Tiffany! Glad you found this baby bath time guide very informative. Anyway, will get back to you when I am ready.
I remember the days of bathing a baby with fondness. There’s nothing sweeter than wrapping baby in a hooded towel after bathtime and cuddling! Lots of great products available now.
My mom said the same thing and my mother-in-law is having the time of her life shopping for baby essentials and luxuries for her grandbabies! I’m not complaining!
I LOVE Aveeno for my little one! Also, bath time is my favorite bonding time with my 1-year-old. Having the proper essentials is super important!
I so agree with you, Ya! Aveeno is the best! We love it and we are still using it up to now! One of our baby bath time essentials indeed!
Love the baby scalp massager, I haven’t seen that before!! Great tips!
Both my kids used the scalp massager when they were still very little. It totally prevented the cradle cap from happening! Thus, I always recommend it as a baby bath time essential! Thank you, Kate!
My babies all loved bath time. It was always my way of resetting the clock and starting the day & also helped a lot with my daughter who had Colic.
Yes, I can attest that a warm bath really helps with colic. My little girl had a bad case of colic too. It lasted for around 8 weeks. Baby bath time was truly our happy moment and still is. Thank you for stopping by, Michelle!
this is such good info, when i have a baby ill be reading this :)!!
Lol! Awwww… I really appreciate it, Kathleen! This baby bath time guide will be great for you in the future.
Love, love love this post. The Whale tub! Oh how that brought back memories, My daughters now 6 and 7 had the whale tub. I love the new version! Such an informative article and a joy to read 💕
Thank you so much for reading it, Jennifer! The whale of a tub is definitely my favorite! The Aveeno calming comfort bath comes to a close second. Both make my babies’ bath time all the more awesome!
It’s been a long time since we had baby bath time in our home. It was always a slow down time, time to connect and talk. We told stories to our babies, talked to them, they looked to us with great attention.
Awwww! You’re right about that, Blair. Baby bath time is really one of those many bonding moments we share with my babies. They love the water a lot! Not to mention, it helps them sleep better at night too.
Great group of products! Very informative!
Thank you, Michele! I gave it my best to share something so informative with the first time moms. Baby bath time is one of the most intimidating of all.
This is very informative. I like the waterfall bath rinser. Thanks for sharing ❤
Thank you for stopping by, Sheqo! I love the waterfall bath rinser too. If you are scared getting water to your baby’s ears during baby bath time, you really have to invest in those.