Bathing with Your Baby

As a first time parent, I was nervous about doing all sorts of things, but nothing frightened me quite so much as the idea of giving my baby a bath. I'm not quite sure why I harbored so much anxiety about plopping her in the kitchen sink and soaping her up, but I did. I worried about dropping her, getting soap in her eyes, water in her ears - you name it. So, for the first several weeks, my husband took care of her bathing needs.

Time passed, and I started feeling a little foolish about my fear. I talked to a friend about it, and she recommended trying to take a bath with my baby. Novel idea - I personally loved taking baths, so why not share the experience with my baby? I tried it once and that was it - I'd found what worked for me.

Having done so countless times since then, I can now enthusiastically say that bathing with my daughter is one of my favorite ways to unwind. Fortunately, I have a little one that loves the water, so she enjoys it as much as I do. The key to having a successful bath is to be prepared. Have the soap and washcloth at the ready; be sure to move razors and other objects you might have lying around the tub out of the way; and make sure the towels, diapers, lotion, and jammies are nearby.

When drawing the bath, it goes without saying that it's especially important to monitor the temperature of the bath water - what might seem comfortable to you could wind up being way too hot for your wee one. It's a good rule of thumb to stick with warm water, not hot. Also, wait to undress your baby until the tub is full and you're ready to get into the water; a naked baby can get cold very quickly!

Once in the water, I find it easiest to begin by resting her on my chest, tummy to tummy. Use the washcloth on her back and get her accustomed to the water. The more relaxed you are, the more relaxed your baby will be, at least in my experience. Take your time. It's important to keep a firm grip on your child, too, as not surprisingly, wet babies are slippery babies. Personally, being in the tub with her makes me feel like I have more control over her movements in the water.

To wash the hair, I find it easiest to sit her in the water facing me, cradling the back of her head with my hand and anchoring her between my legs so she can't slide forward. With my other hand, I use a cup to pour the water over her head and actually suds up her hair. You can also put a washcloth across your baby's forehead to keep the water from getting into her eyes.

When it's time to get out of the tub, grab a towel for the baby first. I usually open up the drain and remain in the tub while drying off my daughter. Once she's adequately dry and cocooned in her towel, I can manage to wrap a towel around myself (occasionally) and go about getting her in a diaper and putting lotion on her arms and legs prior to slipping her into her pajamas.

Keep in mind, practice makes perfect. The first few times you try bathing with your child, you might want to have a partner in the bathroom to monitor things just to be safe. However, once you have the routine down, I have no doubt you'll find it as enjoyable and easy as I do!