5 Steps To Give A Sponge Bath To Your Baby
Image: Shutterstock
In This Article
Giving a bath to a newborn can be an anxious experience. After all, their soft skin needs to be handled with care.
If you are a mother who has tried giving a bath to your newborn or if you are an expecting mother, here is an important lesson in the chapter of baby care. To begin with, sponge bath is an easier option than taking your baby in the bath tub and pouring water all over him.
Sponge bath is also called topping and tailing and this practice can be followed for a month. Washing your baby’s face, hands and neck is known as topping, while tailing means to wash your baby’s genitals and the bottom part of the body.
While it sounds an easy task, there are some necessary preparations you need to be ready with. Let us teach you from the basics.
Bath Requirements:
Before you give a sponge bath, you should keep all the articles organized and ensure that the room temperature is set at 24-degree centigrade. Here are some things which you need to arrange before you give your baby a sponge bath.
- Fill your baby’s bath tub with lukewarm water. You should check the temperature of the water by dipping your hand.
- You need a soft towel which should be large and hooded.
- A soft cloth for rubbing the body parts.
- Mild soap or mild shampoo.
- A cleanser which is mild and, especially, recommended for babies.
[ Read: When To Start Bathing Baby Every Night ]
After Bath Requirements:
After the bath, the cleaning procedure should also be handled with extreme care and for this you need:
- Baby oil or moisturizing lotion.
- A clean diaper and baby wipes.
- A soft comb or a brush.
- An antiseptic ointment for the area near the diaper.
[ Read: How To Bathe A Baby ]
5 Steps On How To Give Sponge Bath To Baby:
Reassuring your baby before the bath is important and should be considered as the first step. Do remember to wash your hand before you begin. Follow these steps on how to give a newborn baby a sponge bath:
1. Hold your baby’s head firmly and wash the area around the eyes with a cotton ball dampened in warm water. Use a new cotton ball to clean the inside corner of the eyes.
2. Wipe your baby’s face, mouth and nose with a soft wet cloth. You should take special care to clean the areas behind the ears, the creases in the neck and beneath the chin. The ear and nose canals should be patted to dry.
3. Keep your baby covered with a soft towel and place your arm beneath his or her back and hold the head with your hand. With your other hand, wash his hair gently with a washcloth. You can apply a little amount of a prescribed baby wash and massage his hair gently. Take care while washing the fontanel area. Clean the hair until baby wash is removed.
4. Next, wash your baby’s body with a soft baby cleanser. First clean your baby’s upper part of the body from the neck to the waist and then proceed downwards.
5. Lastly pat dry and moisturize your angel well before dressing up.
[ Read: How To Massage A Baby ]
Experts say that the ideal time to give a newborn baby sponge bath is before feeding him.
Hope you liked our post on how to give sponge bath to baby. Also, often mother experience cute incidents while giving bath to the little one. Do share with us how your baby hold your fingers while you try to rub his neck or how he licks your shoulders while you try dry him with a towel.
Community Experiences
Join the conversation and become a part of our vibrant community! Share your stories, experiences, and insights to connect with like-minded individuals.
