GATHER ALL THINGS YOU WILL NEED

Before you start your baby's bath, gather all the things you'll need. Some of the essentials are:
*A baby bath tub and a bath support if you're using one. You can put a towel at the bottom of the tub or on the bath seat to make it less slippery.

*A bathing bucket and mug - having clean water in a bucket with a mug at hand will be useful to rinse soap and shampoo.

*A bath thermometer (if you have one).

*A mild, baby cleanser. Using baby-friendly products will protect your baby's natural skin barrier.

*A clean, dry towel. Hooded towels are good for wrapping up your baby from top to toe.

*A clean nappy and change of clothes.

2 GET THE BATH WATER READY

*Always have the bath water filled, and at the right temperature before starting your baby's bath.
*The water should be comfortably warm, but not hot. Tpeaby's bath is around 37 degrees C (98.6 degrees F) to 38 degrees C (100.4 degrees F).

*If you don't have a bath thermometer, use your elbow or inner wrist, to gauge the tem
If you're using an immersion rod to heat the water, do make sure you take it out in time. Remove it from the electrical point alace it in a safe place away from the bathing area.

*For newborns and babies up to six months old, fill the bath tub or basin just enough to cover his navel (belly button). Never fill the bath tub more than waist-high (in sitting position) even for older babies.

*If you don't want your baby to sit in his bath water, it's fine to just pour the water over him with the mug and let it pool under the bath seat.

3 Mum undressing baby

*Undress your baby
*Bring your baby to the bath area and undress him completely.

• If he's had a massage and you've already taken off his clothes then cover him in a towel to keep him comfortable till you are ready to put him in the bathtub.
  *If your baby still has his nappy on and it is dirty with potty, clean your baby's genitals and bottom before putting him in the bathtub.
  Mum holding baby in the bath tub

4 Put your baby in the bath securely

*As you gradually lower your baby into the bath, hold him firmly under his bottom with one hand.
*Use the other hand to support his neck and head. Keep a good grip, as he might get quite slippery from the massage oil, cleanser or bathing water.

*To support your baby's head and keep a firm grip on him, hold your baby's left arm at the shoulder with your left hand and let his head rest on your arm (as shown in the image). If you are left handed, use the same hold with your right hand instead.

*Once your baby is in the bath and settled, you can use the hand that was supporting his bottom to wash and swish the water around. Throughout the bath, hold on your baby with your other hand to support him and keep his head above the water.

5 Smiling baby in bath tub

Let your baby enjoy the water!
*Pour mugfuls of warm water gently on your baby.
*Some babies love the feel of water and enjoy having a bath.
*If your baby doesn’t like being in the water, then keep bathtimes short.
*For your newborn, keeping baths to no longer than five to 10 minutes will help to prevent his skin from drying out

6 Mum applying soap to baby

*Use a mild pH neutral baby soap or cleanser
Wash your baby with a little mild, pH neutral liquid baby soap or cleanser.

• If your baby's skin is dry or tender (from a rash for example), you could add a little bath emollient prescribed by your doctor, to the water.

*The emollient will make your baby slippery to handle, so make sure you have a good grip on him.

7 Mum rubbing in soap gently

*Rub the soap or cleanser gently
*Rub the cleanser gently on your baby's chest and tummy.

• Reach one hand under him to clean his back and bottom, while holding him securely with your other hand at all times.

8 Mum cleaning under baby's neck

*Clean under his neck
*Make sure you clean the folds in his skin as milk, drool and dirt tends to accumulate in this area.
*He may have folds in his neck, arms, chest, waist and thighs.

9 Mum cleaning under baby armpits

*Clean under his arms
*Lift your baby's arms to clean his armpits well.

10 Mum washing baby's back

*Wash your baby's back
*Bring your baby to a sitting position and support him with one arm.
*Gently rub some soap on your baby's back and wash it off.

*If your baby cannot hold his head up yet, let his head rest on your arm as you lift him just enough to clean and rinse his back.

11 Mum washing baby's genitals


*Clean your baby's genitals
Supporting your baby with one arm, gently clean his genitals.
*Make sure you clean the folds in his groin and inner thigh.
*While cleaning your baby girl's genitals remember to wipe from front to back to avoid transferring any bacteria from her anus to her vagina.
*For your baby boy, it is not necessary to retract his foreskin to clean the penis. Even when the foreskin has separated and can be retracted safely, the best advice is simply to leave it alone. You may do more harm than good by interfering with its self-cleaning mechanism.

12 Mum cleaning between baby's toes with fingers

*Clean between his toes
*Clean between his toes using your fingers. *Some babies bring their feet up to their mouth and chew on their toes!

13 Mum cleaning baby's fingers
*Clean his hands and fingers
*Babies who are teething chew on their hands and this may cause milk and drool to accumulate in between the fingers. Make sure you clean between his fingers properly.

14 Mum wiping baby's face in bathtub

*Wash your baby's face
*Gently wipe your baby's face using your wet hand or a clean and soft face towel.

15 Mum wiping baby's eye

*Clean your baby's eyes
*With a clean finger or a cotton wool ball, wipe your baby's eye from the inside to the outside corner.
*Don't apply pressure while cleaning your baby's eyes and wipe very gently. Remember to rinse your hand before doing the next eye or use a fresh cotton ball for each eye so that any possible infection in one eye is not transferred to the other.

16 Mum cleaning behind baby's ears
*Clean your baby's ears
*Using your wet hand or an ear bud, clean your baby's outer ear and don't forget to wipe behind your baby's ear.
*Milk that has dribbled when your baby is feeding can accumulate in the fold behind the ear.

17 Mum washing baby's hair

*Wash your baby's hair
While supporting your baby's neck with your arm, gently tilt his head backwards and wash his hair.

18 Mum rubbing shampoo on baby's hair
*Apply a mild baby shampoo
*Apply a small amount of mild baby shampoo if you wish, taking care it doesn't get into his eyes. Choose a baby shampoo that will not irritate your baby's eyes even if some does get in by accident.

19 Mum pouring water from a mug on baby

*Keep his body warm
*Keep pouring mugfuls of water on your baby's body so that he does not get cold.

20 Mum cleaning off shampoo from baby's head
*Wash off the shampoo
*Wash off all the shampoo from your baby's head carefully while supporting his neck and head securely on your arm.

21 Mum cuddling baby wrapped in a hooded towel

![BabyBath-61_4x3.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmZ4DRPwyKKCMawnLWsRiBdZjy37RCnECjQwm8H2Hntrgs/BabyBath-61_4x3.
*Wrap your baby warm and secure in a hooded towel
*Wrap your baby in a towel and pat him dry. If his skin is dry, or if he has a bit of nappy rash, you may want to apply a mild moisturising lotion after his bath.
*Finally, get him dressed, give him a cuddle and feed him. Chances are he'll soon drift off to sleep!

Note: Never leave your baby unattended in the bath, not even for a few seconds. That could be all the time it takes for your baby to get into difficulty in the water, even when he's in a bath seat.

If someone comes to the door or the phone rings and you feel you must answer it, scoop your baby up, wrap him in a towel and take him with you.

Make sure anybody else giving your baby a bath like your husband, family member or maid (ayah) follows these guidelines. This will make bathtime fun, consistent and a safe experience for your baby.
Thank you. @stella888eye