Baby Bath Basics and Safety Tips
Babies love bath time and what’s not to love? Warm water, your gentle touch and, of course, the splash splash splash! You’ll start bathing your baby as soon as you get them home, so having these items handy before they’re born is a good idea.
A baby bathtub
Baby bathtub styles range from fairly basic plastic shells to baby bath seats to specialty shapes. From a safe bath standpoint there’s no real difference as long as you keep your eye on them, make sure the bath isn’t too full of water and that the water’s not too hot. Health Canada recommends a maximum temperature of 49˚C (120˚F).
Baby bath towels
A helpful feature of baby bath towels are the hoods many of them have. They make it easier to dry a little head after a bath. Depending on the theme of the towel, your little one will look all kinds of cute with their hood on. For safety’s sake, don’t dry your little one too vigourously after a bath, as their bones and muscles are still forming. Gently patting them dry will work just as well.
Wash cloths
Baby wash cloths are generally less coarse than regular washcloths so they’ll feel smoother on your baby’s sensitive skin. They come in various designs as well: some are basic square pieces of fabric, while others come in the form of hand puppets you can use to put a bit of extra fun into bath time.
Shampoo and body wash
Baby shampoo and body wash is much safer and more gentle than adult shampoo, and most brands are tear-free so you don’t have to worry about it getting into your little one’s eyes.
It’s not necessary to use the soap or shampoo during every bath. Every few baths is good, unless there’s a visible (or olfactory) reason to lather them up.
Baby grooming kit
After a bath is a great time to cut their nails, clear their nostrils and clean their ears, as their skin is soft and they’ll be fairly relaxed. A good grooming kit should have all the tools you need for this, and you can always add to it with what you have lying around the house.