All My Children

Aside from daily cleansing of the diaper area, newborns and young babies don’t need to be bathed more than two or three times a week. Before the umbilical remnant falls off, don’t immerse your baby in water. Instead, give him a simple sponge bath, using a soft washcloth and a basin of warm water (comfortable to your touch) containing a small amount of a mild baby soap.

The remnant of your baby’s umbilical cord may generate some goopy material, and for the first several days the area around the umbilical stump should be kept clean and dry. Use a cotton swab moistened with rubbing alcohol to wipe away any moist debris that accumulates until the cord falls off. The remnant of the cord will shrivel and fall off within two or three weeks. You may notice small spots of blood at the umbilical site for a few days.

Occasionally, local bacteria will get a foothold at the stump site, generating pus, tenderness, and redness. Contact your baby’s physician if this occurs or if there is any persistent swelling and moisture several days after the stump is gone. This area will normally be examined during the first few routine checkups, but be sure to bring it to the practitioner’s attention if you don’t like the way it looks.

If your baby was circumcised, he may have a small dressing wrapped around the area from which the foreskin was removed. The dressing will normally fall off within a day or two, and it does not need to be replaced. If a Plasti bell was used for the circumcision, it will begin to separate after a couple of days. Don’t try to pull it off; let it come loose by itself. A small dab of lubricating jelly applied to any moist or raw surfaces will prevent them from sticking to the diaper. Later on, you can use a soft, warm, moist washcloth to remove (gently) any debris that remains on the penis.

You can sponge-bathe your baby while he lies on any surface that is adequately padded. To keep him from losing body heat, cover him with towels, except for the area you are washing. Start with the head, using water only (no soap) around the eyes and mouth. Then, using the washcloth dipped in soapy water, work your way down, saving the diaper area for last. Be sure to cleanse the skin creases of the neck, behind the ears, under the arms, in the groin, and beneath the scrotum in boys.

After the umbilical stump is dry, you can bathe your baby in a “bathinette” specifically designed for this purpose or even in the sink. As with the sponge bath, water should be comfortably warm but not hot (test with your elbow or wrist) and no more than a couple inches deep. Make sure you have all your supplies (washcloth, soap, shampoo, towel) ready before you undress your baby. If you have forgotten something you need or the phone rings, pick your baby up out of the water and take him with you. Never leave a baby unattended in a bath, even with only one or two inches of water.

If he has a dirty diaper at the time you undress him, clean the area as you normally would before he goes into the water. You may choose to give him a sponge bath just as you did before the umbilical cord remnant fell off and then rinse him off in the bathwater. If you plan to use shampoo (not necessary with every bath, especially if he isn’t endowed with a lot of hair), be sure to control his head so the shampoo and water used to rinse it don’t get in his eyes, nose, or mouth.

Your baby will have no interest in rubber ducks or other bath toys at this age. Some babies fuss when put into water, but usually the sensation of warmth and rubbing by a pair of loving hands will have a calming effect. At this age, long baths are neither necessary nor wise, since the effect of prolonged contact with water may dry out his skin and cause rashes. (This is also the reason he should not be bathed every day.) In a few months, as he comes to enjoy splashing and playing in water, baths can extend beyond the time it takes to be cleaned.

Because he can lose body heat so quickly when he’s wet, be ready to wrap him in a towel as soon you bring him out of the water. This will also improve the stability of your hold on him. The last thing you want is to have a wet, wiggly baby slip out of your hands.

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