7 Tips for Bathing Your New Baby ...

Although a few people say that the whole idea that you can't bathe your baby in the tub until after they've lost their cord is a myth, I believe it's better to stick with the majority and the tried and true. The reason they tell you to sponge bathe your baby until their cord has fallen off is because it needs to stay good and dry to avoid infection of the area. Besides, your baby isn't doing much to get dirty, so a sponge bath is fine. Avoid the belly button area and clean that with an alcohol swab instead.

When sponge bathing your baby, do so in a room where your fans are off and it's slightly warmer. Also, you can cover the areas on your baby that you're not currently washing with a towel, so as to avoid giving them chills. Wash one small area at a time, and cover before going to another. Your baby will appreciate the thoughtfulness.

When my first child was born, I read an article that warned parents not to over-bathe their babies because a baby's skin easily dries out. It said that for the first few months, once a week was fine, then going to twice a week at 4 or 5 months, sponge bathing, if necessary, in between. The reason? Babies don't get very dirty until they start moving around and doing a lot, so why over-wash? I took this advice and bathed my son once a week until he started crawling, then I moved to twice a week. Believe it or not, he never had the dry skin you usually see babies with! It was wonderful!

I love Johnson's lavender scented body wash and lotion! They smell so nice and they do seem to relax your baby much more than the regular was does. After bathing, follow with a good, lavender scented lotion and your baby will be ready for a good night's sleep. (This scent is nice to relax Mommy as well!)

To further fight dry skin on baby, when you do bathe him, make sure to immediately follow with a good moisturizing routine. Babies lose their moisture 2 times faster than we as adults do, so it's important that you keep them good and smooth.

Remember that water that feels warm to your hands is probably hot to your baby. Our hands are conditioned to heat much more than your baby's body. If you don't have a bath thermometer, another way to check for a more accurate feel of the water is to use your elbow. If the water feels "just warm" on your elbow, you're good to go. Another rule of thumb is to lower your baby feet first into the water rather than just laying them in immediately. If your baby pulls it's feet out quickly, you may want to check the water temp again before placing them in the water.

I think this one is common sense to most, but I can't write this article without stressing the importance of keeping your hands and eyes on your baby at all times. There have been too many times where babies have drowned in their bathtub water because they had a parent that didn't watch them. Make sure you keep your baby close by when they're around any amount of water. Their safety is in your hands.

Bathtime can be fun with your baby as long as you keep safety in mind. With these 7 tips for bathing your baby, you're sure to have a fun time with your little one in the water.

Top Photo Credit: a roving eye