Safety Tips for Bathing Your Baby
Decide where you’ll feel comfortable working and gather supplies, such as diapers and clothes, ahead of time. Use the tips below as a guide to help keep your baby safe.
Caution
To avoid scalds, turn your hot water heater down to 120°F or lower.
1. Never Leave Your Baby Alone in a Bath
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Even an inch of water can be deadly for a newborn.
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If you must leave the room, always take the baby with you.
2. Put the Water into a Small Tub
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This lets you control the water temperature for baby’s bath.
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When adjusting your baby’s bath water, start with cool water and add hot water to it.
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Mix the water until it feels warm but not hot.
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Always test the water temperature with your elbow, or drop water onto the inside part of your arm. You can also buy a thermometer made for testing bath water.
3. Keep Your Baby Warm
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The temperature of the room where you’re bathing your baby should be about 75°F.
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Keep your baby out of drafts, especially when he or she is wet.
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Pat your baby dry as soon as you’re done with the bath.
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To keep your baby from getting a chill, cover baby’s head with a fresh dry towel.
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Wash the head last.
4. Handle with Care
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Clean only the parts of your baby that you can see.
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Don’t poke cotton swabs into your baby’s ears or nose.
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Wait until the umbilical cord falls off before bathing your baby in a tub. Once the bellybutton has healed, you can get baby’s entire stomach wet.
