- Our daughter hated bath times when we first started.
She would scream and cry
from the start all the way to the finish.
But once we started doing some of these things,
it really helped to calm her down,
and got her to enjoy bath times.
The first thing you need to do is make sure
that your little one stays warm.
The cold is your enemy.
Babies have really tiny bodies,
and can lose heat quickly
and become cold very quickly.
And a cold baby is a crying baby.
Therefore, to ensure your baby does not get cold,
it's important to do four things.
Firstly, make sure the room that you're bathing your baby in
is warm before you start undressing them.
This may mean you need to heat up the room
by using a space heater or close the doors
and windows to the room to ensure there are no drafts.
The second thing you need to do
is make sure the water temperature is not too hot or cold
as this can really make or break bath times.
The ideal bath temperature
for a baby is 100 degrees Fahrenheit
or 38 degrees Celsius.
And to check the water temperature,
use a thermometer or place your elbow into the water,
and the water itself should feel warm, not hot.
If it feels hot or your skin goes red,
the water is too hot.
The third thing you need to do is make sure
that the water is at the right height.
The water should be level with your baby's shoulder,
so that they don't get cold.
Alternatively, if you do not feel comfortable
with using this amount of water,
consider placing a wet washer on their chest
as this will help to keep them warm.
And the last thing you want to do
to make sure your little one stays warm
is that when you do get them out of the bath,
make sure you quickly wrap them with a towel,
and only expose the sections
of their body that you are dressing
or applying moisturizing cream to.
And this will just ensure that your little one stays warm,
while they're getting moisturized and dressed.
Now, if your little one continues to protest
during bath times,
there are a few other things that you could try.
The first thing is you could try using a pacifier.
Newborns and babies find sucking extremely soothing.
In fact, when a baby sucks on a pacifier or their hands,
their brain releases the hormones dopamine,
serotonin, and endorphins.
And these hormones help to soothe and calm a baby.
Therefore, if your baby is distressed in the bath,
simply pop in a pacifier, or position their hands close
to their mouth to enable them to start sucking,
and this may help to stop those tears.
You could also try to bathe your baby
when they are fed and well rested.
A tired or hungry baby is a cranky baby,
so it's always best to bathe your little one
when they have been fed and are well rested.
This may mean that you need
to bath your baby during the day
rather than as part of the nighttime routine
as newborns and babies in general are very tired
in the evenings,
and this can make bath times a little more challenging.
The next thing to try is to gradually lower your baby
into the bath.
So for some babies, especially newborns,
they find it distressing
being lowered directly into the bath, and at times,
this position can actually trigger that startle reflex
which will cause your baby to start crying.
So to reduce the likelihood
of activating that startle reflex
and help them become acclimatized to the water temperature,
try gently lowering your baby into the bath feet first.
You may also want to think
about providing your baby with additional support.
So some babies actually find the sensation
of floating in the bath confusing and distressing.
And for these babies, providing them
with more support by using a baby bath support,
which helps to position your baby
into a reclined position, makes all the difference.
So the wraparound support these products provide can help
in making your little one feel more comfortable
and safe when they're lying in the bath.
But it is important to note
that using a baby bath support does not mean
that it is safe to leave your baby unattended
as babies can often slip outta these products and drown.
Therefore, it's always recommended
that you never leave your newborn
or baby unattended when they're in the bath.
Also, once your little one is attempting
to lean forward when they're in that baby bath seat
and come into that sitting position,
these products are no longer suitable or safe to use.
If you want to know when you can expect your little one
to sit as well as achieve other gross motor
and five motor milestones, then make sure you click
on the link in the description box below
to get the free developmental milestone checklist,
so you'll know when to be expecting certain skills
from your little one and when to be concerned.
The next thing you want to consider is the noise
in the room.
So another sensation newborns
and babies can find overwhelming
is the sound of running water
when the bath is actually being filled up or drained.
And you can limit your baby's exposure
to this distressing noise by simply filling the bath
before you bring your little one into the room
and emptying the bath once your little one
has left the room.
Now, if this isn't possible,
consider using a white noise machine
to mask the noise of the water.
You can also try to distract your baby
with song and conversations.
Sometimes, the simple act of distracting your baby
during bath time can be the solution,
and the best way to distract your newborn and baby is you.
Singing to them a familiar song or talking to them
can help comfort them
and make bath time a little more tolerable.
If your baby does get distressed in the bath,
you could also try reducing the amount of time
that they need to be in the bath
by washing their face and hair
before you immerse them in the water.
So simply wrap your baby in a towel
and keep their head uncovered,
and then you wash their head and their face
before you put them into the bath.
And this way,
you can actually give your little one a quick dip
in the bath if they truly don't enjoy it.
Another thing you might want to try is bathing together.
When you bathe with your newborn or baby,
either in the bath or a shower,
your baby gets to experience the benefits
of skin to skin contact.
And when your baby has that skin to skin contact,
their heart rate and breathing regulates,
and their cortisol levels,
which is their stress levels, actually reduce.
And this can help to make your baby feel calmer
and safer in the water, and reduce the amount of crying.
The other thing you can do is simply give the bath a break.
For some babies, no matter what you do,
having a bath can be distressing for them.
And then for you and for these babies,
just temporarily skipping the bath
and having a sponge bath for a few weeks,
and then trying the bath again
after a few weeks break, can make all the difference
and make it so much easier in the long run.
In addition to having a bath, another activity that newborns
and babies generally initially dislike is tummy time.
And the level of protest parents often experience
when they first attempt tummy time
with their newborn can be extremely stressful
and overwhelming, and result in them
skipping tummy time completely.
But tummy time itself doesn't need to be distressing
for you or your little one.
So make sure you watch this video next
to find out how you can make tummy time significantly easier
for your little one.
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