Bathing your baby

If you are anxious about bathing your baby, you don’t need to put her in the bath at all until you feel confident. Instead you can ‘top and tail’ her, in other words just wash her face and bottom regularly. When you are more confident, you can wash your baby in the main bath or in the sink, or in her own small bath, or you could have her in the bath with you. The time of day doesn't matter: choose a time which suits you. Remember that your baby won't be happy if she is hungry or too tired. In fact, bathing can tire newborns out so that a bath and feed before bedtime can help your baby to sleep longer at night.

Bathing your baby

Bathing your baby can be lovely, although it may feel stressful at first. Some babies take to baths well, others don’t seem to like them, so you may have to experiment with different methods before you find a way that you can both enjoy, but as time goes on and you become more confident in handling your baby, you will probably find that you both come to enjoy bath times.

Keeping your baby happy

• Always check the temperature of the bath water before you start and ensure that the room is warm so your baby doesn't get chilly.
• Some babies dislike being unwrapped as they can feel unsupported and unsafe. In this case you could keep her swaddled in a towel until the last minute.
• Lower her slowly into the water so she does not feel she is falling. It might also help to hold her arms by her sides while you lower her.
• You could also co-bathe – babies love to lie on a parent’s chest in the bath; however, when you want to get out, make sure there is someone in your home to pass your baby to as it is difficult to get yourself and the baby out together.
• A bath in warm water can sometimes help to soothe a colicky baby and bathing with your baby can also help you both relax and encourage breastfeeding.

Topping and tailing

• If you can cope with kneeling, you might want to work on a changing mat on the floor, as you won’t need to worry about your baby rolling off as she gets bigger. If not, you can use a special changing unit.
• You can wash your baby’s face using cotton wool balls. Use a new piece of cotton wool for each wipe to avoid spreading infections.
• Wet each piece of cotton wool in a bowl of cooled boiled water, then squeeze it out so it’s just damp when you use it.
• Start by wiping each eye with a separate piece, working from the inner corner outwards. Use another ball to wipe around her mouth and nose.
• Finally, take another piece and clean her ears, neck and face, paying attention to the neck creases where milk and fluff can get trapped.
• Never put anything like a cotton bud in your baby’s ears or nose; just wipe what you can see. You can then wash her hands and feet, looking out for sharp fingernails. Babies often scratch themselves with these, so remove any scraggy ends, either with tiny scissors or you could chew them off.
• Finally ‘tail’ her – take off her nappy and wash her bottom. If your baby has a dirty nappy and you want to start with the ‘tailing’ then change the water before you ‘top’.

Step by step guide to how to bath a baby in a bath

• Gather together towels, cotton wool, cooled boiled water, clean nappy and sleepsuit.
• Fill the bath, using cold water first (you can also bath the baby in a sink or baby bath using a similar process), until it has 8-10 cm or so in it and turn off the taps.
• Make sure the bath is body temperature - test it with your elbow - it should feel neither hot nor cold but neutral or comfortably warm.
• Undress your baby except for her nappy. Wrap her in a towel on the changing mat next to the bath. Wash your baby’s face, as for topping and tailing, before she gets in.
• Take off your baby’s nappy last and clean her bottom.
• Lift your baby into the water with one arm behind her shoulders and neck, holding her outside arm with your hand. Place your other hand under her bottom. Once her bottom is resting on the floor of the bath, you can free that hand to wash her.
• When you are both ready, slip your free arm back under her bottom and hold her legs as she will now be slippery, then lift her out onto the towel.
• Dry, paying particular attention to skin folds.
• This could be a good opportunity for massaging your baby, if you like.

Bathing together with you

• First settle yourself in the bath with the water deep enough to come halfway up your bent legs.
• Ask your partner to pass you your undressed baby and lay her on your legs facing you.
• Now you can lower as much of her into the water as you and she want by straightening your legs.
• You can gently splash the warm water over her to wash her and her hair if you wish. There is no need to use shampoo for a baby.
• When you have finished, your partner can lift your baby out and wrap her in a towel.

Further information

NCT's helpline offers practical and emotional support in all areas of pregnancy, birth and early parenthood: 0300 330 0700.

For a wide range of bathing accessories please visit www.nctshop.co.uk.

See NHS Choices Birth to Five section.

NHS Choices Interactive Health Tools (child development).

NHS Choices Safety for Under-fives.