December 14, 2022
BATHING OF A NEWBORN
- If your baby is healthy and weighs >2.5 kg, first bath can be given after discharge or after 24hours of life. In the hospital, you can sponge the baby daily using a soft cloth/ towel and warm water.
- Clean the baby gently especially the folds in the body like armpits and the genital area.
- Bath should always be given in a warm room and the temperature of bath water should be between 37 -37.5 degree Celsius Temperature of the water should be checked by the caregiver by immersing their elbow. Duration of bath should not exceed 5-10 minutes
- Clean the baby from head to toe, wipe immediately with a soft towel and then dress the baby.
- In summer can be given bath every day and hair wash twice a week.
- In winter, the clothes can be prewarmed in front of the blower or heater. The frequency of bathing will depend on the weather and can be from a daily bath to once in 2–3 days
- It will be ideal to use a synthetic detergent (syndet) rather than a soap to cleanse the baby as the latter tends to damage the epidermal barrier. It has been observed that it takes about an hour for the regeneration of skin pH after use of soaps. Syndet liquid cleansers are preferred over syndet bars.
