Bath Time
Bath time can be a fun time for you and your baby if you try to make it so. Babies who moan, scream, and shout at the thought of taking a bath, may not really hate the water, but may simply view bath time as a dreaded task. But, you can prevent all these negative reactions by making the experience a fun-filled one for the baby.
Bath time is a demanding, yet an important part of child rearing. Thus, giving parents a baby bath time gift basket can be very well-appreciated. First-time mothers will find this particularly helpful as this will spare them from trying to figure out which bath essentials are appropriate to buy. Make sure the bathing kit contains fun items for the baby as well.
Babies, regardless how small or big they are, crave games and endless fun. So even if they spend a lot of time running around or playing with their toys, bath time can still be an extension of play.
Newborn babies do not have to be bathed every single day. In fact, they should not be bathed more than a few times in a week so that their delicate skin will not dry up. Wiping and using clean clothes and diapers are enough to keep the baby fresh and clean when he’s not bathed. Make sure that the diaper area, neck and face, are given the most attention since these are most prone to skin problems like rashes.
Baby bath time, particularly of the newborns, involves the use of the following: changing pad or soft towel, a non-cool bathing area, a shallow basin or small tub, and bathing items like mild soap and washcloth.
Bathing babies entails a lot of responsibilities. For one, the temperature of the bathing area, and that of the bathing water, has to be considered. Babies hate bathing when the water is cold. However, it is important that bathing water is not that hot either. Otherwise, it can hurt the babies, and may only make them dread the ritual some more. Check the water’s temperature with your elbow or wrist to see if you have a comfortably warm bathing water. If it feels too hot when you test it, chances are, it will feel even hotter to the baby.
Before giving the baby his bath, everything should have been well-prepared. Babies get bored a lot easily. Have his towel ready, his clean clothes, all his bathing essentials, including those for entertainment. Goofing around during bath time may be necessary to keep him interested with the task. There is a wide variety of bath games and toys which will make him occupied while parents are busy with the lather. Bath puppets, squeaky toys, squirt games, and bubbles, are nice forms of entertainment. Although entertaining the baby while bathing takes time, it is better than having to deal with a squirming and screaming baby.
Safety is another crucial element of bath time for babies. Never leave the baby alone even for just a split second. Drowning requires only a few seconds to happen. While bathing the baby, make sure that he is within an arm’s reach, no matter how shallow the water is. Since bathing involves lather, the task can become more challenging because holding the baby can be very slippery.
Parents should document their babies’ bathing sessions, how “imperfect” these may have turned out to be. Scrapbooks are fun ways to hold memories, and there are plenty of bath time baby scrapbook ideas online which will help you get started. If bath time is fun time, memories should be able to show that is so.