Many new parents are shocked to find that the first few bath experiences for baby may be downright frightful! As baby wiggles and hollers, you may be tempted to think, “didn’t you just spend the past 40 weeks in a warm water bath of sorts in my tummy?”

Over time, however, babies typically come to love their baths, and it’s a great bonding time for parents and baby. Follow these simple steps to set the stage for success with baby’s bath each and every time.


Don’t bathe your baby every day – two to three times a week is more typical; daily bathing can cause skin irritation and remove your baby’s natural moisture barrier.

Daily, gently wiping her genital and rectal areas at each diaper change with warm water, and washing her face and neck areas after feeding with water is enough.

Set the stage for bath time success by gathering all of the supplies you need, including warm towels, a soft wash cloth, rinse water, diapers and clean clothes ahead of time. Fill the tub with warm water and have it ready to go before you bring baby into the bath.

Avoid soaps, but if you must use one, choose a mild soap that has a neutral pH and that is preservative-free to decrease the risk of skin irritation; never use soap on her face.

Use warm water for bathing; check the water temp with a thermometer if you have one, it should be no more than 100.4F.

Bathe her in a warm room free from drafts and moving air.

Never leave her unattended in bath water; even to turn around “just for a minute...”

Bathing is best done before a feeding to reduce the risk of her having a bowel movement during her bath.

Immerse her into water deep enough to cover her shoulders; ask your pediatrician if she or he recommends waiting until her cord has completely healed and fallen away – some pediatricians prefer to wait for immersing babies in water, while others say it’s safe to start bathing before this has happened.

Support her head and neck in your forearm at all times.

Clean from top to bottom, starting with her cleanest areas – her eyes, and moving to her dirtiest for last, her buttocks.

When cleaning her eyes, sweep from the inner to outer eyes using one clean corner of the washcloth per eye. This helps to reduce the risk of an infection spreading from one eye to the other.

Wash her hair and massage the scalp – you know how good this feels at the salon, so give your baby that same gentle fingertip massage at home as well.

Lift her chin to clean her neck folds, where milk often collects.

Then, with warm rinse water, cleanse her upper body and then her lower body.

Clean her female genitals by washing from front to back to decrease the risk of cystitis. If you’ve had a boy, lift and gently clean the scrotum and cleanse the area.

Lay her down on a warm towel and wrap her up before gently patting her dry; then diaper and dress in warm, snuggly clothes.

About the Author: Roberta F. Durham, RN, PhD, is a professor in the Department of Nursing at California State University, East Bay, in Hayward, CA, and an expert advisor to Health4Mom.org and Healthy Mom & Baby magazine.