Wash your baby’s hair frequently, with baby shampoo or plain water. After about 12 to 16 weeks, wash your baby’s hair with water daily and once or twice a week with baby shampoo. Make sure that you use a tear-free variety of baby shampoo, but nevertheless take care to avoid getting in near her eyes. You can sit on the edge of the bath with the baby across your legs, facing you. Don’t be nervous about the fontanels; the membrane that covers them is very tough, and there is no need to scrub the hair, so you can do no harm as long as you are gentle.
Apply the shampoo or bath lotion to your baby’s hair, and gradually work it in until a lather forms. Wait about fifteen seconds before rinsing it off: there is no need to apply it a second time. To rinse the hair, just use a washcloth dipped in warm water to wipe the suds away. Try to remove every trace of soap. When drying your baby’s hair, avoid covering her face or she may panic and start no cry. It is best just to use the end of the towel to avoid this.
Upper body Sit your baby on a towel on your lap. Undress her top half and wash her front with a sponge or cloth and warm water. Pat her dry. Lean her forward over your arm and wash her back.
Diaper area Either wash your baby’s hair at this stage, or put some clean clothes on her top half and remove her lower clothing and diaper. Clean the diaper area.
Lower body Using the sponge or cloth, wash your baby’s legs and feet. Gently pat her skin dry, put on a clean diaper, and dress her.
If your baby really hates being undressed, or if you are a bit daunted by giving her a bath, the best method is to give her a sponge bath. Hold your baby securely on your lap while removing only the minimum amount of clothing at any time. If you find it difficult to maneuver your baby while she is on your lap, put her on a changing pad and follow the same sponge bath method, taking care to keep one half covered while you wash the other.
If your baby is uncircumcised never pull his foreskin back for cleaning; it’s tight and could get stuck. Wash the whole of the diaper area and dry carefully, particularly the skin creases. By the time your baby is three or four years of age, the foreskin will be loose and can retract without being forced.
If your baby has just been circumcised, you should watch carefully for any signs of bleeding. A few drops of blood are quite normal; so is swelling and slight inflammation, but this will settle down. If bleeding persists, however, or if there is any sign of infection, consult your baby’s doctor. Make sure that you get advise about bathing your baby and special care of the penis, and what to do about the dressing if one has been applied.
There is no need to open the lips of your baby girl’s vulva to clean inside, and you should never try to do so. Just wash the skin of the diaper area and dry it carefully.
When you are washing your baby girl, take care to wipe from front to back – that is, toward the anus – when you clean the nappy area. This will avoid soiling the vulva, and minimize the risk of spreading bacteria from the bladder or vagina, which could cause infection.
