How to Give Your Newborn Baby a Bath

Until baby starts getting down and dirty on the ground, a daily bath isn’t needed. In fact, your newborn baby will only really need a bath two or three times a week — at first a sponge bath, until his umbilical cord stump heals (about one to four weeks after birth), then a baby tub bath, and eventually a tub bath, when baby can sit up on his own and outgrows the infant tub). There’s nothing cuter than seeing a baby splashing in the bath, soapy suds dotting his chubby folds and dimples.

Baby’s first bath

Adding bath time to baby’s routine is something you can begin shortly after your baby is born.

Some pediatricians recommend delaying a baby’s first bath until they are a few days old. That’s because after birth your baby is covered in vernix, which is a waxy substance on the skin that protects baby from germs in the environment.

If you have a hospital delivery, hospital nurses or staff will clean off the amniotic fluid and blood after your baby is born. But you’ll likely have the option to tell them to leave excess vernix if you choose.

Once you bring your baby home, you can give them a sponge bath. You can clean their head, body, and diaper area. This is the safest way to bathe your baby until their umbilical cord falls off.

Once the cord has fallen off on its own, you can begin bathing your baby by submerging their body in a shallow bath.

Read on to learn how to bathe your baby and other things you need to know about bath time.

How to give baby a sponge bath

Your newborn should be bathed with a sponge bath for the first few weeks of life. This is the simplest way to clean your baby before the umbilical cord falls off.

Sponge baths are also the best way to bathe boys who were circumcised while the circumcision site heals.

You can also give your baby a sponge bath anytime you want to wash one part or all of their body without getting them soaking wet.

Before giving your baby a sponge bath, make sure you have all the supplies you need within easy reach. You’ll also want to warm up the room to keep your baby comfortable.

Supply list

• padding for hard surfaces, such as a blanket or towel
• bowl of warm, not hot, water
• washcloth
• mild baby soap
• clean diaper
• baby towel

Once you’ve gathered your supplies, follow these steps:

1. Choose a warm room, around 75°F (23.8°C) for the bath, remove your baby’s clothes and diaper, and wrap them in a towel.
2. Lay your baby on a flat surface, such as the floor, changing table, counter next to a sink, or your bed. If your baby is off the ground, use a safety strap or keep one hand on them at all times to make sure they don’t fall.
3. Unwrap the towel one part at a time to expose only the area of the body you’re washing.
4. Start at your baby’s face and top of their head: First dip the clean cloth in the warm water. Use only warm water without soap for this step to avoid getting soap in your baby’s eyes or mouth. Wipe the top of the head and around the outer ears, chin, neck folds, and eyes.
5. Add a drop or two of soap into the warm water. Dip the washcloth in the soapy water and wring it out.
6. Use the soapy water to clean around the rest of the body and diaper area. You’ll want to clean under the arms and around the genital area. If your baby was circumcised, avoid cleaning the penis to keep the wound dry unless otherwise directed by your baby’s doctor.
7. Dry your baby off, including drying between skin folds. Put on a clean diaper. You can use a towel with a built-in hood to keep their head warm while they dry off, too.

If you have a newborn boy who was circumcised, follow your doctor’s instructions carefully for keeping the area clean or dry until it has healed. This usually takes about a week to heal.