Give your Baby a Sponge Bath
Keeping your baby's skin clean is essential to good health, and baby bathing is also a wonderful bonding experience.
Most pediatricians or midwives recommend bathing newborn babies 2 or 3 times per week, increasing the frequency as your baby gets older. Learn how to keep your baby clean in between baths.
Make sure you have everything you need ready before swaddle bathing your baby
Baby oil such as JOHNSON'S® baby oil
Baby bath or tub, filled with water at a comfortable temperature.
A large, soft, hooded towel
A soft wash cloth
Cotton Squares or rounds
A mild cleanser specially formulated for babies, such as JOHNSON’S® Baby TOP-TO-TOE® Wash
After bath...
Moisturizing lotion, such as JOHNSON'S® baby lotion and baby powder such as JOHNSON'S® baby powder
Clean clothing
Diaper
Receiving blanket
Soft brush or comb
Protective ointment for the diaper area
Swaddle Bathing Your Baby
Take a few minutes to talk to your baby about her day as you prepare for the transition to bathtime. Leaving her diaper on, undress her, gently rub JOHNSON’S® baby oil onto her skin to warm her up, then swaddle her in a soft towel or blanket.
The Eyes
Holding your baby's head, gently cleanse around each eye with a cotton round or cotton square dampened with warm water. Cotton rounds or squares are good to use because they don't shed pieces of lint.
Use a new cotton round or square for each eye and always wipe from the inside corner of the eye, outward. If there is no crust (dried mucus), there is no need to wash the eye area. Do not wash the eye itself.
The Rest of the Face
Using a soft washcloth, wipe around your baby's mouth, nose and whole face, working from the middle outward, using only plain water. Pay special attention to behind the ears, under the chin and creases in the neck. Remember: Never put anything into the ear canal or nose. Gently pat dry.
Next, wash your baby's body using a gentle, trusted, soap-free baby cleanser that will help protect her skin’s natural moisture. JOHNSON'S® baby top-to-toeTM wash is mild enough for your newborn's hair and skin.
Keeping her head covered with the corner of the towel, unwrap your baby and remove her diaper. Wet and lather your hand or washcloth and begin to wash the rest of your baby's body. Wash the neck to her waist, including her arms and hands, and thoroughly rinse and pat dry. Cover her upper body with a towel to keep her warm and move down to her legs, feet and toes.
Remember to rinse and dry well in all the creases, because excessive moisture can lead to skin irritation. Wash the diaper area last using clean warm water: for a baby girl, just wipe the area gently from front to back. For a baby boy, also wipe from front to back. For uncircumcised boys, gently wash the penis and genital area, avoiding pulling back the foreskin.
Before cleaning your baby's umbilical cord, you can put her shirt and diaper on to keep her warm. Remember to avoid covering the cord with the diaper, because the cord area should be kept dry and clean at all times.
Clean around and in the base of the cord with a cotton round or square. Do not be afraid to clean the cord; the quicker the base dries, the sooner the cord will fall off.
Moisturizing your baby is an essential part of her skincare regime. Use gentle products such as JOHNSON’S® baby lotion to help keep baby’s skin strong and healthy.
Make sure your baby is fully dry before dressing. To protect her from irritation-causing wetness and make her feel even more comfortable, apply JOHNSON'S® baby powder which is allergy tested and mild enough for baby skin.
Now dress your baby and wrap her in a receiving blanket to keep her warm. Hold your baby close and enjoy your time together.
Your baby's head has a soft spot (called fontanels) where the skull has not yet fully closed. Having this soft spot allowed her skull to mold during her passage through the birth canal. It is safe to gently touch and wash this area.
