You can never be assured and satisfied enough when it comes to your newborn and things revolving around him/her. But we're here to ensure that you get the best advice for your baby as prescribed in Ayurveda and trusted by your ancestors for ages.

Bathing Your Newborn

As a new mom bathing your newborn baby might come as a challenge to you. In addition to giving your delicate bundle of joy a bath, when and how to do it is also a challenge.

This blog will further tell you in detail when to give your newborn a bath and how to. But before getting to this when and how, here's a small tip for you- Patience is the key! No one already knows how to nurture tender babies, but they learn over time, and so will you. 

Bathing a baby is quite a task, so you should have confidence in yourself and go for it.

As per Ayurveda, giving an oil massage to your baby before bathing is very beneficial for the development of the child's body and also relaxes the baby. It is a traditional practice followed for ages. It aids in the building of the child's immunity and ensures the neuromuscular fitness of the baby.

It is also considered good to provide nourishment to baby’s skin, hair, and scalp. 

So, you should consider giving your baby a good oil massage before giving them a bath. 

When should you give a bath to the baby?

When it comes to giving your newborn a bath, it is a bit time-consuming. So, you can choose any time during the day to give a bath to your baby as per your schedule. However, it is advisable to not give a bath at the following time

•       When the baby is hungry
•       Right after feeding the baby
•       In the evening
•       Very early in the morning
  

How do you give a bath to your baby? 

This is the second most important question when it comes to bathing your newborn. The process is very short, but you need to be very patient throughout and follow these steps. 

•       Ensure that everything that you need is within your reach.
•       You don't need to use soap in the very initial days. For the baby, just a warm water bath is enough. 
•       Make sure the water is lukewarm. Neither too hot nor too cold. Check the water with your elbow or fingers.
•       Use a shallow tub while giving your baby a bath. 
•       Strictly do not leave the baby alone during the bath, even for a second. They can drown in shallow tubs very easily. 
•       Try to keep one hand at the back of the baby's head to maintain support. 
•       Keep the windows or doors shut when you're giving your newborn a bath. This is to avoid exposing the baby directly to air.
  

Undress your baby and hold the baby near the tub with both your hands. Put your baby into the bath, putting the lower body down first. Slowly get the baby into the bath and keep one hand at the back of the head in such a manner that only the back side of the head is in the water.

Start splashing water slowly all over the body, starting from the head and genitals at last. Just rub your wet hand over their face and nose very gently.

How frequently should you give your baby a bath? 

For your newborn, giving a bath 3-4 times a week is sufficient. However, if you want, you can give them a warm water bath every day.

On the days you don't give your baby a bath, make sure you give a gentle sponge bath and clean the genitals to avoid rashes.

Also, if you're a bit unsure about managing it, you can ask for help from your elders, husband, or a nurse in the initial days, and once you're confident you can go for it all by yourself.

So, this was all you needed to know about bathing your baby. Following the given instructions and process you can definitely give your baby a relaxing and safe bath.