WASHING / BATHING - Infants

Your newborn baby should have sponge baths and NOT tub baths until the umbilical cord has fallen off. This will prevent the water from softening the cord and leading to infection. Babies are not like older children who get dirty at a moments notice and therefore don't necessarily need a bath everyday, but a bath everyday is OK. Bathing should start at the head and eyes. Wipe from the inside corner out using a different corner of the cloth for each eye. Then wash the rest of the body and leave the bottom for last. Soap is not needed on the face but may be used on the rest of the body. I strongly recommend you use Dove unscented sensitive instead of the baby soaps. This will prevent the dry skin so many babies get from the made for baby products. NEVER LEAVE YOUR BABY UNATTENDED AS YOUR BABY CAN DROWN IN A SMALL AMOUNT OF WATER IN A FEW SECONDS.