The most important thing to remember with bathing your baby is to never leave them alone. After that, it’s also important to keep in mind that bathing them every day is probably unnecessary, and can cause skin irritation. And lastly, be sure to use a mild wash, if a wash is needed at all.

Now that those warnings are out of the day, let’s get down to bath time!

Your newborn only needs a sponge bath for the first two or three weeks of their life, until the umbilical cord stump falls off. During that time, find a nice flat area to sponge them down. Underpads can come in handy for sponge baths, keeping the surrounding area dry. Undress your child, though if they start fussing, you can put a diaper back on them – it may help them feel more secure. Using a wrung out washcloth, wipe them down, starting with their face. You don’t need to take too long, but make sure to get in between their fingers and toes and in their creases.

When you start bathing them in sitting water, it’s probably ideal to have another adult around to help out for the first few times. Wet babies can be surprisingly slippery! Get all supplies ready first, including the clothes they’ll be changing into and a diaper. When filling the sink/tub adapter/baby tub, make sure the water is warm to your wrist or elbow, but not hot. And only fill between two to five inches. Once your baby is in, use a cup to pour water over them to keep them warm, or to rinse if using wash. Make sure to keep a firm hand on them, especially when they’re young. Keep it quick and relaxing and afterward you should have a sweet-smelling, smiling baby (we hope!).