Baby Bath Fun

For new parents, it always takes a little practice to adjust bathing to baby’s needs. Some babies love bathing from the word go, while others need a little more time to get used to it. So that you can tackle this challenge in a more relaxed way, we’ve put together a couple of points for you to bear in mind when bathing baby.

When is the right time for baby’s first bath?

There are no hard and fast rules: once the navel has completely healed up, bath fun can begin. Once baby is born, it can take several weeks before the navel has healed sufficiently for a lengthy bath.

For the first bath, take your time and try to create a nice, calm atmosphere for yourself and your little treasure. Pay particular attention to the time of day. Your baby should be in a good mood, and really able to enjoy the bath.

What’s the best way to prepare?

Safety comes first: when using a baby bath, make sure that it can’t tip over. It shouldn’t slide if baby fidgets and splashes, and should have a stable structure.

Two other important aspects are the room and water temperatures when bathing. That’s why one of the baby bath essentials is a water thermometer. Your baby should be neither chilled nor scalded in the water, so a water temperature of between 35 and 37°C is ideal. A room temperature of 22 to 24°C is adequate. A heat lamp can provide additional cosiness.

Once you’ve organised all that, remember to have the necessary washing and grooming products in easy reach – the essentials being FRESH baby oil as a bath additive or FRESH baby body & hair wash as a gentle washing and hair product, as well as a soft wash glove for gentle cleaning.

FRESH baby body & hair wash
2-in-1 baby washing care & shampoo
50 ml

What should I bear in mind when bathing my newborn baby?

As a rule, babies don’t get dirty but when bathing them, it’s often difficult to clean the nappy area with water alone. If baby dribbles or spits a lot, an ultra mild washing care product such as FRESH baby body & hair wash can also be helpful from the start. Gently lather FRESH baby body & hair wash onto baby’s damp skin and then rinse off. The 2-in-1 baby washing and hair care product cleans gently yet thoroughly. It soothes the skin and protects baby’s delicate skin from drying out.

FRESH baby oil is also a great bath additive. Simply add a few drops of it to the bathwater, to groom and protect baby’s skin. In keeping with RINGANA’s philosophy, this grooming oil is free of preservatives, colours and perfumes, and will ensure that your little darling’s skin stays velvety-soft, without upsetting its natural pH-value.

You can wash baby either with a wash glove or just with your hands. Start at the shoulders and then work your way down to the feet. And don’t forget skin folds or less easy to reach places (such as behind the ears or the armpits). Since babies lose a lot of heat through their heads, you should only wash their hair at the end.

FRESH baby oil
 Baby skin care and massage oil
50 ml

How long should a baby bath take?

During their first two months, a 5 to 10-minute bath is perfectly adequate. Otherwise baby’s sensitive skin will dry out too much and they make get chilled. For each successive month, you can add 5 minutes to the bath time – but only if baby is comfortable with that as well. In case of doubt, orienting yourself on how your baby feels is always the best option.

After the bath: drying off and relaxing

The bath was a very exciting experience both for parents and baby. Now baby needs to be gently patted dry, or cuddled dry in a big, soft towel. Before putting on a fresh nappy, we recommend applying FRESH baby bum cream to the nappy area. The nappy cream forms a protective film on the skin, which prevents irritation and redness.

FRESH baby bum cream
 Soothing nappy and chafing protection cream
50 ml

If you’ve already used FRESH baby oil as a bath additive, any excess oil can be gently massaged into baby’s skin. You can use this opportunity to wind down the bath fun with a baby massage. You can read more about baby massage in this blog: “Baby massage”

If you’ve bathed baby without any bath additives, you can apply FRESH baby oil right at the end, to dry areas of skin.

Before we go, there’s one point we’d like to emphasise: a baby bath shouldn’t only be seen as a way of cleaning your  baby – it’s so much more than that. It’s a beautiful, intimate experience for both parent and child, and a great opportunity for affectionate touching and stroking.