Pregnancy Questions

Baby’s nails can grow very fast and they can scratch themselves easily, it’s best to keep them smooth. Try to cut your baby’s nails with scissors, clippers or an emery board when they are asleep or very drowsy. Make sure there is plenty of light so that you can see what you’re doing.

Babies’ skin is very delicate, start by using only water when in the bath to protect it. You may notice a layer of white on your babies skin- this is called vernix, it protects and moisturises the skin and will be absorbed into skin so don’t wipe it off. If your baby has dry skin, you can use baby moisturiser on the dry areas.

Run warm water into the bath filling it so there’s enough to cover your baby, ensure there are no hot spots and use your wrist or elbow to test the temperature. The temperature should be 37-38 degrees. Avoid using any bath soaps or oils until about 1 month of age.

Start by undressing baby down to her diaper and wrapping her in a towel, then you can clean your baby’s face and head. Use a corner of a wash cloth to wipe from the inside of the eye to the outside. Change the corner with each wipe of the eye so you do not reintroduce any bacteria that you may be wiping out. Clean behind baby’s ears and under her chin, getting in between the folds. As you clean her head, you will notice two soft spots- these are called fontanelles, it’s fine to clean over these as your clean her hair. Once you are finished cleaning her face, you can take off the towel and diaper, put her into the bath and then wash the rest of baby. Make sure you support her with your arm while she is in the bath and hold onto her arm as babies tend to wiggle around. Never leave a baby unattended in the bath. As you take baby out of the bath, make sure you dry her well and in between her creases using the towel.

Bath your baby when she is calm and relaxed. The evening can be a great time as babies tend to sleep well afterwards, so you can also make the most out of getting some sleep. Make sure the room is warm and you are prepared with everything that you need for the bath and to get baby washed, dried and dressed.