Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

Flip

Original poster

When did you bath your newborn?

20 replies

LucyB1 · 02/08/2014 19:29

How old was your new born when you gave your first bath? They keep saying to leave it as long as possible but how long is that? Did you use baby soap and oil or just water and olive oil?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

BeanyIsPregnant · 02/08/2014 19:36

Dd had her first bath at 6 days old, (we were in hospital for 5 days and they wouldn't let me bath her) not sure why.. She didn't really need a bath but we just thought we should!!
We used Johnson's stuff, but everyone will have a preference- much like most things!

plummyjam · 02/08/2014 20:19

About 1 week and thereafter only once a week until she was about 4 months old. I thought it was only necessary to start bathing her daily when we started weaning at about 5 months and her creases got full of food!

plummyjam · 02/08/2014 20:20

and we used Johnsons baby shampoo with doublebase moisturizer after if needed

jaybirdsinginginthedeadofnight · 02/08/2014 20:27

DD has eczema and we have been trying to get the correct combination of what products to use. We had been using Johnstons shampoo and rinsing her hair with a jug, so that was all running down her back IYSWIM. The eczema on her back was really bad, until we stopped using Johnstons and changed to the 'naked' range (boots do it). Her back has cleared up, the difference is unbelievable. So my one piece of advice would be do not use Johnstons!

TheJourney22 · 02/08/2014 21:13

When DS was covered in Sh+t from a 3 day poo!! ;)

Standinginline · 02/08/2014 21:16

We gave DS a bath in the hospital and did it twice a week until about 2 / 3 months when we started doing it every evening before his bedtime as it set a routine for him. Daughter was first evening home from hospital ,2 days old. We used the usual baby bubble bath. Both kids haven't missed a day without having a bath (sons nearly 4 ).

MagpieMama · 02/08/2014 21:22

Once the cord stump fell off
Then every night with Burt's bees bubble bath, he's now 9 months old and bath time is one of his favourite things.

hollie84 · 02/08/2014 21:25

2 or 3 weeks maybe. I only use water though, haven't used shampoo or soap yet on DS2 and he is 5 months.

scrivette · 02/08/2014 21:27

DS was about 6 days old and had an extremely messy nappy so was dunked in the washing up bowl I had bought as his first bath.

I didn't use any soap, just warm water and a sponge I used to squeeze the water over him.

Neverendingnappies · 02/08/2014 22:00

2 days old. With all three kids. basically the day after we got home from the hospital. All of mine have always loved bathes. water babies the lot of them

immortalwife · 02/08/2014 22:25

I left her about two weeks... She didn't need one really, just wiped her down on her face and bum. Still don't bath her unless shes particularly dirty. She's never had any skin problems either...

zzzzz · 02/08/2014 22:35

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Lovelydiscusfish · 02/08/2014 22:45

I left dd about 5 days, then bathed her really uselessly, as the water was too cold (due to my paranoia), so she screamed and screamed. Turns out you can have it much warmer than you might assume. She then got an angry rash on her armpits and behind her ears, due to my inadequate washing! This was easily treated with sudocreme, but made me feel bad.
I have already bought my best friend, pregnant with her first, a baby bath thermometer. It is no easy feat, bathing a newborn. But from my experience I wouldn't wait too long. Good luck.

Mintyy · 02/08/2014 22:54

I was in hospital with both of mine for at 5 days and they were given their first baths within that time, a lovely warm bath with a tiny bit of Johnson's baby bath swooshed in the water. I can still smell that stuff now . We were shown how to bathe our first by the most amazing hcw who cooed and hummed and really calmed dd down. I am so glad I was shown how to hold her comfortably in the water, I'd never have worked it out by myself!

Is not bathing newborns a new thing now? I keep reading about it on here.

Singsongmama · 02/08/2014 22:55

DS was a couple days old - just water and olive oil. We bathed him every other day for the first couple of weeks then every day as it was a lovely morning activity.

HV recommended grapeseed or almond oil for moisturiser. We switched to grapeseed and it cleared his dry skin brilliantly...much better than olive oil.

Now bath time in the big bath is part of his daily night routine.

notaflamingclue · 04/08/2014 10:41

DD was about 5-6 days old. I tried the olive oil thing but she was so slippery I was too scared to use it again! Settled for nothing but water for the first few months, then graduated to Asda Little Angels stuff.

Natalie77 · 05/08/2014 08:43

Midwife showed me about 1 week. Lo hated it, the first few times in the little bath tub I bought for her

So I tried her on a bath chair and now baths one of her favourite things. I think she felt unsafe with me sort of suspending her in bath, so of your lo hates it after the first few times, experiment with different places and methods...

ilovepowerhoop · 05/08/2014 08:46

both mine got washed in hospital as both had a lot of hair which was very gunky/bloody from the birth - they both needed a hair wash!

mollysmummy1970 · 05/08/2014 08:56

They showed me how to bath DS before I left the hospital, so he would've been 2days old. The same as the above poster tho, he had tonnes of hair which was really bloody.

After that it was every 3 days in plain water until about 2months old where I added a bit of bubble bath.

From about 3 months it was every second day. And from 5.5 months everyday because he was very sicky due to refux and dribbly. It's a nice end to the day and he loves the water. Helps with the "witching hour" x

dancestomyowntune · 05/08/2014 10:23

mine were all bathed the dsy they were born. and then every day. dd1 sometimes twice a day! they all loved bath time and it settled them down.

Flip