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Parenting

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Original poster

Bath water temperature

25 replies

Sparrowlegs248 · 01/08/2015 19:10

First time total novice mum......

I know about dipping your elbow in to check the temperature. Was shown how to bath DS in hospital on Sunday before we came home. Was quite shocked at how cold the water felt to my hand. Did the elbow thing and yes, couldn't feel hot or cold. But he hated it and I can't say i blame him! Its put me off bathing him - been topping and failing. Just gave in and bathed him, screamed the house down and is so cold!!

Can see him going all winter without a bath.

Is it really necessary for the water to be so cool?

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laura0007 · 01/08/2015 19:14

Personally I never had the water as cool as they tell you too. The non slip mat in the bottom of the bath always shouts HOT at me but I ignore it. It's not hot it's just nicely warm!

KittyandTeal · 01/08/2015 19:16

My dd has always had 'hot' baths. We didn't have a baby bath, she just got in with me (I had to have 2 baths a day with lavender and tee tree in after my stitches split). I hate cold baths so hers were always slightly warmer than they were meant to be

BertieBotts · 01/08/2015 19:17

I don't think we had it quite that cool either. But do be careful because they are so much littler they can get overheated quickly.

DS used to bath with his dad so had the skin to skin contact too and that was better.

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Imeg · 01/08/2015 19:17

It might not be the temperature of the water - mine hated baths to start with but then started liking them (would just float there relaxing instead of screaming...). I'm sure I didn't change the temperature so he must have just got used to it.
He only had about two baths in his first month though as it just didn't seem necessary...

lottiedoubtie · 01/08/2015 19:21

We always do baths at 37-38oC slightly warmer than babies core temp. Always feels warm to me and baby hasn't objected!

MissTwister · 01/08/2015 19:25

I did it by 'elbow' first time and she hated it. Then I got a thermometer and realised my elbow tested bath was much colder and that was probably why - she now loves them. I think the thermometer is about 37c and it feels warm to me.

AmandaTanen · 01/08/2015 19:26

My DD comes into the bath with me, it's not as hot as I would like but it's warm, she loves it.

Original poster

Sparrowlegs248 · 01/08/2015 19:57

The hospital said it was 37 and it felt decidedly cool. I will get a thermometer I think to be sure. So much for the bath before bed being relaxing!

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LottieDoubtie · 01/08/2015 21:05

Also just realised your DS is very young- a weekish? Don't panic about frequent baths - a couple of times a week is honestly fine, he isn't a sweaty teen! I found it easier to bath DS in the morning for months as well- much less likely to end in screaming over tiredness. Every baby is different - it's ok if bedtime bath doesn't equal sleepy baby right away!

Phoenix67 · 01/08/2015 21:12

My DD is now 3 months - the first few times I bathed my her after she left hospital she screamed the house down. I made the bath water a little warmer than was recommended but she loved it and still does now. Obviously it could be that as she got older she became more used to baths but I do think making the bath water warmer helped her so I wouldn't worry about it too much. Perhaps just be sure not to keep DC in the bath for too long at this stage.

Original poster

Sparrowlegs248 · 01/08/2015 21:17

Thank you, yes a week yesterday. :-) I planned on twice a week but have been putting it off all week.

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NickyEds · 02/08/2015 21:55

I reckon new babies just hate baths. My dd is 15 days old and has only had one full bath, just top and tail for the most part. Ds hated baths for a good few weeks so we're keeping them to a minimum-why make life harder than it needs to be? As pp said it's not like they're that dirty!

boopdoop · 02/08/2015 22:05

Also, I found my DS screamed, especially when we took him out, if he was at all tired. Once we'd worked that out he was much happier with baths!

HelenF35 · 02/08/2015 22:21

The first time we filled a bath we had the midwife there, elbow tested it and it seemed fine. She told us it should be warmer. Since then I run baths a little warmer and ds loves them.

HelenF35 · 02/08/2015 22:22

If you are unsure ask your midwife or health visitor to help you bath, that's what we did.

applecore0317 · 02/08/2015 22:52

My DD hated her first bath, was around 34 degrees. I started showering with her instead which she liked and then went back to baths but this time at 36-37 degrees. She loves them, and now screams when bath time is over lol.

Scotinoz · 03/08/2015 04:30

My girls have liked baths from the start. The hospital I delivered in suggested a bit warmer than you'd expect, deeper than you'd expect and have their feet touching the end. Apparently feet at the end gives them security and deep&warm is a bit like being back inside.

Chococroc · 03/08/2015 08:02

We do them a bit warmer than recommended (not hot though) and it made a big difference. That and getting in with him in the main bath rather than using the baby bath.

dairyfreequeen · 03/08/2015 08:25

my ds hated the first couple of baths then we put a fan heater on for a few minutes (yes i know, pfb!) to make the room nice and toasty, he's loved them ever since!

ohidoliketobe · 03/08/2015 08:37

Oh god - my DS screamed the place down whenever he bathed him for first 6 weeks, regardless of the water temperature. We avoided it for weeks. He's since turned into a little bath lover (just like his mother, I send this from my bathtub!). Now aged 1, if he hears the bath running he crawls into the bathroom and cries desperate to be stripped of his clothes and dunked in to splash around with a couple of toys. I've had to develop stealth bath running techniques unless I want to share one with a wriggly 13 month old and avoided load of plastic tatt

ohidoliketobe · 03/08/2015 08:38

a load of plastic

AboutTimeIChangedMyNameAgain · 03/08/2015 10:27

Ds screamed until I started making the bath warmer then he loved it and still does.

I've never bought a bath thermometer, always stuck to the old fashioned way of using my elbow, for both dc.

Lunastarfish · 03/08/2015 21:28

I just bathed my almost 3 week old for the first time. Temp was 38 (I bought a thermometer). She loved it. Mind, she hated getting dressed afterwards!

LostMySocks · 03/08/2015 22:56

First bath for DS (aged 2 weeks) was at recomended temp. He hated it. Second was between 37/38 degC. Kind of human body temp that he'd spent 9 months swimming in! He loved it.

Original poster

Sparrowlegs248 · 04/08/2015 19:12

I think the mw was guessing at the temp and it was prob too cold. And therefore i did it too cold too. Will try again with it a bit warmer.

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