How to wash very little baby alone when they scream and writhe? Please help!

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Just that really. He needs a wash and I physically can’t hold him down to wash him. Any tips?!

Put the baby bath inside the big bath. Add water.
Lay towel on floor.
Undress baby on towel.
Left hand under baby's shoulders, firmly grasp top of baby's left arm.
Right hand under bottom, firmly grasp a leg, put baby in bathwater.
He can't escape your left hand. Use the right to wash him.

Left hand still in place. Right hand under baby bottom, grip leg, lift out onto towel. Wrap towel edges over baby like straightjacket and rub the baby dry while its lying on its back on the floor

Currently pregnant with first so no actual experience here, but in my recent NCT (parenting) class the instructor suggested you don't always have to bathe the baby in a bath or volume of water. Baths 2-3 times a week may be plenty (and only after umbilical stump is healed). Covering belly/torso in the bath with warm wet flannel supposedly helps keep them from getting chilled. Or maybe try a bath alternative when baby is really fussy?

NCT class advice: On non bath days, it may be best to 'top & tail' with wet cotton pads or multiple flannels. She suggested using one cotton pad dipped in warm water each for right eyelid, left eyelid (separate to avoid possible cross infection), around mouth, behind each ear, crease under neck at front, behind neck, ' front bottom', ' back bottom', any other obvious creases or areas with particular soiling (I've probably missed some bits in this example list). Of course with any poo accidents, it may require more than a cotton pad or two. The class instructor also suggested that babies up to 12 weeks really don't require bath products other than warm water, so no bath gel, shampoo, nappy cream, lotion, etc. One exception was that she suggested a little dab of olive oil can be used for moisturising if really needed, or also really useful around anus after nappy changes to prevent future poo from sticking.

I used to wrap him in a hand towel around his middle so he felt covered and not in contact with the bottom of the bath.

They don't 'need' to be bathed though when tiny. A sponge wash can make them feel more comfortable.

You can get shower slings for this. But, they barely need it. If specific bits are caked I agree with warm soft cloth but hold against skin to retain warmth then gently wipe. But unless they're caked in something, give baby and you a break. They're not sweating on a footy pitch. Mine would get dry and itchy from water (seriously) and I just don't make him shower now unless he's filthy. I also rarely wash his bum length hair. I'm not a massive hippy, it's just not necessary. I wash daily coz I'm a sweaty heifer.

I honestly don't get the fuss. Just dunk him in and out. We've been doing it for thousands of years

Honestly just don't overthink it

Come on, be nice! Weren't you ever a sleep-deprived parent of a newborn? IMO when you have a one month old child you get a free pass to stress about whatever you like.

@SarahAndQuack No, fortunately not. I did have an easy baby. But stressing like this can't be any good

So I think it's fair to advise just go with it

She's just asking for tips online. If you didn't have any issues you probably don't realise, but honestly, it can be really helpful to hear the little things that made life easier for other people. Certainly doesn't help when people sneer.

My daughter is the same. I use a bath support in a really warm bath and then cover her with a wet muslin which I keep pouring water over. She doesn’t love it, but she doesn’t cry either.

Remember you don't need to bath daily either, a wash is just fine most days

With my first, i used a baby bath on a towel on the bedroom floor -the bedroom was bigger, warmer and less echoey than the bathroom and I think that helped.

Also I don't think I actually bathed her in it until she was about 6 weeks old. Just cleaned her with cotton wool and warm water and occasional bit of gentle body wash. It was a bit of a faff carrying the bath full of water but worked better than taking her into the bathroom

I used a baby bath sponge support it was brilliant

Ger everything ready beforehand. The more you do it, the more confident you'll be and quicker the baby will get used to it. Hold firmly and do it as quickly as possible if he's screaming, but try and be as relaxed as possible so he won't pick up that you're tense.

Advice now is not to wash baby until AFTER four weeks

My tiny baby hated baths too so I found a giant baby shaped sponge that had an indent for him to snuggle into. I'd make it all warm and foamy and let him play with lots of bubbles. Then I'd put a jug of warm water over him to finish it off and by the time he'd reacted to the water he was wrapped in a warm towel.

I got in the big bath with mostly at that age, he didn’t like the bath either. The Angelcare seat in the big bath was better than the baby bath, then about 10 weeks we started just putting him in a very shallow big bath (we have a non slip mat that covers the whole bottom of the bath) and he liked that more. They also really don’t need many baths at that age, so don’t feel like you have to do every/every other day.

I had one like this. It was so difficult. In the end I stopped using the baby bath and bought a bath seat. Then made sure the water was really warm. All of a sudden he loved baths. It was easy for me to wash him as I was hands free too.

Top and tail like a bed bath - don't immerse them in water if they hate it.

I agree that the recommendation for water temperature can be a bit too cold for some babies especially if your house is chilly as many are this year! I used to bath my winter baby in front of the living room fire so it was nice and warm for her and both of mine liked the water warmer than they were supposed to have it at. Be sensible and of course don’t burn them but there’s no point in them being miserable (and what did humans do without thermometers for all those years? Use their common sense!).

I did mine in a washing up bowl in the sink for the first few weeks, with a giant towel folded on the draining board to wrap them in, releasing one limb or area at a time for a little massage with baby oil with a few drops of lavender oil in. It helped them to be calm and they always had their longest sleep after the bath and massage.
I have no idea if this is current advice so do check if baby oil and lavender is still allowed before you try it.

She doesn’t need bathing - just leave her if it’s that distressing for her. At that age I bathed once a week and only really did it for the sensory/it’s a nice thing to do.

The current advice is to top and tail with plain water for the first month. After this we used a plastic baby bath with a built in seat and did it on the kitchen floor, wearing earplugs.

They don't need a bath every day. Far from it.
When they do need a wash, you could simply do a flannel sort of wash. If not you could use a sink? This way they're in a secure position. We did that (so it wouldn't hurt my back) until ours couldn't fit.

We didn’t bath ours very often for the first month or so, just used flannels or cotton wool. We have a Shnuggle baby bath but when she was tiny and not well supported in it I preferred to bath her together with DH so one of us could support her and the other wash her (I’m generally very uncoordinated). Once she felt a bit less fragile it was much easier to bath her alone. She hated getting out of the warm water and used to scream afterwards for quite awhile - warm room and cuddles helped a bit.

Bath support