Baby’s First Bath: A How-to Guide

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Three children in, I think I've finally gotten the hang of baby's first bath. It may sound ridiculous, but this has always been one of the scariest parts of baby-having for me. These squishy little beings seem so foreign, the thought of manipulating an infant in water can be a bit mind-boggling to a new parent.

Baby's first bath. I would love to package up a bath kit to give for a baby shower, along with a printout of instructions for parents who may be stressed about all these firsts. That initial bath can be a scary experience!

But trust me, they're not that fragile, and it's not hard. I'm here to show you the ropes of baby's first bath.

How to give baby's first bath

You'll need a washcloth, towel, JOHNSON’S® baby head-to-toe wash and somewhere to place baby for bath time. I like to use a dedicated baby bath with an elevated section to keep him out of the water, but you can also just place him or her on a folded towel with a bowl of warm water nearby. Alternately, you can have a friend sit in the tub and hold your child up out of the water for baby's first bath.

Baby's first bath. I would love to package up a bath kit to give for a baby shower, along with a printout of instructions for parents who may be stressed about all these firsts. That initial bath can be a scary experience!

We've always used JOHNSON’S® baby head-to-toe wash because I like that I don't have to have multiple products on-hand for baby's first bath, and it won't sting his eyes. They've recently reformulated to be Paraben-free, Phthalate-free and Hypoallergenic, and it includes a moisturizer to help hydrate his skin. I squeeze a dime-sized amount onto the wet washcloth and rub gently from head to toe, avoiding the umbilical cord as it shouldn't get wet until it's fallen off on its own. If you have a boy who's uncircumcised, leave the foreskin alone. Circumcised babies should have the area left alone at bath time until it's healed – just dab a little Vaseline on the tip to keep it from sticking to the diaper afterwards.

Baby's first bath. I would love to package up a bath kit to give for a baby shower, along with a printout of instructions for parents who may be stressed about all these firsts. That initial bath can be a scary experience!

I wash the hair last so he doesn't get too cold as it dries, and then I quickly wrap him up in a towel. Ideally it should be an animal-themed hooded towel. Because? Adorable.

Baby's first bath. I would love to package up a bath kit to give for a baby shower, along with a printout of instructions for parents who may be stressed about all these firsts. That initial bath can be a scary experience!

Then comes a matching onesie. Even if he looks very skeptical about the whole process, this is also essential. Because all things for baby's first bath must match. It's some sort of unwritten rule.

Baby's first bath. I would love to package up a bath kit to give for a baby shower, along with a printout of instructions for parents who may be stressed about all these firsts. That initial bath can be a scary experience!

Then hand him off to Dad, and go take a nap. You deserve it.

Baby's first bath. I would love to package up a bath kit to give for a baby shower, along with a printout of instructions for parents who may be stressed about all these firsts. That initial bath can be a scary experience!

Or better yet, see about torturing your middle child by following him around with your clean infant. Our toddler is persistently angry about something lately, and he was especially incensed over baby's first bath.

Life is difficult when you're two.

Baby's first bath. I would love to package up a bath kit to give for a baby shower, along with a printout of instructions for parents who may be stressed about all these firsts. That initial bath can be a scary experience!

Are you ready to give baby's first bath? Check out JOHNSON’S® baby on Facebook for more helpful hints!

Was baby's first bath an intimidating experience for you…or is it just me?

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