Joyful Splashes: Dive into Bath Time Fun with Your Baby

Your baby's first bath is an exciting milestone but can also be nerve-wracking for some new parents. 

We asked Sam Saunders aka The Baby Guru for her Top Tips when it comes to giving your newborn their first bath, when to start a bath & bedtime routine and how this can help with their sleep.

When should you give your baby their first bath?

It's normally advised to wait for your baby's umbilical cord to fall off before giving them their first bath. Keeping it dry and above the nappy line aids it's drying out and falling off. If you do want to bath them before this happens, then it's best to keep the cord dry and just bath them in a shallow bath.

When can you start using products?

I would normally suggest no bath time products for the first 6 weeks, their skin is so sensitive and water does the trick. If their hair needs a wash after delivery or gets dirty / greasy before, using bath time products then washing their hair using a gentle product such as Bubbles in the Breeze Top to Toe Wash at the end of bath time so they are not in the soapy water for long or cradling them while wrapped in a towel over the bath and washing separately works well.

When to introduce bath time into the bedtime routine?

There is no right or wrong time to establish a bath / feed / bed routine and it's really down to when your ready. A great time is around 8-12 weeks when feeding is becoming established and you might be seeing a regular settling time in the evening.

How can bath time help with sleep?

Having positive, regular sleep cues including a bath, will help your baby know that bedtime is coming. It's also shown that the warming of the body temperature during bath time and then the cooling down helps not just babies but us adults fall asleep easier too! Doing some baby massage using the Love Eternal Baby Massage Oil after their bath time is a great way to relax babies and help promote sleep too.

You can find lots more tips on baby sleep, routine, feeding and weaning over on Sam's Instagram page @thebabyguruofficial or via www.thebabyguru.co.uk

Images via @_luluadams