Health-and-Nutrition/C2/How-to-bathe-a-newborn/English

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Visual Cue
Narration
Title Slide Welcome to the Spoken Tutorial on How to bathe a newborn.
Collage: Safety tips

Image: Bathing

Image: Sponge bath

Image: Regular bath

Image: Traditional bath

Image: Hilly area and cold region

Image: A baby with cradle cap


In this tutorial, we will learn about-
  • safety tips for a mother or a caregiver before and during the bath
  • When to give a baby its first bath?
  • Sponge bath
  • Regular bath
  • Traditional bath
  • Bath to babies in hilly areas or cold regions
  • Cradle cap
Image: Bathing

Collage: Safety tips to be followed before bathing

Image: injury

Image: Unclipped fingernails, clipped fingernails

All new parents are anxious about how to bathe a newborn.
  • Lot of care must be taken while bathing the baby.
  • One wrong step can harm the newborn a lot.
Image: Unclipped fingernails

Image: Clipped fingernails

Image: Rings, bangles and watches

Image: Injury

Before we begin, it is important to know the:

Safety tips to be followed before bathing a baby

  • The mother or the family member-
    • should always have clipped fingernails before touching the baby.
    • should not wear any rings, bangles or watches.
  • This will reduce the chances of injury to the baby.

Image: Sponge bath

Image: C-section delivery

Image: Clock animation

Image: Umbilical cord

So, when to give a baby its first bath?
  • Mother can start giving a sponge bath to the baby after 48 hours of delivery.
  • Remember that only sponge bath should be given until the umbilical cord falls off.
Image: A baby with

Image: Regular bath

* Once the cord falls off -
    • The mother or any other family member can start giving regular bath to the baby.

Image: A mother is giving a sponge bath to the baby

  • However, in case a baby has low birth weight then -
    • such baby should be given sponge baths until it gains weight up to 2 kilograms.
Image: Sponge bath

Image: Warm room

Image: Flat surface-floor

Image: Air draft blowing with Red cross mark

Let us see how Sponge bath is given. Before starting, ensure that-

  • The room should be warm enough with closed windows.
  • Keep a very soft, clean, small cloth ready before giving a sponge bath

Image: flat surface

Image: Floor

Image: A baby placed on a high platform

  • The baby should be placed on a safe, flat surface-
    • the floor would be the safest one.
    • do not keep the baby on a high platform.
Image: Thermometer

Image: A mother is checking the temperature of the water.

* The temperature of the water for bathing should not be more than 37 degrees celsius.
  • Mother should check the temperature of the water using her elbow or wrist.
Image: Soapy water

Image: Clean water

Image: Baby soap

During bathing-
  • First, use soapy water for cleaning.
  • To make soapy water-
    • always use any mild soap or baby soap.
  • Then, use clean water to remove the soap.

Image: Wiping the baby’s eye

Image: old cloth and new cloth

Image: Fresh and soft cloth

* Dip the small, soft cloth in water and squeeze out excess water
  • Now wipe the baby’s eye from the inner corner to the outer edge.
  • Do not use the same cloth for wiping other body parts.
  • Always use a fresh and soft cloth to clean other body parts.
Image: Cleaning crease underarms

Image: Cleaning the crease behind ears

Image: Cleaning the creases around the neck.

Image: Cleaning the creases near the genital area

  • Also, do not forget to clean creases -
    • under the arms
    • behind the ears
    • around the neck
    • Between fingers and toes and
    • in the genital area.
Image: Sponge bath

Image: Regular bath

Image: Healthy baby

Image: A baby with fallen umbilical cord

Now that we have discussed what is sponge bath let us learn about regular bath.

Please Remember

Regular bath should be given to all healthy babies after the umbilical cord falls off.

Image: A tub containing soapy water.

Image: mild, colourless baby soap

Image: A tub containing fresh water

Image: A mother is giving a bath to a baby in a bathtub and tap is open with Red cross mark

During a regular bath, if you are using a bathtub -
  • First, fill the bathtub up to 2 inches with soapy water.
  • To make soapy water-
    • always use any mild colourless and odourless soap or baby soap.
  • Keep another tub ready which contains fresh water.
  • Then, check the temperature of the water with your elbow in both the tubs.

Image: A mother checking the temperature of the water

Image: A mother placing the baby in the bathtub

Image: Addition of water during bathing

  • After you are satisfied with the temperature of the water -
    • very carefully place the baby in the tub which contains soapy water,
    • ensuring that the head is supported always.
  • Do not add extra water when the baby is already in the tub.
Image: Washing the baby’s head

Image: Cleaning/washing the other body parts of the baby

Image: Washing the baby's genital area

Image: Gently washing with fresh water

To begin with,
  • First, wash the baby’s head by using odourless and colourless baby shampoo or soap.
  • Then gently wash away the soap with fresh water.
  • Next, clean the rest of the body along with the creases and nappy area
    • which is the most contaminated.
  • In the end, gently wash the rest of the body with fresh water.
Image: Traditional Indian method of bathing

Image: A mother is sitting on the floor by spreading legs parallel to each other.


On the other hand, if the mother or caregiver wants to give bath to the baby -
  • In the traditional Indian method then -
    • sit on the floor by spreading your legs parallel to each other
    • then, place the baby on your leg
    • baby’s head should be near the mother or caregiver’s feet
    • Baby’s feet should be near the mother or caregiver’s stomach
    • now the baby is in the correct position to be bathed


Image: A mother drying the baby

Collage: Drying the creases on the baby's body.

After bathing, dry the baby immediately using soft and clean towels.
  • Remember to dry the creases as explained earlier.


Image: Talcum powder

Image: A mother applying talcum powder on the baby's abdomen.

Image: Surma and kajal

Image: A mother applying kajal or Surma in the baby's eyes.

* Also avoid using talcum powder or baby powder
  • Baby powders may cause breathing difficulties in newborns.
  • Never useSurmaa or kajal in the eyes
  • Use Surma or kajal may lead to lead poisoning and infection in newborns.


Image: Hilly region

Image: Cold region

Interestingly, special care must be taken for the babies -
  • living in hilly areas or
Cold region 
Image: Sponge bath

Image: Skin to skin contact

Image: A baby with low body temperature


For babies in such places- a quick daily sponge bath can be given before the cord falls off.
  • However, immediately after drying the baby -
    • mother or caregiver must provide skin to skin contact to the baby
    • this will reduce the risk of low body temperature in babies.


Image: Shampooing

GIF: Calendar

Image: A baby with dry scalp

Please note that:
  • Shampooing should be done twice a week.
  • Do not shampoo every day as it will cause dryness of the scalp.
Image: Crusty patches

Image: A baby with Cradle cap

Image: Redness around the baby's scalp

It might also happen that a newborn may have -
  • crusty patches or scales on the scalp. This is known as Cradle cap
  • there can be some redness around these patches or the scales.
Image: A baby with Cradle cap

Image: Baby oil

Note that: there is nothing to worry about Cradle cap
  • It will go away on its own and does not need to be treated.
  • Baby oil may help soften the scales.
Image: Applying oil on Baby's scalp

Image: Applying excess of oil on the baby's scalp with the Red cross mark

* When applying the oil, rub only small amount into the scales.
  • Too much oil may worsen the condition.


Image: Baby Shampoo

Image: A baby with Cradle cap

Image: Shampooing

Image: Brushing out the scales

Image: Pulling the scales with the Red cross mark

* Then, wash the baby's hair with a mild tear-free baby shampoo within an hour or two.
  • After that, gently brush out the scales an hour later to avoid more build-up.
  • Never pull the scales as it leads to the sore scalp and further infection.
Acknowledgement slide This brings us to the end of this tutorial on How to bathe a newborn.

Thanks for joining

Contributors and Content Editors

Bellatony911, Rajani st