The thrill of having your little bundle of joy in your arms comes with the duty of providing him with the finest possible care. You’ll have a lot of questions about your baby’s bath, among other things, as a new parent. One of the questions is: What is the safe and right temperature for baby bath?
This post will provide you with an answer to this question. Bathtime is a wonderful time to spend with your baby. However, the first few washes with a newborn can be stressful (for both of you) until you get the hang of it.
Handling a clumsy toddler who is wiggling, wailing, or kicking — or all three — necessitates talents you didn’t realize you possessed. Bathtime may be peaceful and even enjoyable for both you and your baby if you follow a few easy suggestions and strategies. Here’s what the experts have to say about infant bath temperature, keeping your wet baby warm while bathing, and more.
With no further ado, let’s get started!
What is the safe and right temperature for baby bath?
Because a baby’s delicate skin is extremely sensitive to heat, it’s critical that the bathwater temperature be just perfect – neither too hot nor too cold. Keep in mind that your baby’s skin is around 20% to 30% thinner than yours!
To ensure that there are no hot patches, thoroughly mix the water. Your baby’s risk of scorching will be reduced as a result of this. When putting your baby in the bath, make sure the water is turned off. The temperature of the water can fluctuate fast, and a youngster can be scalded in less than a second after touching water that is 60 degrees Celsius.
If your bath has separate hot and cold taps, talk to your plumber about installing a thermostatic mixing valve if one isn’t already present. This helps to regulate the temperature of the water as it exits the faucet, ensuring that it does not become excessively hot. They come as standard in newer homes.
Consider using an inflatable safety cover to cover the bath taps, or keep your infant away from any taps that are hot to the touch. As your child grows older, try to instruct him or her not to touch the faucets. Even if they can’t switch them on right now, they’ll soon be powerful enough to scorch themselves.
Even if their bath is warm, your baby’s body heat will quickly dissipate once they are out of it, so keep the environment warm. Before putting their nappy on and clothing them, wrap your baby in a towel and pat them dry when you take them out of the water.
How to check the temperature?
To check the temperature of the bathwater, you can purchase a thermometer. Some thermometers double as a bath toy or bath accessory, such as a non-slip mat. The temperature of your baby’s bath should be between 37 and 38 degrees Celsius, which is close to body temperature.
If you don’t have a thermometer, a simple technique to check the temperature is to use your elbow rather than your hand. The water should not be too hot or too chilly.
What should the bath temperature be if the baby has a fever?
When a baby has a fever, it’s critical to appropriately cool them down during bath time. Maintain a lukewarm bath temperature of 90 to 95 degrees. Do not use rubbing alcohol, ice, or cold water to reduce their fever. The baby’s body temperature will drop too quickly as a result of this. Give them a sponge bath for about 20 minutes, then stop and wrap them in a towel or blanket if they start to shiver.
How to Keep Your Baby’s Bath Water at a Safe Temperature
When bathing your child in warm water, you should be cautious. Here are some suggestions to assure your child’s complete safety.
- Using a clean plastic tub or a sink, bathe your child. Before you begin bathing your infant, make sure you have a sponge and a cup on hand.
- Keep a supply of hot or cold water on hand. When the bathtub is half-filled with hot water from the faucet, add some cold water to bring the temperature down to a safe level for your youngster.
- Include several bath toys that measure the temperature of the water. After that, use a floating thermometer to check the water’s actual temperature.
- Before putting your youngster in the tub, check the water temperature with your wrist or elbow.
What can you do to keep your infant warm when bathing?
The tiny bodies of babies can grow hot quickly, but they can also lose heat quickly. This implies that even if the bathwater is at the appropriate temperature, it may become chilly.
Here are some tried-and-true suggestions for keeping your infant warm before, during, and after bathtime:
- Before you begin, make sure the bathroom or room where you’ll be bathing your child is warm.
- Warm-up a cold bathroom using a space heater if necessary.
- Bathe your kid in a smaller, enclosed room rather than a large open space such as the kitchen.
- To avoid drafts, keep all doors and windows shut.
- Before you start bathtime, make sure you have all of your items ready and within reach, including a new towel and a set of baby clothes.
- Instead of a conventional huge tub, bathe your infant in the sink or a basin, or use a small baby bathtub.
- Before bringing your infant in, fill the basin or tiny baby bathtub with water and check the temperature.
- When the water is ready, take your baby out of his or her clothes and place them in the water.
- Cover sections of your baby that aren’t being washed with a washcloth or tiny towel to keep them warm.
- Bathe for a short time to prevent letting the water chill too much.
- If it’s very chilly outside or your kid isn’t feeling well, give him a sponge bath with a clean, warm washcloth.
- When bathtime is finished, wrap your baby in a warm fluffy towel and place a hood over their head.
- Before dressing the baby, make sure he or she is completely dry.
- Toss baby’s clothes and towel in the dryer or place them over a heating vent immediately before bathtime to warm them up.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the maximum number of times I can bathe my baby?
It’s entirely up to you. Bathtime may be a pleasurable and soothing experience for both you and your child. If you don’t want to bathe your infant every day, bathing them two or three times a week is sufficient. You can top and tail your infant and wash off any noticeable dirt on non-bath days.
When your baby is a few months old, you should start including a bath in their bedtime ritual. Select a gentle liquid baby cleanser. It will help to maintain your baby’s natural skin barrier if you use one that is specifically made for babies.
Is it necessary to wash my baby’s hair on a regular basis?
You don’t have to shampoo their hair on a daily basis. Because their hair produces relatively little oil, it’s good to wash it once or twice a week.
If your infant has a cradle cap, you should wash their hair with a mild baby cradle cap shampoo more frequently. A cradle cap appears as a red spot on your baby’s scalp that is coated with greasy, yellow, scaly patches. Cradle caps can appear lighter or darker than the surrounding skin on darker skin.
If your infant has eczema, avoid using shampoo and instead use an emollient.
Is it safe to bathe my infant in the same tub as me?
When you’re sure you can handle your baby, it’s fine to take a bath with them. Alternatively, your companion might choose to take a bath while you assist. Nothing beats skin-to-skin touch when it comes to developing your bond with your child.
Shower or wash before getting in the bath with your infant, whichever of you is doing so. Then, as if you were bathing your kid, simply prepare the bathroom and take a bath.
Getting in and out of the water while holding your kid can be difficult and dangerous. You may enlist the support of your partner or another family member, or you could place your baby in a bouncy chair or car seat next to the bath, lined with a dry towel. Then you can get into the bath and grab them.
While you get out of the bath, you can put your baby back on the seat and cover them with a towel once you’ve finished bathing.
- Related: How Often Should You Bathe A Newborn
Conclusion
What is the safe and right temperature for baby bath? We answered this question for you in this guide today. Bathtime with a baby may be a stressful experience, especially the first few times. With a few expert techniques, you — and your child — can be bathing experts in no time.
Ask your pediatrician how to bathe or wash your kid if he or she has dry skin or a skin rash such as eczema.
