Bathing Your Newborn

Written by RJ

There are plenty of milestones in those early weeks with a newborn that feel exciting and terrifying in equal measure, and from experience we know that baby's first bath at home is definitely one of them! If the thought of bathing such a tiny (and slippery!) little person fills you with anxiety, you are absolutely not alone. Ideally, you’ll be guided through the ins and outs of bathing your baby by your LMC when bubs is first born, but with all the chaos, it’s also not uncommon to completely forget it all when you arrive home. The good news is that once you get used to it all, newborn bathtime can quickly become one of the loveliest parts of your day. Here's just some of what you need to know to get started safely and confidently.

Water Temperature

This is the part that worries most new parents, and for good reason. A baby's skin is far more sensitive to heat than an adult's, and water that feels comfortable to your wrist or elbow can still be too hot for your little one. The ideal baby bath water temperature is around 37–38°C, so it’s close to body temperature, comfortably warm but never hot.

Rather than guessing, the Haakaa Bath Buddy Thermometer takes all that uncertainty out of the equation! Drop it into the bath water before you get baby ready and it'll switch on automatically, giving you an accurate digital reading within seconds. Better still, it features a colour-coded indicator: blue for too cold, green for just right, and red for too hot, so you can tell at a glance whether the water is right for bubs. It floats for easy visibility and retrieval, and the soft silicone cover is gentle if it comes into contact with baby's skin. It's also able to measure room temperature, which is handy for making sure the bathroom itself is warm enough before you start, something that can be easy to overlook. This thermometer is a small investment that makes a whole world of difference to your bathtime confidence.

Prepare Before You Begin

One of the golden rules of newborn bath safety is to have absolutely everything ready before you put baby in the water. You should NEVER leave a baby unattended in the bath (or any other water source), not even for a second, so gather everything you need first: a clean towel (warmed if possible), a fresh nappy, clean clothes, and anything you plan to use during the bath itself. Running to grab something you've forgotten is not an option once you've started.

Holding Your Baby Safely in the Bath

For a full bath, the key is a firm, confident hold. Support baby's head and neck with one hand at all times, keeping their face well clear of the water. Use your free hand to wash them gently. Most babies feel more secure if the water level is fairly shallow. Just enough to cover their lower body is usually sufficient, and they also prefer you keep the room warm so they don't get cold during the process (though that’s often true of us, as well!). Chatting with them calmly and confidently during their bath helps, too; babies pick up on their caregiver's energy, and a reassuring voice goes a long way.

Caring For Delicate Skin

As mentioned above, a newborn's skin is incredibly sensitive (and to more than just heat), which means less is generally more when it comes to products. Plain warm water is sufficient for the first few weeks, and when you do introduce a wash, choose something specifically formulated for babies that is gentle and fragrance-free.

For washing, cotton cloth wipes are a wonderful alternative to synthetic washcloths or disposable wipes, as they're gentle enough for the most sensitive newborn skin. They're reusable and machine washable, which makes them an eco-friendly choice too, and their versatility means they'll get used well beyond bathtime as facecloths, burp cloths, and general household wipes. 

After the bath is finished, pat baby's skin dry rather than rubbing, paying particular attention to all those lovely little skin folds where moisture can linger. This includes under their arms, inside any joints, and around their necks. Gentle pats with an absorbent towel will get you there in no time (even if they are protesting loudly about the entire affair!).

Cradle Cap

Cradle cap is incredibly common in newborns and young babies, and while it looks alarming, it's completely harmless. It presents as yellowish, scaly patches on the scalp and is simply the result of overactive sebaceous glands in the early weeks. Gentle, regular brushing is one of the best things you can do to manage it, as it helps to loosen and remove the dry skin while stimulating blood flow to the scalp.

The Haakaa Wool Baby Hairbrush is ideally suited to this. Its soft, natural wool bristles are gentle enough for the most delicate newborn scalp, with no risk of scratching or irritation, and the rubberwood handle is easy to hold and manoeuvre. Regular brushing with it doesn’t just prevent and manage cradle cap (though that makes it worth it on its own). It’s also wonderfully soothing for baby. Many parents and babies find it a lovely way to wind down at the end of bathtime. It's also available as a brush and comb set, which includes a fine-toothed maple wood comb for gently detangling as your baby's hair grows, and it makes a beautiful baby shower gift for new families.

Building the Routine

Bathtime doesn't need to happen every single day; two to three times a week is plenty for a newborn, as more frequent bathing can dry out their skin. What matters more than frequency is consistency. A warm bath at a similar time each evening can become a really powerful part of a newborn sleep routine, signalling to your baby that it's time to wind down. Paired with a gentle massage and a feed, it's one of the most effective tools you have for encouraging longer stretches of sleep – which, as any new parent knows, is pretty much the holy grail.

And aside from everything mentioned above, bathtime is a great chance for some real bonding time between parents and their new babies, especially since it (eventually) becomes a calming time, with close face-to-face contact and gentle conversations – albeit one-way for the first little while.