January is National Bath Safety Month, in honor of that we wanted to share some tips to help keep baby safe during bath time.
- Give baby sponge baths until his or her umbilical cord falls off. Once the umbilical cord falls off baby can get a bath! Use a baby tub or some type of bath support that keeps baby from sliding around, as they can get very slippery when covered in soap.
- There is no need to give baby a bath everyday. Every other day or three times a week should be enough. Bathing too often can dry out baby’s skin.
- Keep the water level low. Around 2 inches should be enough.
- Make sure the water temperature is not too hot. A special bath thermometer is a great investment. Many models will light up to indicate if the water is too cold, too hot or just right.
- No matter what, you will want to keep a hand on baby at all times. Prepare ahead of time and have all the essentials for bath time within arms reach.
- As baby gets older and starts reaching around there are some other things you will want to consider: turning the water heater to 120 degrees F so if baby turns on the hot water he or she will not get scalded, keeping your bath items (eg. razor, shampoo, etc.) out of reach and making sure any bath toys are thoroughly dried after each bath.