By: Dipesh Navsaria, MPH, MSLIS, MD, FAAP
Use touch supervision. Have a towel and other bath supplies within reach so you can keep a hand on your baby at all times. If you’ve forgotten something or need to answer the phone or door during the bath, you must take the baby with you.
- Start practicing infant water safety now:Never leave a baby alone in the bath, even for an instant. Most child drownings inside the home occur in bathtubs, and more than half of bathtub deaths involve children under 1 year of age.
Check the water temperature. Fill the basin with 2 inches of water that feels warm—not hot—to the inside of your wrist or elbow. If you’re filling the basin from the tap, turn the cold water on first (and off last) to avoid scalding yourself or your child. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that the hottest temperature at the faucet should be no more than 120 degrees Fahrenheit to help avoid burns. In many cases you can adjust your water heater setting to not go above this temperature. Tap water that’s too hot can quickly cause burns serious enough to require a hospital visit or even surgery. In fact, hot water scalds are the top cause of burns among babies and young children.
Keep baby warm. Once you’ve undressed your baby, place her in the water immediately so she doesn’t get chilled. Use one of your hands to support her head and the other to guide her in, feet first. Talk to her encouragingly, and gently lower the rest of her body until she’s in the tub. Most of her body and face should be well above the water level for safety, so you’ll need to pour warm water over her body frequently to keep her warm.
Use soap sparingly. Soaps can dry out your baby’s skin. If a cleanser is needed for heavily soiled areas, use only mild, neutral-pH soaps without additives. Rinse soap from the skin right away. Wash baby’s hair two or three times a week using a mild shampoo or body wash.
- You may see some scaly patches on your baby’s scalp called cradle cap―a harmless condition that appears in many babies. You can loosen the scales with a soft-bristled brush while shampooing in the bathtub, but it’s also okay to leave it alone if it doesn’t bother you. It’s unlikely to bother your baby, and she will outgrow it.
Last Updated 3/3/2020
Source American Academy of Pediatrics (Copyright © 2019)
The information contained on this Web site should not be used as a substitute for the medical care and advice of your pediatrician. There may be variations in treatment that your pediatrician may recommend based on individual facts and circumstances.
