1. Wash your baby every 1-2 days unless his or her skin is dry. Some dryness and peeling of the baby’s skin is normal the first few weeks.

2. Give your infant a bath at approximately the same time each day to help baby develop a routine and help baby feel secure in knowing what to expect. You may want to bathe your baby in the evening before bedtime to relax baby and help baby sleep. Bathe your baby before the infant’s feeding time. The baby will be awake for the feeding and baby’s stomach won’t get upset by the activity of the bath.

3. Do not immerse the infant in water until the umbilical cord has fallen off and the cord area has healed. A tub bath with only a very small amounted of water or a sponge bath is okay.

4. Gather all bath linens and supplies you will need before you start the bath. Do not leave the infant unattended at any time.

5. Test the temperature of the bathwater with your elbow or inner wrist. The water should feel warm, not hot. Avoid drafts and keep the baby as warm as possible during bath time.

6. Use Dove soap for bathing your baby’s face, body, scalp and hair. Do not use baby soaps or baby shampoo. These do not cleanse thoroughly, and may lead to rashes such as "cradle cap" or seborrhea (an oily skin rash). Introduce your baby to only one product at a time.

7. Support the baby well and keep a firm grasp on baby while wet and soapy. Support the baby’s head in the crook of your elbow and holding baby’s leg with same hand is one way to keep a sure grip. Wash eyes and face first, and diaper area last. Be sure to use soap when washing your baby’s face to prevent seborrhea. When washing the body, clean, rinse, and dry creases and skin well. You may want to wash your baby’s hair and scalp near the end of the bath to reduce chilling. Work lather through your baby’s hair with your fingers or a soft toothbrush. Don’t be afraid to scrub the soft spot.

8. Do not use Q-tips to clean baby’s ears. You could injure your baby’s ears using cotton swabs for cleansing.

9. Baby Girls: Cleanse labia and vaginal area with a clean washcloth from front to back. A mucus or blood tinged discharge from the vagina is normal and due to hormones she has received from Mom - this will soon disappear.  

Baby Boys: Circumcised - After the circumcision has healed, gently pull back any remaining foreskin away from the head of the penis. You may wash the healing penis with soap and water. Apply a thin coating of Vaseline or A & D ointment on the circumcision for a few days to prevent pulling on the circumcision when removing the baby’s diaper. A yellow or white mucus film on the circumcision is common and part of the healing process. Report any excessive redness, or thick yellow, foul smelling discharge to the office.                                                                  

Baby Boys:  Uncircumcised - The foreskin usually will not retract very far until the baby is 1-2 years old. Do not force the foreskin to retract, as this may cause bleeding and adhesions.

10. Dress your infant with the same amount of clothing that you would wear yourself, depending on the environment.