Break out the video camera; the first bath is always memorable. But this is how to do it right.

Giving your baby that first bath at home can be a joyful experience for the bather and the bathee. It can also be frightening if you haven’t done it before. If this is the case, ask an experienced parent, grandparent, or friend to help you.

The goal is simple: get the baby clean in water of the appropriate temperature while constantly supporting the head. The water should be body temperature. (You can use a thermometer, but dropping a few drops of water on the inner surface of your forearm
works just as well. The water should feel neither hot nor cold—that means it’s body temperature.)

Use any mild soap, a soft washcloth, and lots of loving and cooing. For the hair (if there is any), soap or a baby shampoo can be used and rinsed out quickly. Try to avoid getting any soap into the baby’s eyes.

Wash the face gently with the soft cloth and work your way down the rest of the body. The genitalia is a little tricky (girls’ are trickier than boys’) but don’t try to remove all the whitish, gooey secretion. This secretion is a natural protection for the baby girl’s vagina and labia. Washing it too briskly can
also be uncomfortable.

Try to finish the bath in as a short time as possible so the water won’t cool too much. Wrap the baby in a soft towel, find a comfortable chair, and enjoy each other for some time. See, you are now an accomplished baby bather!