At Shnuggle we like to consider ourselves experts in baby bath time!  We know bath time can be a daunting experience for the first couple of times and there is always the pressure to make it enjoyable for baby. When you do get to grips with it, bath time is the perfect time of day to have some one-on-one bonding time with baby.  This handy guide will walk you through all the options and help you start your Baby Bath adventure.

Here's a quick summary of what you might need for each step:-

Step 1 | Top and Tail

Such a strange phrase you have never heard of until you become a parent! Midwives tell you for the first few days just "Top and Tail" your baby - but what does this mean?

It literally means wash their face and the folds of their skin around their neck, bends in their arms  (top) and then the folds of their legs, bum and bits (tail) using cotton wool balls (or something similarly soft) and clean with lukewarm water. This is because new baby skin is so soft and is covered in a white chalky substance (vernix caseosa) which is beneficial to baby.  Also, midwives often recommend waiting until the umbilical site is healed before submersing in a bath tub of water.

Now, while this sounds simple, there are a 3 important rules; Never mix clean or dirty cotton wool Never put dirty cotton wool back into your clean water Never go between top and tail with the same cotton wool or water

You can buy a Top and Tail bowl which has separate areas for clean/dirty cotton wool and top/tail water.  As these are only used for a few days - have a look at our Low Cost Recyclable Top and Tail Bowl for just £1.99 which can be recycled with household waste when no longer needed.

When to "Top and Tail"?

You should clean babies bum (Tail) after every dirty nappy (don't use baby wipes for a week).  A full Top and Tail should be done every day for the first week, with special attention around the eyes, mouth and neck folds. Use a clean cotton wool ball every time. 

Special Note: What Baby Bath Temperature?

This is an important question, as many parents don't know this! Old advice was to pop your elbow in the water to see if it's too hot. Unfortunately, our elbows are VERY sensitive to temperature, often resulting in baby bath water being too cold! 

We HIGHLY recommend getting a Baby Bath Thermometer to ensure the water temperature is just right.  For a relaxing and calming happy bath, the water should be between 36 - 37°c.  The water should never be over 38°c.

To make this easy, we created The Shnuggle Pebbly Bath Thermometer, which quickly measures the bath water temperature and displays Red for too hot, Blue for too cold, and a "White Heart" when the temperature is perfect.

Step 2 | Newborn Baby Bath Support

The next stage after about 4-5 days is to consider using a baby bath tub or newborn bath support. The differences between the two are;

Some parents will purchase a Newborn Support (between £15-£30) for the first 3 months and then upgrade to a Baby Bath (£25 - £50) until they are about 12 months old. (Spending up to £80)

A better option is to choose the Shnuggle Baby Bath, which combines the benefits of a Newborn Support with a Baby Bath Tub!

With a reclined backrest and a clever bum bump in the bottom to stop baby sliding.  This offers a comfy and cosy bathtime for babies as well as giving new mums and dads confidence to handle their baby at bathtime.  You will save money as you only need one product that will last from about 1 week old up to around 12 months.

How often to bath baby?

Most parents bath baby every day or every other day for about 5-10 minutes. If baby has an explosive nappy or Poonami® then you'll want to bath them ASAP!

You can use just warm water for the first few weeks and then start using a mild baby wash and shampoo. A great time to bath baby is just before bed, to help them settle more easily - make bath time calm and relaxed, with dim lights and a quiet environment.

Step 3 | Follow-On bath (Toddler Bath)

When your baby gets past about 9 months, they are starting to pull up and climb - you will start to think about the next place to bath your baby. 

Some parents will put their baby straight into the adult bath, but that can be slippery and scary not to mention time consuming having to fill the large bath with warm water. You can use a "Bath Seat" (£20 - £40) in the bath - but you will still use a lot of water.  Its also advised to not use bath supports with suckers due to the risk of  these coming unstuck and slipping up the sides of the bath with baby sitting inside them.  

A safer option and one that saves on water, is to get a Toddler Bath (£35 - £60) (a bigger version of the Baby Bath) to give your baby more room to splash about as they grow and gain confidence in the bath. 

The transition from Baby Bath to Toddler bath is easy with our Shnuggle Toddler Bath which can be used in your adult bath, in the shower or anywhere else you feel like using it!

How often to bath your Toddler?

Your toddler doesn't need washing as often as a baby, so typically you can give them a bath every 2 days. However many parents still bath every day right before bedtime - as this helps soothe little one before sleep and helps with a more restful night.

We hope this handy guide helps you plan when and how to bath your baby, and what things you may need.