Keeping your little ones clean can be challenging. That’s why Children’s Community Pediatrics, an affiliate of Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, offers these baby-cleaning tips:
- Gather all supplies first; swirl the water with your hand to check temperature.
- Never leave babies or children unsupervised in or near water for even a nanosecond. Let the telephone call go into voicemail. For their safety, your children need absolute attention. Even if your child can sit up alone, always stay within arm’s reach.
- No bath seat allowed. It tips over easily.
- Face your toddler away from the faucet so he can’t turn on the hot water.
Give sponge baths to babies up to 4 weeks old. This is enough time to allow the umbilical cord to fall off and the navel to heal.
Brightly colored sponges and soaps help make bathing a fun experience.