That newborn bathtime was always so sweet around our house. I mean the screaming coming from the freezing cold fresh miniature creature was sometimes distracting but once you get past that, oh and the fear of being sprayed in the face with an uncontrollable pee stream, it was really adorable! You know, like in the movies or commercials, right?
Well in reality, we all know those sweet moments can happen here and there but a lot of times they are just a hot mess- especially with the first baby when we have absolutely no idea what we're doing or when there's older siblings involved who have to be in the mix and make it so we still have no idea what we're doing.
Bathing a newborn baby can be tricky. They are slippery little suckers, their necks are weak but sometimes they can convulse so strongly you'd think they're trying to get away on purpose. They get cold so easily yet we fear melting their virgin skin off with anything hotter than lukewarm water, and of course as mentioned before- the unpredictable pee shot from that wiggly little penis. Then add to that the possibility of a curious (maybe a tad annoying) older sibling who wants to see or God forbid wants to help! Oh Em Gee, right??
So here's a little hack to help get through some tricks of bathtime plus have your big helpers involved!
--:: SWADDLE BATHING ::-- Swaddle bathing is not a new concept or something I made up but it's just a term that's comparable to how newborns are first bathed at the hospital but now we bring it into our every day routine at home.
So here's how:
First, grab that swaddle blanket. The magic one the nurses use to swaddle the baby into silence within seconds while Dad can't figure out how the first fold goes- yes that one. Use it to burrito your baby up but more like a loose burrito made from an apprentice at Chipotle, not the nighttime, fear of ending circulation type of burrito swaddle.
Why? Babies are a little easier to handle when they're swaddled. You can keep all those appendages together and safe, maybe even giving a little more security to their bobble head and they stay warmer in that swaddle which helps them stay more calm!
Second, take that baby into their little bath tub/seat/cradle thingy that you have and fill it with that perfect warm water temp that none of us really know if it's warm enough or too warm...while it's inside your big bathtub. Yes, instead of bathing in the sink (also a convenient option but just not for this example) put them in your big bathtub- that is empty of water, and have your older kiddos climb in there with baby. Your baby burrito is loosely wrapped staying warm in our perfect temp water with his little helpers ready for action.
Third, designate a body part (or a few) to each helping child. When it's their turn, unwrap said part from underneath the swaddle for brother to wash with the washcloth. Take turns by covering up the baby when done and moving on to the next part. You can designate special parts for mommy only-like the head, and show how gentle we wash because of the open skull...furthering conversation on how to be gentle with baby all the time.
And there you go- warm, calm, safe baby with participation from big brothers. Now if we could just get the rest of the day to go this smoothly then mommy-ing would be a breeze, am I right?
Do you have other bathtime hacks you love? We'd love to hear more! Share with us on social @boyplusmama
Photo courtesy of @courageousmom