Do I need to boil water for bathing a newborn?

Bathing a newborn baby is one of the most important hygiene procedures for the baby. It is necessary not only to maintain cleanliness and prevent diaper rash, but also as a stimulation of respiration and blood circulation in the body. Bathing a child should be very careful, because the body of a small person is not yet ready for full-fledged water procedures. In particular, parents have many questions: whether it is necessary to boil water for bathing a newborn, what water should be, what means to use. Consider the basic tips for washing your kids.

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General rules:

• Despite the fact that bathing is an integral part of hygienic care, bathing a baby is possible only if he has no contraindications from a doctor and is also completely healthy. It is recommended to take water procedures at about the same time to develop a habit in the child, maintain the daily regimen.

Important! It is believed that the best time for swimming is before evening feeding.

• Bathing newborns can be no more than 10 minutes, because the water cools quickly, and low temperatures can be harmful. It is important to remember that the first few baths should be very short - up to 5 minutes, so that the baby gets used to this procedure.
• It is very important to control the temperature regime. So, the recommended water temperature for newborns is 36.5-37 degrees, and the air temperature should not fall below 22 degrees. And of course, drafts should not be allowed.
• At the expense of whether it is necessary to boil water for bathing a newborn - this must be done if the umbilical wound has not yet healed.
• With redness and diaper rash, it is advisable to use decoctions of herbs. Chamomile is best.

Important! If the baby is naughty and crying, it must be distracted, because the unpleasant emotion associated with bathing will be fixed for a long time and each time you will have to calm him first.

Bathing for an infant must be turned into a kind of ritual in order to instill a love of water from an early age and not cause negative feelings.

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Bathing water

In addition to the cleanliness of the bath, it is very important to take care of the water. Even for the first bathing, running tap water is quite suitable if it is clean and without a high content of bleach.

In the event that the water is dirty and rusty, water procedures must be postponed or water must first be boiled for bathing the newborn. However, in this case it is necessary to maintain the required temperature.

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Do I need to boil water for bathing a newborn?

More recently, there was a misconception that you can only bathe a baby in boiled water and in a special small bath. Today, pediatricians agree that this is not entirely correct:

• Firstly, from the moment of boiling water and before taking water procedures, time passes, the water cools, as a result, the child may freeze.
• Secondly, a large bathtub gives more room for maneuvers; bathing can be turned into an interesting game. In addition, active movements in water are extremely beneficial for muscle tone.

Important! It is necessary to boil water for bathing a newborn, as noted above, in only one case - if the umbilical wound has not yet healed.If this process has already been completed, you can use ordinary running water, after adding a few drops of a potassium permanganate solution to the bath for disinfection.

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Bathing herbs

The baby’s skin is especially in need of care, because it still does not have a reliable protective layer and is prone to inflammation and diaper rash. Decoctions of some useful plants, for example, chamomile, sage or a succession, cope well with these problems. They can not only relieve skin irritation, but also help the body relax before bedtime.

Prepare a bath based on herbs as follows:

1. Pour 4-5 tablespoons of dry grass into one liter of boiling water - you need to boil this water for bathing the newborn, otherwise you will not be able to prepare the broth.
2. Let the broth infuse until the plants settle to the bottom, and the water acquires a characteristic golden hue.
3. Strain the water through a strainer, gauze or regular cotton cloth.
4. Add the broth to the bath, while it should slightly change its color.

Important! The use of herbs for swimming is not a requirement. In addition, it is very important to monitor allergic manifestations on the skin. If only you notice characteristic rashes after the procedure, you must refuse and consult a pediatrician.

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First baby bath

For young parents, the first bath of the baby is a difficult procedure, because the risk is that the baby will cry, swallow water or freeze. At the same time, this procedure is an elementary hygiene skill, so sooner or later you will have to master it.

Important! The first bath should not be before the umbilical wound heals. Up to this point, you can only carry out wet wipes. As a rule, healing occurs, on average, a week after discharge.

So, we bathe the child for the first time:

1. The first thing you need to start with is to wait until the child is in a good mood, because the mood of the parent and the baby is an important part of the procedure.
2. Before bathing, thoroughly wash the bath. To do this, it is not advisable to use strong chemicals. It is only enough to rinse the walls with a soda solution and rinse it off with running water.
3. Whether to boil water for bathing a newborn is a matter for every parent. In principle, ordinary water can be dispensed with if it is transparent and clean. So, put in the bath so much water to completely hide the body to neck level.
4. Carefully lower the baby into the water, starting with the legs, and ending with the shoulders. It is very important to fully support his entire body.

Important! It is very convenient to use a special hard stand with a fabric tab. You can buy one or make one yourself. So you will not worry much that you will miss your child and it will swallow water, and the child himself will be more pleasant and interesting.

5. The kid should gradually get used to the water. Closely monitor his facial expressions - as soon as he begins to show negative emotions, he must be distracted.
6. While swimming, you should not be afraid of getting water in your ears. However, it is very important to dry them thoroughly after bathing to avoid otitis media.
7. You can only use special children's detergents. It is enough for a newborn to wash with soap only 1-2 times a week, during other procedures ordinary bathing is enough.
8. After water procedures, wrap the baby in a large and warm towel, dry thoroughly and do not rush to swaddle. The skin should dry completely, otherwise - it is possible to provoke diaper rash.

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Stock footage

It is believed that water is the most natural environment for our body, because we spend the first 9 months of life completely immersed in liquid. Bathing should be a familiar thing that goes without tears and tantrums. Therefore, during water procedures it is extremely important to monitor not only the state of water, but also the baby’s emotions.