Bathing Your Baby (6 months-2 years)

Baby Bathing Safety

Before you begin, make sure you have everything you could possibly need for bath time — soap, washcloth, towel, diaper, and change of clothes — within reach so one hand can stay on baby at all times. When the bath is done, quickly wrap your baby up in a towel so she doesn’t lose too much body heat.

A few safety rules to remember:

• Never leave your baby alone in the tub.
• Gather all of your supplies (soaps, towels, cotton balls, washcloths, etc) before you undress baby. If you forget something, wrap baby in a towel and bring him along for the ride.
• Never leave baby in the care of another child, even for a moment.
• Empty the tub completely right after a bath. A baby can drown in as little as one inch of water.
• A cushioned faucet cover can protect your baby’s head from nasty bumps or cuts. Also, be sure that any sliding glass shower doors are made from safety glass.
• Place a nonskid mat on the tub floor to prevent baby from slipping.
• Learn infant CPR.
• Keep bathroom doors closed and toilet seats down.
• Keep your water heater at 120°F so baby won’t get burned if the faucet accidentally gets turned on.
• Don’t put your little one into the tub when the water is still running. There is always the possibility that the water could get too deep or the temperature could change.
• Put safety first, and teach baby not to stand in the tub. Starting this at an early age is a good idea as habits can form right away.