As with many milestone events with your baby, the majority of new parents struggle with when and how to give a newborn a bath. In this article and my video, I’ll walk through how to give a sponge bath to a newborn baby and what baby bathing essentials you’ll need so as to make the process of bathing your newborn after birth easier and less stressful.

When to Bathe a Newborn Baby?

When can and should you bathe a newborn? There is no clear rule regarding when to bathe your infant after birth, so the decision of when to give the first infant bath really comes down to personal preference. Many experts advise trying to give your baby a bath within the first week after birth and then several times a week after that. Some parents chose to give their infant baby a bath every day from the beginning, and some chose to just clean the diaper area and the neck (where milk can get caught in the folds) daily, and to give a full-on sponge bath only once or twice during the first week. I gave my 6 newborn babies an infant sponge bath a few times a week during the first two weeks, eventually working up to once a day. 

How Often Should you Bathe a Newborn Baby?

Like the issue of when to bathe your newborn after birth, the question of how often to bathe an infant baby depends largely on what works for you and your family. That said, the frequency of infant baby baths should increase gradually over time.

When to Bathe a 1-Week-Old Newborn Baby?

After how many days can you bathe a newborn? Most doctors do not have a strict rule here but rather recommend that your baby’s first bath occur at some point during their first week. Remember that this is just a guideline and although you do need to start regularly bathing your baby at some point, waiting more than a week should not cause any harm. Most parents try to give their new baby the first bath at some point during the  first week home. If you are not giving a daily sponge bath to your infant, make sure to keep your baby’s diaper area and neck (where milk can get caught in the folds) clean. 

When to Bathe a 2-Week-Old Newborn Baby?

Aim to bathe your 2-week-old baby 2-3 times. Again, this is not a hard and fast rule so don’t worry if you only bathe your baby once during week 2. Some parents bathe every day, some less frequently. It’s a matter of personal preference and your baby will not really get dirty. Just remember to keep those key areas (the diaper and neck area) clean. 

When to Bathe a 1-Month-Old Newborn Baby?

By the 1-month-old mark, some parents like to bathe daily and others prefer to bathe a few times a week. With so many other kids milling around in my home, including coming home from school, and Bracey going outside quite a bit, I preferred to give him a bath every day. I also found that after baths, Bracey tended to breastfeed more robustly without falling off to sleep. 

Benefits of Bathing Baby Daily

Bathing your newborn baby daily allows you to make sure that their diaper and neck areas remain super clean. A daily newborn bath also provides a great way to keep your infant alert for breastfeeding sessions. You love the way your baby smells after a bath and they will tend to sleep even better since the bath wears them out a bit. If your baby has dry or irritated skin, your doctor might recommend less frequent baths.  

At What Time of Day should you Bathe a Newborn Baby?

Like the answer to the question “how often should I bathe my baby,” the question of what time of day to bathe your baby is largely a matter of personal preference. Some parents prefer to do the infant bath in the morning, some during the day, some before dinner, and others at bedtime. I found that when I bathed my baby before naps or nighttime sleep, they tended to sleep even better, probably because they were tuckered out from the bath. 

How to Schedule Infant Baths around Breastfeeding Sessions 

One thing you can do if you are breastfeeding and struggling to keep your baby awake to nurse — which is a real challenge for most breastfeeding moms during the early weeks — is to give your baby the bath to wake them up and then breastfeed. You’ll find that the infant bath in fact truly wakes your baby up and keeps them alert for a while! No matter when you choose to bathe your newborn baby, make sure to hold them afterwards for a good while because they will have that very special infant smell which you’ll want to breathe in and savor!

Is it Better to Bathe Baby Straight Before or After Feeding?

Experts do not recommend bathing a baby right after a feeding because their tummy will inevitably be full. You also should not bathe a baby when they are very tired or hungry. Pick a time well in advance of a feeding when your baby appears to be comfortable. As stated, with my newborn babies, bathing before a feed helped them wake up to breastfeed, which is challenging in the early days because babies tend to fall asleep easily at the breast. 

Where Should you Bathe a Newborn Baby?

Where is the best place to bathe an infant? Newborn babies should have sponge baths and should not be immersed in water until their umbilical cords have healed and, in the case of circumcised boys, the penis also has healed. For this reason, you need to give your infant a sponge bath and cannot immerse them in the baby bathtub in water. You can give an infant sponge bath either in a baby bathtub or on a towel. The AAP does recommend an infant bath tub. You can buy baby bath tubs with cushioned inserts and straps. Placing your infant bathtub in an adult tub does not work because you will kill your back leaning over to access your baby. Try placing your baby bathtub on the floor of your bathroom with a thick towel underneath. 

How Do you Give your Baby a Sponge Bath on a Towel?

You can also lay a thick adult towel on a flat surface and bathe your baby there, making sure to keep one hand on your baby at all times. I bathed my infant babies on the counter next to the sink in my bathroom, framing and protecting my baby with my body and making sure to keep one hand on my baby at all times. 

Checklist of Newborn Baby Bathing Essentials 

Whether you use an infant bath tub or a towel for your baby sponge bath, step one to a successful baby bath is having all of your baby bathing essentials within hands reach. Newborn sponge bath supplies should include the following items. 

Baby Bath Towel

When bathing your newborn baby, you’ll need one thick adult bath towel underneath the bathtub or your baby and another adult towel or baby bathing towel for drying your baby off. Baby bathing towels should be thick and absorbent. Baby bath towels with hoods  help dry off your baby’s head right away and help keep your baby warm. 

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A Kitchen Mixing Bowl with Warm Clean Water

The second baby bathing essential you’ll need (which you have already in your kitchen!) is a kitchen mixing bowl filled with warm clean water. You cannot take water from the tap when you bathe your newborn, since tap water can have variations in temperature, and you do not want to risk burning your baby. Any type of big bowl will do just fine. Just make sure it’s clean. 

A Cup or Glass for Rinsing Baby 

The third baby bath essential you’ll need is a cup or glass for rinsing your baby off. You’ll place this cup in your mixing bowl to get clean water with which to rinse your baby. Any type of cup or glass will do just fine. Make sure it’s clean. 

Baby Liquid Soap

The third baby bathing essential you’ll need is liquid soap.

Best Soap for Infants

When bathing your newborn baby, you’ll need a sensitive soap. Parents generally prefer liquid soaps, turning to classic bar soap later on. Opt for organic brands or those without color or fragrance. 

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What a Good Baby Bath Temperature?

Newborn bath temperature should be slightly warm, not hot nor cold, but comfortably warm. Room temperature is too cold. Aim for around 100 F (38 C). Test your baby bath temperature with you hands. Also make sure the room temperature is not too chilly, since after the bath your newborn baby can quickly get cold. 

How to Give a Sponge Bath to a Newborn Baby  

So with that advice and these baby bathing essentials in mind, here’s a step by step guide to bathing a newborn baby. 

Organize Newborn Sponge Bath Supplies  

Select where you will be bathing your baby and place all baby bathing essentials — your towels, large mixing bowl of warm water, and cup for rinsing — within hands reach. Fill your bowl with warm (not hot) water. 

Remove Baby’s Diaper 

Lay your baby on their back on your towel or in the infant bathtub. Remove their diaper. Pray that they do not poop or pee!

How do I Wash my Baby during an Infant Bath? 

Using your cup, place a small amount of warm water on your baby. If your baby’s umbilical cord has not fallen off or they still have bandages from a circumcision, you cannot get these areas wet, so avoid them. Focus on your baby’s front. Lather up arms, fingers, neck, legs, and feet, going between fingers and toes and cleaning out the folds. Use the opportunity to do some infant massage. Once your baby’s front is thoroughly clean, dip your cup into your bowl of clean water, and rinse down the front. Don’t go near the face. 

How to Clean Newborn Girl Privates

Clean your newborn baby girls private area by using gentle soap and rinsing well from front to back. The same holds true for diaper changes. In order to prevent the vaginal area from getting infected, you want to always wipe front to back.

How to Clean Newborn Boy Privates

If you have a boy who has been circumcised, you cannot wet their private area until the healing process has ended. Once the penis is healed, you can clean the penis well with soapy water. Clean your baby boy’s private area by going carefully inside the folds and rinsing well from front to back. 

How Do I Wash my Baby’s Back? 

Now, if your baby is in an infant bathtub, you’ll need to lift them up a bit to wash their back while they are seated. When bathing my baby on a towel, I turn them over and hold them securely under the arm pits while I wash their back. Then, I quickly rinse their back. Once their back is clean, I turn my baby back around again to the front. This might look tricky but you will get the hang of it in no time. Just make sure at all times that your baby is safe and there is no risk of falling or slipping. 

How Do I Wash my Baby’s Head?

Once your baby’s front and back have been cleaned, you can clean their head. If you are bathing your newborn baby on a towel, with your baby on their back, wash their head carefully, being careful not to wet their face. Cup your hand along the top of their forehead while your rinse the head so that soapy water does not go into their eyes.  

How do I Wash my Baby’s Face?

What I do with the baby’s face at this stage is just wipe it with my wet hands. I don’t use soap. You don’t need soap for your baby’s face until much later, and you don’t want to risk having soap get into your baby’s eyes. Although some sources say this is ok. I would not use baby wipes on my baby’s face since wipes (even gentle ones) cleaning agents. If you feel that your baby’s face is dirty or sweaty, try wiping it down with a wet washcloth. 

Washcloths for Newborn

Rather than wiping a baby’s face off with their hands, some parents prefer using an infant wash cloth. These come in especially handy when you are not doing a daily bath but instead wiping off your baby’s face and neck (where milk can get caught between the folds). You can also use infant washcloths during the baby bath rather than using your hands directly. I like to use my hands, especially since I try to do a bit of infant massage as a bathe my baby.

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How Do I Dry my Baby Off? 

With your baby squeaky clean, you can now place a towel over your shoulder, and lay your baby on top of the towel. Then, wrap the towel around your baby and make your way to their changing table. Lay your baby down on the changing table. Put on a fresh diaper. Get your baby nicely dressed in a onesie and a pajama. You’re work (for now) is done!

Baby’s First Bath Questions 

So now that we’re experts when it comes to the infant sponge bath, let’s turn to some of the critical questions parents ask about baby’s first bath. 

Do I Need a Baby Bathtub?

The AAP recommends baby bathtubs for infant babies out of concern that babies be bathed in a safe place. You cannot really put a baby bathtub in an adult bath because you will strain your back as you try to access the tub. You can place your baby bathtub on your bathroom floor. Many parents also opt to give a simple sponge bath and forego the baby bathtub until later, especially since while your baby’s umbilical cord and (in the case of boys) private areas might be healing, they cannot get wet. I do my baby’s sponge bath on the counter next to the sink in my bathroom. 

When Can I Bathe my Newborn in Water after their Umbilical Cord Falls Off?

As soon as your baby’s umbilical cord has fallen off (and in the case of circumcised boys, their penis has healed), they can be submerged in a small amount of water. Even so, most parents prefer to give a sponge bath in the early days and weeks, which allows you control which parts of your baby’s body get wet.

Do I Need Baby Shampoo?

At this stage, you do not need shampoo but rather a gentle baby soap or liquid which you can use for your baby’s body and their hair. Opt for fragrance and color-free products without unnecessary chemicals that are gently on baby’s soft skin. Newborn babies are prone to rashes and other skin conditions. Keep these at bay to the extent possible by not exposing your baby to unnecessary ingredients or irritants. 

Best Baby Soap 

The best newborn soaps are simple, fragrance- and color-free, and gentle on baby’s sensitive skin. There are many excellent products on the market today. Combined shampoo and baby bath liquids are fine, although you can also just opt for the baby liquid soap. 

Do Babies Need Lotion? 

Newborn babies do not need lotion. Their skin is usually soft and supple. If your baby shows signs of dryness or eczema, your doctor might recommend a gentle lotion. In most cases, you can forego the lotion until much later. 

Is Baby Powder Safe?

Although a classic that many of us grew up with, baby powder is not advisable for babies. In fact it’s not really for babies at all. Some parents like the idea of putting a bit of baby powder or talcum powder in baby’s diaper area and it certainly smells good, but you do not need it. If your baby’s diaper area is irritated, you need diaper cream or ointment, not powder. The AAP recommends not using baby powder because it can get breathed in by your baby and is not healthy for baby’s lungs. 

So there you go, mamas and papas. Thanks for reading and check in for more how-to guides.