Giving regular bath to babies and toddlers is essential to keep them clean and healthy. It is also a part of parental love and special care for the kids, giving them a chance to become closer to each other. However, giving a bath to babies and toddlers is often difficult because they are fidgety and do not lie still. Some may protest by screaming or thrashing.
In such cases it is better to ignore the screaming and protests, and get on with your job of giving the bath. It could be done by mentally blocking out the commotion so that the crying does not affect you emotionally. This will enable you to do the job quickly and efficiently, and the baby could be consoled very soon. Some crying is good for their health by giving exercise to their lungs. During the first few months, giving bath in a small plastic bath tub is good. It could be placed inside a normal bath tub or kept over a low table.
Also, keep all the bathing materials such as soap and towel close at hand. This will enable you to reach out and grab these without breaking eye contact. It is better to maintain eye contact always to make the baby feel safe and secure. Normally, babies and toddlers should feel comfortable with bathing because they had spent almost 10 months continuously in fluid inside their mother’s womb.
If the kids are unhappy with the bathing it may be due to some other reasons. The bath water may be too hot or cold. Feel the water with your elbow, or use a tester or bath thermometer to check the water temperature. Babies and small toddlers are unable to regulate their body temperature. Even small changes in temperature will affect them. Hence they need to be always kept warm. Close all the windows before giving them a bath to keep out cold wind or draft. Some soothing music will help to relax them.
The above recommendations are sufficient to make bathing a relaxing time, but if you want more details you can find a lot of books, or check with websites such as Ebaymaternity.co.uk for books and information.
Posted on May 22nd, 2008 by admin
Filed under: Baby, Child Care, Skin Care, Toddler, bath
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