Bathing a baby for the first time can be exciting yet scary. Baby skin is soft and delicate. Any harmful product or item can harm them. Special care must be taken to check all the products used for bathing a baby. It is advisable to take doctor’s recommendations. Here we list down certain essentials required for a safe baby bath.
1. Hooded towel
The hooded towel is best way to receive a baby after the bath. It is fluffy and soft. One must remember that water on baby’s body must be gently dried. If you dry by rubbing it then skin is likely to get damaged.
Top picks
Best brands recommended for hooded towels are Scene Weaver, Trend Lab, Kidsline, 3Sprouts, American Terry, Baby Aspen, NoJo, BabyVision, Living Textiles, Under The Nile, Ambajam, AVON, Absorba, Sleeping Partner, Winnie the Pooh and many more.
2. Baby tub
It is best to bathe the baby in tubs rather than sink or on the floor. You need to purchase a baby tub for this purpose. The tub need to be of appropriate size, sturdy, firm and without any sharp edges.
Top picks
The best brands for bath tub for babies are 4moms, a Real Cool World, Fisher-Price, Hoppop, Safety 1st, Summer Infant and First Years.
3. Sanitized cotton balls
The sanitized cotton balls are needed to clean the area around the baby’s eyes. To clean it, try going from inside to outside of the eye. Use different cotton balls for each eye.
Top picks
The best brands for sanitized cotton balls are ZUTANO, Menda, Coccons, Crazy, Athleta, Carter’S, Flapdoodles, JOHNSON & JOHNSON, JoJo Designs, Lion Brand, MIS TEE V-US, GreenHead Gear, Little Bamboo, IRIS, HABA, Tea, SPIDER-MAN, Quiksilver.
4. Baby sponge
If you are opting for a sponge bath or tub bath for your baby then you will require a baby sponge. If the baby is newly born then you must wash from the neck down. Do not undress the child at once. Try removing clothes in parts to avoid baby from getting cold. It is advised not to take your hands off from your baby once you have started bathing them.
Top picks
The best brands for baby sponge are Hauck, Chicco, Fisher Price, Graco, BSA Toddlers, Mee Mee, 1st Step and Little Tikes.
5. Baby soap
There is too much confusion about the soap to be used for the baby. Soaps have certain ingredients that dry the skin. The pH of Baby helps in protecting them against the germs. But it can be lowered with the usage of soaps. Pediatricians advise it is safe to use soaps that are meant specifically for babies. These soaps are mild, hypoallergenic and have no perfumes. It is not mandatory to use soaps during every bath. Using soap once in a week or once in a couple of weeks is best till the tiny tot doesn’t grow a little old.
Top picks
Some of the leading brands for baby soaps are CAMP SUDS, Mommy’s Helper, Dr. Bronner’s, DREAM BABY, BAILEY, BRONNLEY, BENtley Organic, Aden + Anais, Pampers, REVIVA, Tokyo Milk, The First Years, Summer infant products, Primo, Safety 1st, LITTLE TWIG, JJ Cole, Heloo Kitty.
6. Baby shampoo
Shampoo should be applied once or twice a week only. For shampooing, put a little amount of shampoo on the head. The shampoo should only be two to three drops. It must be gently rubbed all over the scalp. Do this very slowly.
Top picks
Some best baby shampoo brands are Earth Mama Angel Baby Shampoo & Body Wash, Belly Buttons & Baby Body Wash/Shampoo, Lafe’s Organic Foaming Baby Shampoo, California Baby Shampoo, Burt’s Bees Baby Shampoo, Nature’s Baby Organics, Little Twig Shampoo, Aquaphor Baby Gentle Wash.
7. Skin products
There are some controversies on the powders, lotions and oils that you use for your baby. Generally, lotions that contain perfumes are most likely to have irritating chemical, so avoid them. Safflower oil has been considered better to be used for babies than the complex substituted products in the market. It is advised not to use powders for the babies. The powder may choke breathing passages and cause breathing problems or may even develop allergies.
Top picks
Earth Mama Angel Baby, Burt’s Bees, California Baby are a few trusted brands for baby skin products.
8. Baby hair brush
During bathing a baby, you must ensure that the scalp is cleaned daily. It must be done gently using a surgical brush or a soft toothbrush. If not done regularly, the child may develop scaly and crusty patches on head.
Top picks
Disney, Empire Silver, Marshalltown Trowel, Lunt Silver, Dynasty, Fuchs, Marshalltown Co and Summer Infant Products are some of best brands for hair brushes.
9. Nail clippers
The best time to cut your baby’s toe and finger nails is just after the bath. Nails are soft then and do not induce pain.
Top picks
Some leading brands of baby nail clippers are Safety 1st, Tweezerman, Summer Infant Products, Japonesque, Graco, Piyo Piyo, Seki, Baby King.
10. Baby diaper
Regularly after the bath, the baby must wear a fresh diaper. This keeps them dirt and germ free. The diaper too must be of good quality. Some rough diapers may form rashes on the baby’s skin.
Top picks
Pampers, Luvs, Huggies, Drypers, Nature Bumz Co., Beaufort RAK, Libero, GoodNites, Pull- Ups and Moltex are some leading brands of baby diapers.
