Your baby will be able to sit up in the water with your help, or you could use a special support that allows him to remain upright which of course means your hands will be free. A rubber bath mat is always a good idea too as it helps to stop little ones slipping around in the bath. Be prepared to get a little wet yourself as your baby grows and begins to splash more. The squeals of delight are more than enough to compensate for a soggy mum or dad.
- You can use a gentle baby wash or a washcloth, just warm water won’t be enough to clean your baby when they are a little older.
- Bubbles can be a great treat and a fascinating ‘bath toy’.
- Be careful about hot taps – now that your baby’s more mobile, he can touch the tap and hurt himself. Remember to run cold water through the tap last to prevent scalds.
- Need to add hot water because the bath’s gone cold? It’s safer to have a jug you can fill from the basin tap, and then pour into the bath, mixing it with your hand as you do so.
- A bath is a useful part of a regular evening routine for an older baby. It can help wind your baby down, tire him out, and act as a marker to the end of the day so try to have the bath at about the same time each evening. Follow the bath with the last milk feed and a cuddle.
For more information see Baby bathing or Baby Care
Last Published* May, 2024
*Please note that the published date may not be the same as the date that the content was created and that information above may have changed since.