Give Your Baby A Sponge Bath
Keep Them Clean & Fresh

For the first 1-2 weeks you can give your baby a sponge bath instead of drawing out a full bath. Your newborn baby needs to be cleaned every day as your baby's hands, face and bottom tend to get irritated from sweat, spit up, urine and feces. Keep building your bond through talking and cuddling with your baby as you prepare and give your newborn a baby sponge bath.

To reduce the risk of infection start sponging your baby down at the face and work your way down.

Wiping The Face
  • Use cotton balls and a bowl of warm water
  • Use a new cotton ball for each eye and wipe from the inside corner and move out
  • Clean the face, around the nose, over and behind each ear but not inside the ear
Sweat & Moving Down
  • Use another moistened cotton ball to wipe under the chin, the creases in the neck, the back of the hands and the feet
  • Using another cotton ball, wipe any areas where sweat can irritate the skin, including the underarms

Bottom & Skin Folds
  • Using cotton balls or a warm wash cloth, clean your baby's bottom and any skin folds

Drying The Skin
  • To prevent unwanted rashes, dry the skin well especially in between the fingers, the toes and behind the ears

The Umbilical Cord & Stump
  • When cleaning the umbilical cord stump, use rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball or sterile swab for the cord & areas around the stump
  • Fold down the top of your baby's diaper to cover or lightly wrap the cord & stump area with a 7.5cm-10cm sterile gauze compress
  • Allow the umbilical cord stump to fall off on its own
  • Never try to pull or pinch off the stump

Congratulate yourself for doing a fantastic job in giving your baby an enjoyable and sponge cleansing bath.

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