Bathing Your Premature Baby: A Guide for New Parents

If you are a parent of a preemie baby, there is a high chance that taking care of your li’l bundle of joy is done by the NICU staff. But sometimes parents are allowed to join the NICU staff to help out with bath time at the hospital. If you didn’t get a chance, do not worry! By the end of this article, you will feel very confident!

You would have been advised by your paediatrician to wait till your baby is 2-2.5kgs to start bathing them. The WHO recommends bathing babies over 2.5kgs  Why?

Most premature babies are low in weight, which means they have less body fat. As fat cells keep the body warm, they can get cold during a bath and turn blue. This is called Hypothermia.

Should I give my baby a sponge bath or a tub bath?

There are a couple of things to consider.

• First, is the umbilical cord is still attached?
• If yes is it oozing or bleeding actively? Then a sponge bath is a way to go.
• Second, Was your baby circumcised? If the circumcision is still healing, then give a sponge bath.
• If the cord and the circumcision have healed and the baby is 2kgs, you can move onto a tub bath. It’s a fact that babies enjoy tub baths more!

How often should I bathe my baby?

Babies, especially preemies, have sensitive skin that gets dry very quickly. If your baby’s skin is dry, bathe them every two to four days. It’s also better to clean your baby using coconut oil than soap, as it acts as an additional moisturiser. It also helps with dry skin peeling.

Babies who sweat a lot or spit up frequently will need to be bathed more frequently, while babies who stay mostly clean can go longer between baths

What is a swaddled bath?

Premature babies are used to being around warm amniotic fluid. A swaddled bath- wrapping your baby in a thin muslin cloth will comfort your baby during its first bath. Premature babies can’t regulate their body temperature, so a swaddled bath will help retain the temperature without overstimulating them.

• With a swaddle bath, you remove one part of the swaddle, pulling it just far enough away to expose the baby’s skin in each area for cleansing.
• Just as with a regular bath, you will want to clean the most sensitive parts of your baby, such as their eyes, first.
• Wipe from the inner to the outer eye corners with cotton balls or a corner of a clean washcloth soaked and wrung with plain water.
• Then change the cotton balls, or rotate them to another corner of the cloth. Avoid cross-contamination of any bacteria housed in one eye to the other as it’s easily transferred. Pay extra attention to the neck folds and creases in the baby’s arms and legs. 
• Go slowly and soothe your baby as you move from one area of their body at a time, pulling the swaddle away and then wrapping that area of baby’s body up again as you move to another part of baby’s body.
• While this may seem like a long, slow bath, it’s important to keep baths shorter, rather than longer, for babies born prematurely because they may struggle to maintain their body temperature.

Also remember: Have all of your supplies, including extra towels, clothes, and a safe place to wrap and dry your tiny baby ready. Turn off the phone and ask your partner or another person for an extra pair of hands to help.

Prepare the areas you’ll be bathing baby in for when you’re ready to dry and dress baby. Pad your work area with extra clean towels. Grab a diaper or two, since bathing often stimulates babies to relax and let loose! Always gently pat your baby dry–never rub baby’s skin–especially preemie skin as their skin is very thin and sensitive.

Congratulations! Bath time is finished. Snuggle your baby and offer a feeding, then lay them down to sleep. Babies are often sleepy after a bath and may eat less or sleep better after a bath than at other times.