Bathing And Cleanliness Druing Infancy And Childhood.

During infancy.
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Being clean is essential for optimal health in a new born infant. Special attention should be paid by the parent to consider the following guidelines as you take care of your baby’s hygiene.

Babies should be given a bath in warm water, not hot and not too cold. Babies do not have to be bathed on a daily basis, especially in the winter months when the skin is susceptible to drying out. Babies do not do much to get dirty in an average day and as long as you thoroughly cleanse the baby during diaper changes, you will not need to give your baby a bath every night.

Giving a baby a bath in the evening is one way to soothe your baby and prepare it for a good night’s rest. Using a gentle baby formula that contains lavender will help calm your baby and provide nourishment to the skin. Again, avoid colder temperatures as this may make your baby irritable and learn to dislike water altogether.

After you give your baby a bath, make sure to dry creases and crevices thoroughly. Any water left on your baby’s skin can result in an unwanted and uncomfortable rash. Pay special attention to creases in the neck as often baby’s spit up while eating and excess breast milk or formula can accumulate easily in this area.

During childhood.
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As in infancy, children should be bathed when they are soiled, sweaty from too much exertion, or in need of a relaxing ritual before bedtime.

Children are often very active and in summer months require baths on a nightly basis to keep healthy. A good long bath at nighttime will help your child relax, just as it did when she was an infant. When the weather is hot, try a cool bath to help your child obtain a desirable body temperature.

Children rarely like to spend time in the bathtub and so setting a routine early on in life and sticking with the routine will make bath time less of a hassle for parents. When children know what to expect each night, they are less likely to complain over time.

Pay special attention to areas such as under the fingernails, the scalp, behind ears and neckline as children are not careful as they wash themselves. Keep nails trimmed to ensure good hand hygiene.

A calming, nighttime bath routine can be highly successful at getting your child settled for the night and allow for a peaceful night of sleep. Children that feel clean and comfortable will obtain better rest throughout the night hours and less likely to wake up for no apparent reason.