Tips For Bathing Your Baby and Caring for Their Skin

Giving your baby a bath can be an amazing bonding experience, but we know how nerve-wracking it can be when they’re so small and fragile! From how best to hold them to what to clean the bath with, here are some helpful tips for bathing your baby, for a safe and happy bathtime routine with your tiny tot.

How to top and tail your baby

In those precious newborn days, top and tailing is the perfect alternative to giving your baby a full bath. You can use a wash cloth, cotton pads or our Natural Baby Bath Sponge to gently wipe your baby’s skin with plain warm water.

Start at the 'top' with their eyes, ears, neck and face. Pay attention to neck creases, where milk and fluff can get trapped. Then do their hands and feet, before cleaning their nappy area (this is the 'tailing'). Make sure you dry them gently and carefully, paying attention to their skin folds where trapped moisture can cause redness.

Gather all the essentials 

Start with quick baths at first, to help them get used to the experience. Make sure the room is warm and you’ve everything ready – a soft baby towel, wash cloth or sponge, clean nappy and fresh clothes.

Maintain a safe water temperature

The bath water should be at body temperature. It shouldn’t feel too hot or too cold. You can check this by putting your elbow in the water.

How to hold your baby in the bath

Lower your little one slowly into the water so they don’t feel as though they’re falling. Have one arm behind their shoulders and neck, holding their outside arm with your hand. This helps keep their head supported. Place your other hand under their bottom.

Enjoy this special bonding experience

Once their bottom is resting on the floor of the bath, you can free that hand to wash them. You can gently splash the warm water over your little one to wash them and/or use our soft wash cloth or sponge. Use this time to talk to your baby, sing songs and make eye contact to create a positive and enjoyable experience.

Gently pat them dry

When you finish washing your little one, get a firm grip on them as they will be slippery. You can put your free arm back under their bottom and hold their legs, then lift them out onto the towel. Dry your baby carefully, paying particular attention to any skin folds that can get easily irritated. Once dry, smooth on a little Kokoso Baby Coconut Oil to keep these delicate folds fresh and happy. 

When should I start using products in baby's bath?

In the first few weeks, midwives recommend using plain water to cleanse baby’s super sensitive skin. You can then start to introduce a very mild, unfragranced cleanser such as Kokoso Baby’s Gentle Hair & Body Wash with organic coconut oil and aloe vera. We also have a naturally scented version of this product, for when baby’s skin has matured and strengthened and you are ready to use a gently fragranced wash product. We recommend introducing this at around three months old. 

How often should I bathe my baby?

Most midwives recommend bathing newborns two or three times per week, increasing the frequency as your baby gets older. Even though you may not give your baby a bath every day, top & tailing is a great alternative for the smallest tots.

Post-bath baby skincare

If you want to massage and moisturise your baby after their bath, try our premium organic Baby Coconut Oil. You can apply a small amount to their nappy area too, as a soothing natural nappy balm. This light nourishing oil is also perfect for any red skin folds, dry patches or flaky skin and scalps.

What if my baby has dry skin or eczema?

Hot water and longer bathtimes can irritate and dry out skin, often causing eczema to flare up in little ones with sensitive and eczema-prone skin. For this reason, it’s recommended to keep bath water warm and avoid bathing baby for longer than 10 minutes. Choose a mild bath wash that has been dermatologically approved for eczema-prone skin, such as our Gentle Hair & Body Wash.

After bathing, pat skin dry gently rather than rubbing. Moisturise the skin using a mild and natural eczema-friendly lotion or oil such as our Coconut Oil Baby Lotion or Kokoso Baby Coconut Oil.

What should I use to clean my baby's bath?

It’s also important to use a skin-friendly bathroom cleaner such as Kokoso Protect’s Surface Disinfectant. This germ-busting biodegradable spray is fragrance-free, with no toxic fumes and doesn’t leave a harmful residue on surfaces that can irritate skin. It’s also dermatologically tested and clinically approved for sensitive skin, making it perfect for families with little ones.

Kokoso Baby's range of nourishing bathtime products is designed to cleanse and protect delicate skin in the water, without stripping moisture. 

Please note we always recommend doing a patch test when first using any product on baby’s skin.