How to bathe a child in a large bath: rules, safety precautions, methods

Bathing in a large bath: pros and cons

Bathing is necessary for children. Its benefits are undeniable:

the body is hardened - the child becomes stronger, healthier;
energy is wasted - the baby dangles its legs, spins in the water, plays actively;
the baby gets used to the water - he will have no fear of the sea or river;
healthy sleep - warm water relaxes, active games make the child tired and sleep better;
strengthening muscles, normalizing tone - water solves the problems of hyper- and hypotonicity of muscles.

The disadvantages include the baby's possible fear of water procedures. He can cry and break out. Parents have to be on guard - you can’t take your eyes off the baby and don’t move a step away. Parental carelessness can result in tragedy.

How to prepare for swimming

This is an important point, since the bathroom itself is a rather dangerous place even for an adult, not to mention a child. That's why:

Before bathing, we lay out an anti-slip mat so that you don’t slip and drop your baby;
if the baby does not yet know how to sit normally, it is advisable to use a special child seat for the bathroom;
and, of course, you need to stock up on rags to wipe up water from the floor, since children’s games in the bathroom are a wet affair.

All children's games in the bathroom can be divided into several categories. Let's talk about them in more detail.

When to give your newborn a bath

The opinion of pediatricians is ambiguous. Some believe that the procedures can be started after the navel falls off, others recommend starting ablutions upon arrival home from the maternity hospital.

American pediatricians, for example, advise mothers to wipe their newborns with a damp sponge, and when the umbilical cord stump falls off, to bathe their month-old baby in the bath.

It is also not forbidden to bathe the baby together with the parent, provided that the adult has proper hygiene and safety precautions are observed.

Joint bathing and contraindications for infants

Unhealed umbilical remnant.
Pustular manifestations on the skin of the streptoderma type. You can worsen the baby's condition.
Age over 12 months. In order for a child to develop the “correct” childhood sexuality, it is better for mothers to bathe with their daughters, and for fathers with boys. It is better to practice joint bathing until one is a year old.
Child's reluctance. The idea of taking a shared bath should be abandoned if your baby needs space and doesn’t like being in the water with you.

Benefits of sharing a bath

Does your child not like water, but loves spending time with you? Get into the bath with him! Joint splashing has a number of advantages:

The baby is not afraid to be in the water;
A close emotional contact is established between you;
You control the baby's movements;
You have no physical tension - you don’t have to bend over your child or hold him, your back, arms and legs are relaxed.

It's great to soak in warm water with your mother if your baby lacks her attention during the day.

Please note: only same-sex parents can bathe together with their one-year-old daughter and son.

How to deal with your fear of water

When choosing a method of dealing with a phobia, parents should take into account the age of the child and try to find out where the fear came from. Use different methods to achieve a positive result.

Read also…. What to do if your child missed a lot of lessons at school?

Advice from psychologists

For children of any age, the psycho-emotional atmosphere in the home and relationships with parents are very important. Warmth and understanding help to overcome fears and prevent their occurrence. To get rid of hydrophobia, follow a few tips from psychotherapists and pediatricians.

What not to do if a child is afraid or does not like to swim

Force you to take a bath, enter a river, a swimming pool, or the sea.
Yelling while bathing or washing.
Hurry.
Immerse your body in water abruptly.
Accustom to hardening immediately in cold water.
Leave him alone to swim in a pond.
Draw a full bath.
Scare the baby with a shower or strong pressure.
Splash water in the face, especially for children from birth to one year.
Carry the child into a cold room after a warm bath.
Rub the clean body with a hard towel.
Use rough washcloths.

How to help your baby cope with hydrophobia

Show by your own example that water is a source of joy, fun, and purity. Teach your baby to love bathing. While washing, talk about how a person cannot exist without water, play, splash. Add more positive emotions to the process.
Play with water in your free time. Place the basin on the floor, put cups and rubber toys in it. Let the child splash and douse himself. This way he will understand that the water is safe.
Turn bath time into a game. Bring more toys, ducks, boats. Wash your baby gradually while he is busy.
Try changing your baby's bathtub. Perhaps the container is too deep, large or, conversely, too tight for the baby.
Before washing, tell your child what you will do now. Set your baby in a positive mood.
Be sure to praise after a successful bath. Positive assessment and parental support are very important for children.
Talk to children 2–3 years old about the need for hygiene procedures and their safety.
Don't insist on washing if your little one is in a pose today. Skip the hygiene procedure, take a 2-3 day break.
Wash your child in his pajamas if he doesn't want to do it naked. Get rid of clothes gradually next time. You can remove one item every day for a week.
Take a swimming course with your babies. The instructor will teach the child to swim and allow him to dive. The baby will see other children and their reaction to water.
Change the environment, room. Go to your grandmothers and friends on a bath day. Perhaps the reason lies in a negative attitude towards your bathroom. As a last resort, you can wash yourself in a basin in the kitchen.
Do not bathe a fearful baby in a bad mood, choose the right moment and gently carry out the procedure.
Wash your babies together. The child will feel safe, and wallowing with dad or mom is much more fun.
When washing newborns, lean over the bathtub as deeply as possible. The baby will think that you are in the water with him. The neck and head must be clearly held in the air.
Touch the water before immersing yourself in the bath. Let the baby wet his palm, then his arm to the elbow, his heel, and so on. Stop at the stage when the baby becomes scared.
Replace washing in a container with a shower or dousing.
Allow them to do things when bathing that are usually prohibited. For example, drawing on the walls. Gouache and watercolor can be easily erased from the tile, and the child will receive a lot of pleasant emotions.
Add affection and love to your voice. The baby will feel your care and tenderness. Persuade him to wash only with this intonation, forget about shouting and threats.
Talk to your baby while he is washing himself. The baby will take his mind off the water and enjoy communicating with his mother.

Important! If fear turns into a phobia, and any contact with water cannot be avoided without hysterics, do not hesitate to consult a doctor, preferably a psychologist or psychotherapist. Early treatment of fear and timely consultation will save the child from problems in the future.

Here are some more interesting tips from a child psychologist on what to do if your child doesn’t like to swim:

Advice from experienced parents

For 4-6 month old babies, buy a special bathing ring. It is put on the neck, the child feels calm and free. And mom’s hands are not busy.
Don't skimp on a slide or a seat for bathing children after 6 months. They will protect the bathing process; the baby will not be able to swallow water, roll over, or slip.
To prevent injuries, place rugs on the floor and in the bathtub.
Use dry bathing. Play with a bath without water. Cover the bottom with a diaper, put the baby there or sit an older child. Let him get used to the new subject. Gradually add water to it.
Place your baby in the bath before the water fills. Let him watch the container fill. Give your child toys. While the water fills up, he will play out and forget that he was afraid.
Use special shampoos and shower gels labeled “No Tears.” They are easy to wash out of the hair, they do not irritate, and do not pinch the mucous membrane.
There is no need to soap your face; wash your eyes and nose with clean water.
When washing your hair and rinsing your hair, tilt your neck back slightly. The water will flow down the back of the head, the foam will not get into the eyes.
Use open bodies of water to communicate with the water. A river, sea, or lake can become favorite vacation spots in the summer. It is not necessary to dive right away; you can walk in the water with your bare feet, swim near the shore, going up to your waist.
Make up your own bathroom game. For example, a dolphin. The baby will be a curious and brave waterfowl, and you will be an observer. Praise the hero for courageous actions, diving and floundering.
A continuation of the role-playing game can be an instructive tale. Tell your son or daughter about how the dolphin was afraid of water, and then overcame his fear, accomplished a feat and was the pride of his parents. A fairy tale will teach you not to be afraid and will become an example for a coward.
Learn poems and jokes about water. Tell them while bathing, during daytime games in the room.
Blow soap bubbles through the water. The child will want to catch them, but to do this he will have to go into the water.
Create an appropriate interior in the bathroom. Hang pictures, bright towels, Velcro, suction cup toys. The child should want to go there and touch the fairy-tale objects.
Change the word "swimming" to something else. Perhaps it is this very concept that frightens the baby. Say: “swim”, “flounder”.

Read also…. What to do if a 3-4 year old child doesn’t listen: Advice from a psychologist

Hydrophobia cannot be ignored at any age. Without bathing, washing, swimming, human life is impossible. Help your child get rid of fears, forget fear, stress, and fall in love with water. This will have a positive effect on his physical and mental health.

The game is a great helper in combating any fears of children. Try to play with your baby in the bath as much as possible, throw a lot of different water toys into the bath, entertain the child, talk to him, tell him that the toys are not afraid of water, how fun they splash, play and are not at all afraid of water - and then the bathing procedure will be associated only with fun. Will the child forget what the fear of bathing is?

Children from 1.5 to 5 years old are often afraid of bathing in the bathroom. And if an infant can scream in the bathtub while bathing from a banal fear of water and unfamiliar surroundings, then a baby over 1-1.5 years old is afraid of water because of fear. Why is a child afraid to swim? Why does he panic when he sees the bathroom? Let's find answers to these and other questions together!

How to bathe your baby safely in the bath

The child is under supervision. Don't leave him for a minute. The child sits confidently, strives to reach toys or the tap - especially don’t let your guard down. A baby who cannot sit must be held constantly. Remember: just a few centimeters of water is enough for a small child to choke;
Prepare all care products in advance. Place them at arm's length from you;
Measure the water temperature with a thermometer. The child will grow up, you will become more experienced - you will try with your elbow. The optimal temperature is 36.5 °C - 37 °C.
There is no need to thoroughly bathe your newborn in the bathtub. Keep it in clean water or herbal decoction. A washcloth, shampoo and gel are unnecessary - a baby in the first month of life does not get dirty that much. Aggressive washing will wash away the lipid protection from the skin, it will become dry;
There is no need to give your child a long bath. This can lead to dermatitis;
Perform eye, ear and nose hygiene separately. Do not pour water on the baby’s face - he will get scared;
There is no need to bathe your newborn in a stuffy bathtub. It shouldn't be hot in there. The optimal temperature is 24 °C;
It is better to give your child a bath at the same time. 60 minutes after eating, 40 minutes before or 60 minutes before bedtime.

Fear of swimming: let's look at the reasons

If the baby begins to be afraid of water, what happens most often is that the parents organize the bathing process incorrectly:

the child is left unattended in the bathroom;
the baby “drinks” water while bathing due to the fact that the parents carelessly water it from a cup or shower head;
the child is afraid to swim because the parents do not check the temperature of the water, as a result of which he splashes in too hot liquid;
while bathing, a one-year-old baby encountered such an unpleasant phenomenon as shampoo or shower gel stinging his eyes;
The baby was frightened by a loud sound or a strong aroma while bathing, so now the bathroom evokes negative emotions in him;
The baby is afraid of the cold or diaper rash that may occur after taking a bath.

The influence of a TV or tablet should also not be overlooked. For example, a child watched a video on TV in which a child was crying in the bathroom or was afraid to take a shower. For a fragile child’s psyche, such a video will be enough!

Important! Also, the reason that a child is afraid to swim can be an uncomfortable bath, in which the baby slides under the water or simply feels uncomfortable.

Getting ready to give a newborn a bath

You will need the following accessories and products during water procedures.

Towel. Large, soft, terry. Better - a children's one with a corner. You will wrap your baby in it after washing.

Cloth napkin. It is needed to blot your face.

Hygiene products. Cotton pads for washing, sticks or turundas for cleansing the nose and ears.

Detergents. Shower gel will be needed when the baby is 1 - 2 months old.

Skin products. Herbal decoction - add to water. Oil, powder, emollient cream - after the procedure.

Optional - circle, cap or slide for swimming. We'll talk about them later.

A bowl or cup of water is for the face. Do not wash it with bath water.

Clothes, diaper. Immediately after the water procedure, dress your baby.

Preparing the bath for bathing

Before bathing the baby in an adult bath, the mother must take care of the following preparatory steps:

First of all, it is necessary to disinfect the surface. To do this, you need to use regular baking soda, not a chemical cleaner. After you have wiped with soda, rinse the bath thoroughly and pour boiling water over it.
If you have a slippery bathroom floor, make sure to cover it with something.
If there is no need to bathe the child together, then you need to purchase a special bathing slide, which will allow one person to care for the baby during water procedures.
If you have a baby six months or older, toys specially designed for bathing will be an important attribute in the process of taking water procedures.
It is better not to close the door to the bathroom while bathing, so that there is no sudden temperature change when you carry your baby out.

How to bathe a baby in the bath: stages

Stage one. Prepare the necessary tools and accessories. Fill up with water. How much you need is up to you. For example, in Russia they prefer to bathe a one-month-old baby in a bath full of water. In the USA and Europe they believe that water 5 cm deep is enough - it is safer.

Stage two. Undress the baby. Place your right hand on your forearm with your back. If you are left-handed, switch hands.

Stage three. Place the child in the water. Support with your hand under the shoulder blades. The head rests on the forearm. Hold the baby tightly in the large bathtub.

Stage four. Start giving your newborn a bath. Talk to him kindly. Proceed smoothly and carefully.

Stage five. Complete the procedure. Place your hand under the baby's body and remove it from the water. Immediately wrap in a towel. Don’t rush to take it out of the bathroom - let it cool down in it. Dress the baby.

There is no need to bathe your baby in a large bath for more than 8 minutes. The first bath should not exceed 3 - 5 minutes. After a few months, your baby can flounder in the water for half an hour.

When to bathe a baby in a large bathtub depends on the child himself. Water relaxes him - bathe him before bed, excites him - after sleep.

Reasons why children are afraid to swim

If a child experiences a “fear” of bathing from birth, then the reasons for this phenomenon most likely lie in an incorrectly organized first bath. Perhaps the water temperature was not comfortable for the baby (too cold or hot. Imagine the state of a child who was put into boiling water, naturally the second time the baby will feel fear... see about the correct water temperature for the first baths). Or the child could go underwater with his head and drink too much water, or experience unpleasant sensations if the shampoo got into his eyes. A newborn might be frightened by even the loud sound of water pouring from a tap and now associates unpleasant memories with bathing. Also, in order not to frighten the baby, from the first days try to create a calm atmosphere before bathing.

Read in detail - how to properly bathe a newborn

Watch the video: Baby's first bath

Another situation is when the baby at first happily took water treatments, and suddenly began to throw tantrums at the mere sight of the bathroom. If a child begins to be afraid to bathe several weeks or months after the first bath, then you have to understand the situation, analyze recent events, carefully observe the baby and try to understand why exactly the child began to be afraid of this.

The reasons may be either those listed above or others:

ordinary fear;
Uncomfortable water temperature (fear of getting burned);
the child drank too much water (fear of gulping again);
the baby does not like washing his hair (fear of feeling shampoo getting into his eyes);
uncomfortable bath: the child always slips and slides into the water (we choose the right bath);
the child slipped, fell and hit himself in the bathroom (fear of falling again);
the baby had diaper rash and bathing hurt him;
nervous environment (the reason, as you understand, is in the parents).

Baby washing sequence

It depends on the age of the baby. When washing babies several months old, the sequence is not important. The main thing is to carefully examine all the folds: groin, armpits, under the knees, on the bends of the elbows, buttocks, on the neck, the skin behind the ears. They need to be washed and blotted dry with a towel to avoid diaper rash.

Newborns clench their hands into fists - open them, wash the skin between the fingers. The same goes for your toes.

Hold the baby under the shoulder blades with one hand and wash with your free hand. Pour water over your tummy, chest, neck and folds.

Moisten your hair, try not to get water on your face or eyes. Do not wash your hair more than once a week.

Crawling babies get more dirty. Therefore, start bathing your baby in a large bathtub from top to bottom. First, wash your hair and gradually go down to your feet.

You need to bathe your child even more carefully when he starts walking, playing in the sandbox, or running outside. If necessary, use baby gels and shampoos.

Maternity hospital without hot water: washing the baby in the first days

At courses for expectant mothers, we were warned that, in fact, children know how to poop. And that children need to be washed. And they even told me how to do it. And they advised me to stock up on wet wipes for the maternity hospital.

And then suddenly the child was born. So small that it was completely unclear how to hold this miracle in your hands, let alone wash it.

And then this miracle piled up such a pile in the diaper that it was clear: it was time to decide on the first wash. But we were “lucky”: there was no hot water in the rooms. Mothers could wash themselves in the shower, but there was no hot water in the wards.

Experienced mothers lamented, but I was pleased: the incomprehensible washing under the tap was postponed for now, you can wipe the baby with wet wipes. The butt was clean, the navel was not touched, there was no heat rash or diaper rash. Girls are wiped from front to back, but mothers of boys are luckier - boys can be washed and dried as you please.

The day before discharge, they gave me water, and during this time I actively watched how the mothers of their second children coped with washing. It turned out that everything was very simple: I threw the baby on my forearm with my butt up, turned on the water, tested the temperature of the water with my other hand, put my butt under the tap, washed my hand until it was clean, turned off the water, and dried the baby. Beauty and lightness. It was only difficult to decide the first time.

What to bathe your baby in the bath

You can add sea salt without dyes and flavors and herbs to the water. They are used for hygienic and medicinal purposes. Therefore, before adding them to your baby’s bath, consult your pediatrician.

Here is the effect of natural supplements:

Sea salt - strengthens muscles during hypotension, rickets;
Calendula - for skin inflammation, dermatitis;
Chamomile - cleanses the skin, relieves irritation, but dries;
Sequence - acts similarly to chamomile, but does not dry out the skin. Eliminates dryness and redness during diathesis;
Plantain - will help with skin rashes;
Thyme - will relieve irritation and inflammation of the skin, swelling due to bruises.

To relax, it is good to bathe your child in a bath with a decoction of oregano, lavender, valerian or motherwort. These herbs strengthen and calm the nervous system, giving sweet dreams to the baby. Bathe your child in them in the evening, before going to bed.

Pediatricians advise mothers to alternate regular baths with herbal ones.

Swimming in open water: at one, two, three years

Not all children like to swim in open water. Seva is just one of these children. Actually, he likes it, but he decides to go into the water for the first time with great difficulty and hysterics. This happened at any age:

Per year: I swam twice . Because it's not love. I had to take a small children's pool with me, he only swam in it. I wandered along the river in shallow water, nothing more.
At two: it was very difficult to start the swimming season . It was already boring in the small pool; I didn’t dare get into the water, but I wanted to swim. They lured me with cunning and on the sly: to get a floating ball, to catch up with my beloved grandfather, to watch other children swim. But after the son was in the water, another problem arose: how to get him out of the water. Bananas saved the day: Seva always wanted to eat while bathing, and bananas are something that his son cannot refuse even on a full stomach. In addition, bananas are convenient to take with you to the beach: they will not melt and are difficult to get dirty with.
At three: but at three years old, the swimming season was opened for us by a five-year-old niece who came to visit . Sevina’s love for older girls did not let him get bored: he constantly repeated after Varya, but it was impossible to get her out of the water, our sister is a waterfowl. After such a June, Sevina’s swims could not be stopped until the fall.

How to bathe a child in a bath: methods

There are several options: swimming with a circle, with a slide and swimming. Let's consider their advantages and technique of the procedure.

Swimming with a circle

The circle is similar to the usual one for swimming in the sea. It is put on the baby’s neck and holds it on the surface of the water. The device is needed more by parents than by children: it reduces the load on the back and hands of adults. With it, mom and dad don’t need to stand bent over the child.

Opinions differ regarding the benefits and harmlessness of the circle for children. Many osteopaths and traumatologists have a very negative attitude: the circle can cause injury to the cervical spine. It is still very weak in a baby - the risk is great.

How to bathe a baby in a large tub with a circle.

First, use for a baby at least 3 months old.

Secondly, the duration of bathing is a maximum of 10 minutes.

Third, swim only on your back.

Fourth, take a full bath of water.

Fifth, be guided by the child’s reaction. If he doesn't like it, take it off.

Sixth - do not use if there are contraindications. These include: dermatological problems, high intracranial pressure, injuries (fractures, dislocations) that interfere with putting on the circle.

There is an alternative to a circle - a foam cap. It is safer for the neck than a circle. You will have to hold the baby - for this purpose the hats are equipped with long ribbons. It is possible that the baby may go under the water with its face - control the position of its head.

Swimming with a slide

Another device to make life easier for parents. There are different types of slides: in the form of a hammock, plastic, fabric. More often they buy plastic ones - they are more practical.

The slide allows one person to carry out the water procedure: pick up the gel, put the baby on, and wash off the foam. Thanks to the device, the child does not need to be held.

How to bathe a baby in a large bathtub on a slide.

First, securely secure it in the bathroom. It must be sustainable.

Secondly, fill the bathroom with water. It should cover half the slide. Wait until it warms up. You can put a film on it.

Thirdly, the water should reach the baby’s neck - no higher. Otherwise, he may take a sip of water and get scared. If the water reaches chest level, this is not enough - the child will freeze.

Fourthly, do not leave the baby unattended for a second!

Swimming without a slide or lap

Infant swimming has many advantages.

It forms in the baby a positive attitude towards water and a normal reaction to temperature changes.

It strengthens the body - children with good immunity get sick less.

Promotes harmonious physical development - strengthens muscles, shapes posture, prevents scoliosis in the future.

Babies who swam in the bathtub from the first weeks of life begin to crawl, sit, stand, walk, and run earlier. They are physically stronger.

Swimming helps increase hemoglobin levels. This is due to the release of red blood cells during exercise. Blood circulation improves, blood pressure normalizes, and the lungs work better.

Swimming is an excellent prevention of runny nose and allergies in newborns. Swimming has a positive effect on the baby's nervous system: he sleeps more soundly and is calm.

A close emotional connection is established between mother and baby through physical contact while swimming.

Safe swimming rules

The optimal age is 3 - 4 weeks. By this time, the baby will gain weight, adapt to new living conditions, and become a little stronger. His umbilical wound will heal. Mom will get used to the little person and become more confident in communicating with him.

We are preparing a bath. First you need to wash it - with soda or laundry soap.

We collect water. Conduct your first workouts in warm water - 35 °C. Over the next 2-3 months, the temperature can be reduced to 32 °C, but not lower.

Let's keep an eye on the little one. They put him in water and he cries - the water is cold, add warm. He whines, and then actively works with his legs and arms - you guessed it with the temperature. Relaxed and doing nothing - add cool water.

We harden it naturally. During the procedure, the water cools down. Do not add warm water - let the baby flounder in the water. This is a double benefit: it strengthens muscles and hardens.

The child is 1 year old and he is afraid to swim: what to do?

If your baby has crossed the one-year mark and has begun to be afraid of bathing, then you should look for the reason in the incorrect organization of the bathing process. You can try to correct the situation by following the recommendations below:

purchase special chairs, slides or anti-slip mats, thanks to which the baby will feel protected in the water;
check the water temperature using modern thermometers;
never leave your baby in the water without adult supervision;
use “tear-free” shampoos and gels;
use soft towels that do not injure the skin;
Try to bathe your baby for no more than 5-10 minutes.

Advice! Order the installation of a handrail in the bathroom for children who are 2-3 years old. The child will be able to hold on to such handrails during water procedures, which will reduce the level of fear.

If the above recommendations did not help and the child is afraid to swim, then we will try other methods recommended by experienced mothers and pediatricians.

Method number 1. Swim with your child

If a child was afraid of water, then at a certain moment he did not feel the support of his mother or father. Therefore, it is worth starting to swim with your baby, after dressing in a bathing suit and taking a shower. With mom or dad, the child will feel more relaxed in the water, and he will also learn to play and swim.

Important! Swim with your baby no more than 2-5 times, after which let your baby frolic in the water on his own while being close to him.

Tip #2. Get your child interested

There are dozens of options for bath toys lined up on store shelves: ducks that shoot water, protective circles for swimming that prevent the baby from going under water, slides that make water procedures even more fun. Be sure to purchase toys and protective equipment that will allow your baby to feel free in the water and help him accept bathing as an exciting game!

Tip #3. Teach your baby to play with water

If your child is afraid to swim, get him interested and show him that the water is absolutely safe. In a well-warmed room, place a basin or pan with water, covering the floor with oilcloth, and then invite the child to play with toys. The baby will happily splash around and realize that bathing involves not only washing his hair, but also an exciting game.

Tip #4. Gradual filling of the bathroom

The child is afraid of depth, so put him in the bathtub, and then gradually fill it by pouring the crumbs from a cup or ladle. The baby will get used to the rising water level, and being near mom or dad will strengthen his confidence in his own abilities.