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When do I start bathing my baby?

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Dr. Ann Kellams: Generally the hospital nurses will give the baby a bath just to remove the blood and secretions, mucous and things that are on the baby and really they are not going to get that dirty.

So we recommend until the umbilical cord has fallen off and that area has dried up, not putting them under water. So just sponge bath and really probably, on the order of every two to three days. If they have a huge bowel movement that gets everywhere then okay, I might do it more often than that. But generally, every two to three days sponge bath and then once the umbilical cord is off you can do a little bath with their sitting in it being very careful not to turn your back because about an inch of water and if one falls moving there would be a drowning risk for the baby.

Expert: Dr. Ann Kellams

Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

Dr. Ann Lenox Kellams, assistant professor of clinical pediatrics in the Division of General Pediatrics and medical director of the newborn nursery at the University of Virginia Children’s Hospital, is an expert in newborn care and breastfeeding. Kellams teaches pediatric clinical skills to students and residents and authored the Newborn Nursery Resident and Student Curriculum and Orientation Manual for UVA More »