Le Big Dip

I have a hidden talent. I give a great bath.

Many moms, especially the first-timers, are very unsure about giving baths to their infants, to the point wherein the baby enjoys it sparingly! Poor, stinky baby!

Newborns are the trickiest because they are so fragile, and new moms are usually lethargic from all the labor pains and the sudden surge of new responsibility. For a step-by-step guide on bathing a newborn, click on the link. This is what I followed when I had my second baby.

I suppose all a new mom has to focus on would be ORGANIZATION (getting everything ready and in the proper place), TEMPERATURE (make sure the water is warm enough and there is no draft in the room or lavatory), and CARRYING TECHNIQUE (whichever way is more comfortable and most safe for you and your baby.)

Do you need to buy all those baby products? No!

I was lucky to have a tub lent to me, it looks just like the one in the picture. My mother also gave me an anti-slip mat for the baby in the tub, which I refuse to use because I know that these things could culture bacteria pretty quick in a humid setting. The pediatrician advised me to use Dove moisturing bar instead of those baby soaps in the market, and it is also what I use for the baby's hair until now.

My second baby is a record holder in terms of length, so he pretty much takes up the entire tub nowadays. He is about to turn 7 months in a couple of days, and he has graduated into bathing while standing up (with lots of support, of course!)

I am fortunate that he loves bath time and sometimes is the one who even suggests it with a grunt that he has trained me to recognize. I don't suggest bath toys at all--- they can be causes of accidents, and you wouldn't really want your baby to soak longer than 10 minutes, which is about the whole time it takes me to bathe my son.

I also suggest that new moms flex their arm muscles a lot, but still have that gentle grasp around their babies' limbs and chests. If they don't carry their babies a lot, they should at least lift weights during their spare time to get those arms in condition for any slippery experience with their little ones.

Most importantly, the babies should NEVER be left alone during baths. For any reason, do not look away from the child. It will also help for the new mom to have the assistance of another person, just in case the mom suddenly feels faint or worse.

New moms, don't be too scared to do this to your babies. They need it, first of all, and there are wonderful benefits for you as soons as you learn to do this right. Your babies will not only love baths and not give you a hard time, they will also fall asleep as soon as you tape on their fresh diapers--- I guarantee you!