For new parents, giving a baby a bath can be an intimidating experience. Bathing a baby can be as frustrating, if not more so, than bathing a cat! Fortunately, babies don’t have the claws. However, there are a few things tips & advice for bathing your baby that can make giving your baby a bath much easier and much more successful.

It is important, first off, to understand your baby’s needs and wants. If your baby enjoys bath time, you can certainly make it a part of your daily routine. If he or she’s frightened during bath time, remember that you don’t have to bathe her every day. Keeping her diaper area clean, and cleaning after eating and spit-ups, will keep her clean enough so that she can be bathed around every three days or so. If your baby’s skin is particularly dry, or she tends to become smelly, you may choose more frequent bath times.

Another useful tip is that if your baby doesn’t particularly enjoy bathing, try to ease her mind by singing to her while she is in the tub. You can also gently rub her belly and speak soothingly to help calm her down.

Before you start the bath, make sure you’ve got everything you need at hand. These might include the washcloth, a bath towel, a clean diaper, and materials that you use during bath time.

This should go without saying, but sometimes in the hustle and bustle of life, we can miss the obvious: never ever leave the baby alone in the bath. If the phone rings, let it go to voicemail. If you need to turn off the stove, take her out of the bath, and then go turn off the stove.

Use an appropriately-sized tub for your baby. This will make it much easier for you to keep baby’s head out of the water.

Use only as much water as necessary. You really only need a few inches of water for an effective bath.

Always test the water to make sure it’s not too hot for baby. If necessary, turn down the heat on your water heater.

Try to use gentle, unscented soaps and shampoos. Use soaps sparingly, and try to keep from unnecessarily irritating baby’s skin by scrubbing.

Some parents prefer to start with the less-dirty areas of the body first, leaving the diaper region until last. Make sure to get in all of the nooks and crannies, including behind the ears, and in the folds of skin around the neck, knees, and elbows. Don’t forget to get in between fingers and toes!

Pick a time of day to bathe your baby that is relaxing for both of you. Trying to give him a bath after cleaning up the dinner dishes and before putting the other children to bed can be testing; instead, try an afternoon bath if possible.

While these tips & advice won’t take the effort out of bathing baby, they may make the process easier and much more enjoyable for both of you.