Hellobee

Bath time was one of those things that I was excited about before I even had Norah. I was excited to see her splashing around in there before she was even around to splash. But as a nurse bathed her across the room that first night in the hospital while I sat in the hospital bed and watched, she screamed like she was in pain and my heart broke in a million pieces.

The first bath at home was not a lot better. There was no shrieking this time, but there was crying… from both of us. After I had her safe and happy in bed that night, I read baby books and searched the internet for advice on how to help my daughter enjoy bath time. The next few nights, armed with a plan, we tried again to help her enjoy bath time and gradually over about a week she didn’t seem to hate it anymore!

That’s the thing I most needed to remind myself of as a new mom. You have to keep trying and hoping for the best. It’s hard in those hormonal early days when everything seems like the end of the world. If they cry when they go in the swing, try it again the next day for a minute or two and the next day and the next. If the car seat makes them red with anger, take a little ride around the block to help them get used to it. As new parents we forget, EVERYTHING is new to babies and they may need time, just like we would, to adjust. We also can do things to help that adjustment take place.

My top 10 ways of making bath time more enjoyable:

1. Close the door and turn up the heat about half an hour before. If it’s summer, close the door, turn off the air conditioning and open the window to let in the heat from the outside. My baby was not a fan of being cold, and I don’t think most babies are. Cold and wet = bad combo. Even if you feel warm, it still may be chilly for them.

2. Get them undressed at the last possible second. If you have two people, have them wrap them in a blanket before they hand them to you to put into the tub. Warm and comfortable is the name of the game here.

3. Fill up the tub and then turn off the faucet before bringing them into the room if you can. The noise scared my daughter if it was on while she was in the room.

4. Wet a cloth with the bath water and put it on their tummy. It helps keep them warm and feeling secure. Eventually when the texture phase comes it gives them a distraction to keep them occupied because they will love to touch it.

5. Keep a hand on them at all times. For safety of course and for security. This is a new environment and they are not used to the feeling of the tub sling or other devices.

6. Distract them! Sing them a song, make silly faces — anything to get them more comfortable.

7. Use a shampoo and wash in one that has a pump. This way you can put it on the bottom of the tub or on the counter if you are using a sink, and you don’t have to take you hands off the baby to get out the soap. Using an all in one is great too because you are not fussing with various products.

8. If you are using a full sized tub to bathe them, put a hand towel on the bottom of it. Grip for you to hold the little one and no cold for them to rest on.

9. Don’t make them stay in for long. They are little people and until they want to splash and play, a bath is a very quick affair. The longer they are in, the colder they get.

10. Wrap them in a warm towel right away. Those flimsy baby towels are awful and not absorbent. Invest in a good one that will grow with them.

And here are my favourite bath products for the little ones!

1. Babies R Us 8 Pack Washcloths – Helpful for washing faces and covering baby bellies.

2. Skip Hop Hare Brush and Comb Set – There are tons of brushes out there, but this one is adorable and very soft bristled. Great for helping get rid of cradle cap in the early days.

3. Boon Bath Toy Scoop Frog Pod – Seriously can you resist this?!

4. Colorblocked Wraps | Pottery Barn Kids – Made for bigger kids so they are great for a full wrap. They are very warm and absorbent too!

5. Live Clean Baby Tearless Shampoo Wash 25 Oz | eBay – Our favourite shampoo, smells amazing, made in Canada and is super gentle!

6. The First Year’s Infant To Toddler Tub with Sling – This one has served us well. It’s not a necessity, but it does help you if you are bathing the little one on your own.

7. Shampoo Rinse Cup – Seriously cool gadget for helping to rinse baby’s hair without getting water in their eyes!

8. Duckymeter Thermometer – If you are like me, you check the water a million times before putting them in! Buy this little cutie and put your mind at ease.

9. Superior 900 Gram Egyptian Cotton 6-Piece Towel Set – Invest in some good ones and use them for everything!

10. Munchkin Ten Squirtin Sea Buddies: Once they are old enough to play, these will provide so much entertainment!

11. Babies R Us Cushioned Bath Mat – Once they are old enough to be in the big tub this is a great mat!

There you have it! Now it’s your turn Moms and Dads — please share any tips and tricks you have that I may have missed.

p.s. If you were wondering, she has loved the bath ever since!