Bathing Baby

LilElvis

I used Neals Yard baby products - baby bath, balm and barrier - as they are totally natural. I wouldn't use brands such as Johnson's because they bring me out in a lovely case of contact dermatitis and I don't have particularly sensitive skin. They are pricier but a little goes a very long way, especially if you're using a baby bath. Still using their products on our daughter six years later.

clairec79

I've never heard of hard/soft water being an issue with bathing babies - and I'm a midwife.

Seriously - if you want to bath them bath them.

I only used to do it about once a week at that age (and only water) - until they crawl and get dirty as long as you clean the cracks under the neck daily you'll be fine

thorsoak

Worried about hard or soft water? Rubbish! Sounds more like a marketing ploy used by the manufacturers of baby wipes!

I'd be far more worried about how and what goes into a babywipe! How environmentally sound do these sound:-

"The material used in baby wipes is a non-woven fabric similar to the type used in diapers and dryer sheets. Traditional fabrics are made by weaving together fibers of silk, cotton, polyester, wool, and similar materials to form an interlocking matrix of loops. Non-woven fabrics, on the other hand, are made by a process that presses a single sheet of material from a mass of separate fibers. Fibers, such as cotton and rayon, are used in this process, as well as plastic resins like polyester, polyethylene, and polypropylene.

Cleansing ingredients
Water is the main ingredient and serves as a carrier and diluent for the other ingredients. Baby wipes also contain mild detergents mixed with moisturizing agents, fragrance, and preservatives. The detergents most commonly used are known as amphoteric surfactants, similar to those found in baby shampoos. Sodium diamphoacetate and coco phosphatidyl PG-dimonium chloride are primary surfactants used in wipes. These chemicals don't strip the skin of natural oils and also decrease skin irritation potential. Mildness is a prime consideration given that the wipe solution may be in contact with delicate skin around the anus and genitals.

Humectants such as propylene glycol and glycerine are added to prevent premature drying of the solution and contribute to skin moisturization. In addition, some formulas incorporate oils such as mineral oil, lanolin, or silicones that help to soften skin. Thickeners, such as cellulose derivatives like hydroxymethyl cellulose, control the viscosity of the finished product and keep it the right consistency.

Other ingredients include preservatives, such as methyl and propyl paraben, to ensure the solution does not support microbial growth. Fragrance is usually added to increase consumer appeal and to help over-come body odors, but fragrance-free products are also offered. Featured ingredients may also be added to increase consumer appeal."

Read more: http://www.madehow.com/Volume-6/Baby-Wipes.html#ixzz4OZeCeaSY

goodwithsaving

Speak to your health advisor and do what you think is best for your little one. I imagine you are incredibly tired and with this being new, the last thing you need is anything netmums style. You'll be absolutely fine.
Enjoy it, they don't stay small that long x

GwylimT

Any clean water is perfectly fine, if a small amount of calcium bothers you how on earth do you justify using babywipes or babywash?!

Pollycat

Tigsteroonie wrote: »

When did hard/soft water become a consideration in bathing newborns? Is this another "warning" that new Mums are expected to remember?

I'm sure that when I was a newborn 63+ years ago, my Mum didn't consider the softness/hardness of water when she bathed me.
But then again, I didn't have a designer Moses basket or whatever to sleep in, it was one of the drawers from my Grandma's chest of drawers.
And I'm still here.

enthusiasticsaver

My daughter and son in law used Johnsons baby bath every other day for our granddaughter from a week or so old. Our water is reasonably soft down here though. They used baby oil afterwards and used to give her a massage as she suffered with a little bit of colic so that helped her.

DigForVictory

Since I took baby massage classes, my offspring got bathed in Any Water (warmed first) just so we could enjoy the companionable massage that followed.

I think they enjoyed the attention, & certainly slept well after, but honestly - dunk the darling child as often as *you* want &/or deem necessary & avoid the wipes for as long as possible.

(I had Principles until they started on solids, at which point things got severely messier & principles slipped.)

Pollycat

Believe it.
Things were very different many years ago
.

Apologies to the OP for taking his thread off-topic, congratulations on the new baby & well done on your determination to do the best for your baby.

onlyroz

You're definitely overthinking this. I guarantee that you won't harm your baby by giving them a bath every few days in whatever water comes out the tap. Just keep cleaning products to a minimum, avoid baby wipes which are full of chemicals, and report any skin conditions to your health visitor if they arise. You and your baby will be fine.