Overview
Giving a baby a bath, especially for first-time parents, can cause anxiety about safety and about bathing methods. For the first two weeks of life simply sponge bathing or "spot cleaning" your child is sufficient. Once your child reaches the crawling stage a regular bath will become part of his routine. Having the right tools of the trade can ease this stress. Baby body wash is a mild gentle soap that cleans yet does not dry out your baby's skin. It is usually in the form of a liquid, although there are baby soap bars too. For most parents, baby body wash and shampoo are one in the same. Before beginning the bath make sure all the items needed are close by: washcloth, body wash and towel. Put the body wash directly on the washcloth rather than on the baby. Liquid that is squirted right onto the child runs the risk of getting into the child's eyes or mouth. Another option is to squirt the body wash directly into the bath water before placing the child in the water. Some washes may foam, others may not, depending on ingredients.
What to Look for
What to Look For
Select a baby body wash that can double as a shampoo. Skin irritations can arise from perfumes, deodorants, antibacterial agents and other additives in the body wash. Using a product that moisturizes will help in not drying out the skin.
If your concern is the testing of the product on animals or you want organic ingredients, check labels and research the ingredients and company producing the wash. For example, lavender and tea tree oil have long been marketed as soothing and medicinal. However, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, discovered the presence of compounds in lavender and tea tree oil that suppress male hormones while copying female hormones. This means lavender oil and tea tree oil have been implicated in gynecomastia, the abnormal development of breasts in young boys. This claim is being refuted by the Artisans Perfumers Guild, but nevertheless, it's information you should know in selecting a product for your child.
Common Pitfalls
Common Pitfalls
Many bathing products claim to be organic, tear-free or soothing. Read ingredient labels carefully. Sodium laurel sulfate, certain oils and perfumes, usually present even in baby products in large quantities, can irritate baby's eyes and skin. Testing a small amount of wash on your baby's skin before bathing in the substance will be a good indicator of any allergic reactions.
