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Bath Time Battles

4 Tips for Making Tub Time Tolerable and Even Fun

By Shel Franco

While moms often hear "let Baby be your guide" when it comes to feedings, it's rare advice when it comes to bath time. Dr. Contey thinks tuning into your baby's cues is an important part of distressing baths. "If your baby is particularly fussy in the evenings it may not be the best time for a bath," she says. "It's all right to bathe your baby in the morning, middle of the day or evening. There are no rules that say a baby has to bathe in the evening before bed. For some, an evening bath is calming, and for others it's just too stimulating. Try different times of the day and let your baby guide you."

How you're feeling is a pretty good indicator of how Baby is feeling. "If bath time is challenging or all of a sudden becomes challenging, it's important to make sure that you are not bringing your own anxiety into the experience," Dr. Contey says. "Babies tune in and pick up on their parents' anxiety, and this can make it hard for the baby to feel safe about the bath time."

Dr. Contey has some specific advice for how you can calm down before bath time:

• Eat a protein snack.
• Drink some water.
• Enjoy a cup of tea.
• Get some fresh air.
• Take some deep breaths.
• Say, "We are going to have a calm and peaceful bath experience."

Want to see more?

• Splish, Splash I Was Taking a Bath...: The World of Water and Why Babies Love It
• Bathing Your Little Beauty: How to Give Your Newborn Baby a Bath
• Beyond the Bubbles: Bath Time Makes Learning Fun
• Check out our Article Library.
• Talk about it!