Bathing your baby

Newborn babies have very delicate skin. In the first few months, it’s best to wash them with plain water only. 

As your baby grows, you can start to introduce different baby bath products to make bath time more engaging.  

Choose products that are: 

• made for babies
• are gentle on the skin
• do not contain any fragrances or harsh soaps 

Avoid using bubble bath products for as long as possible. They can increase the risk of urinary tract infections in some babies. 

Trimming nails

You may not need to trim your baby’s nails often at first, but it’s good to get in the habit. 

Keeping fingernails and toenails short helps: 

• stop accidental scratching
• avoids dirt build up under nails 

Tips for trimming baby nails: 

• use baby nail clippers, small scissors, or a gentle file made for babies.
• trim nails while baby is calm, feeding or asleep 
• use baby mittens or socks on their hands to stop them from scratching themselves in the first couple of weeks 

Babies use their hands and mouth to explore and self-soothe, so don’t cover their hands for too long.