Bathing can tire newborns out so a bath and feed before bedtime can help them to sleep longer at night. Remember that bathtime will be happier though if your baby is not hungry or too tired.
A bath in warm water can also sometimes help to soothe a colicky baby. If you are wondering how often you should bathe a baby: bathing your newborn child a couple of times a week is generally enough to ensure that he or she stays clean.
After the umbilical cord stump dries up, falls off, and the area heals, you can start giving your newborn a tub bath every few days. It's easiest to use the kitchen sink or a small plastic baby tub filled with warm water instead of a standard tub.
Some babies find the warm water very soothing. If this is the case with your baby, it's fine to let her linger. Others cry through the whole bath —that's when you'll want to get her in and out. Baths don't need to take up a lot of time: Five minutes is long enough to get your baby clean before the water cools down too much.
When you do bathe your newborn, you may find it a little scary at first. Handling a wiggling, wet, and soapy little creature takes practice and confidence, so stay calm and maintain a good grip on her.
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