I am 22 years old and a brand new mom. Both our parents (my husband's and mine) live in different states and aren't able to come and help. We're new here so we don't have many friends and the friends we do have aren't parents. There's so much I don't know! Like how do I give my little girl a bath? She's so tiny. Her birth weight was 7 lbs. 9 oz., but that seems so small. What if I drop her? What kind of soap do I use? When does she need a bath? Today on the phone my mom asked me how bath time was going. She was shocked when I told her I hadn't given Emily a bath yet (she's four days old). Please help!

Most of us have some sort of a picture collection from our childhood -- maybe a baby book, or a family scrapbook, or even a box of pictures and memorabilia from our first few years of life. In that collection there are several common pictures. There's the wonderful shot of those tenuous first steps; the picture of a grinning baby covered ear to ear in not only a smile, but green peas, yellow squash, and smashed banana; and the snapshot of a baby sitting in a bathtub, hair slathered with shampoo and piled on her head complete with Cupie Doll curl. Bath time is an important part of childhood.

Emily probably got her first mini-bath a short time after delivery. Jeanne, I hope you and your husband were able to spend some time with her right after she was born. Then, what seems all too soon for most parents, she was taken into the nursery for a few tests, her first immunization, and her first bath. In the nursery, a skilled nurse carefully laid her on a table (not unlike a kitchen or bathroom sink counter top that is very, very clean) and cradled her head in one hand. With the other hand, he or she gently washed Emily with a warm (not hot) washcloth. As soon as the bath was over, the nurse put a clean diaper on your baby and wrapped her in a warm blanket. Until the umbilical stump has fallen off, and the belly button is dry, you can follow this pattern. (One day you may have a son, so I will give you pointers for boys as we go along.) For circumcised boys, you can follow this pattern until his penis has healed from the surgery. Here are some practical bathing tips:

• Plan a special time for your baby's first bath at home. It doesn't matter what time of day it is (babies adapt well to different times of the day for baths, though many enjoy a bath right before bed), but you will want to select a time, Jeanne, when both you and your husband are home.
• Get out the camera. It's not time for that Cupie Doll shot just yet, but you will want a picture to record this event.
• Select a convenient place. I mentioned using a kitchen or bathroom counter. You may also want to try a changing table or bed. Cover the area with a thick towel or waterproof pad if needed.
• Get everything you will need ready before you start! The list includes warm water (of course), washcloth, alcohol pads, bath towel (with hood if you have one), clean diaper, any items you routinely use during a diaper change (for little circumcised boys this would include Vaseline and gauze squares), and fresh clothes. I do not recommend using soap or shampoo on babies this age. Newborns do not get sweaty or dirty except in the diaper area or if they spit up. Even these messes can be easily cleaned with water, which is so much better for most babies' sensitive skin than soap.
• Babies lose body heat very quickly, so make sure the room is warm -- 75 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal.
• Gently cradle your baby's head in one hand and use the other hand to remove her clothing. Gently wash her with a soft, warm washcloth, and dry her off with a towel. Take time to admire her individual parts -- all too often we bundle up our babies and never adore those precious feet or that soft bottom. If you like, you can wash one area at a time and put a fresh item of clothing on as soon as an area is washed and dried. This is not necessary unless you are in a chilly room.
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