BABY CARE
32 | JULY & AUGUST 2019
THE BATHROOM IS the ideal classroom.
Here your baby is relaxed and in a good
mood, yet focussed. It’s also the ideal
time to develop his senses, especially
touch, as this is likely the only time of
the day when he’s completely naked. As
exciting as bathtime is, an early-evening
soak is also the beginning of your baby’s
bedtime routine, so keep things calm
after the bath. Maximise the advantages
of bath activities.START SWIMMING
From as young as three months, you
can let your baby “swim” in the bath.
Backstroke is the way to go. Support his
head and bum, and lower him into the
water, so he can kick and wave his arms
about. If you make the water shallow
enough, you could even let him lie flat if
he’s comfortable to do so, but keep
a hand on him at all times. The kicking
develops his motor skills, and the sound
of the water will calm him.
You could also lift and lower him into
the water, so he can feel the difference
in his body weight as the water supports
him. Don’t do this if it’s cold though.
If you get your baby used to the water
in this way, hair washing might be easier
in future, as he’ll be happy to lie back
for you to rinse, without getting water
or shampoo in his eyes. For more tips on
hair washing, turn the page.POUR AWAY
If your older baby is sitting comfortably
in the bath, use a jug to scoop up water
and pour it back in – he’ll love the
waterfall! Encourage him to feel the
stream. Also pour the water over his
tummy. This stimulates his sense of
touch. Later on, he’ll be able to play with
the jug himself – great exercise for the
development of his shoulder muscles.
Keep the jug small and light to start off
with, so he can manage it with ease.
Another fun bath toy is a sieve. Your
baby will be amazed to discover that
a sieve, unlike a jug, can’t hold water.FOAM FUN
Get some foam going, hold it in your
hands, and blow it in front of your
baby’s face, or blow bubbles where Baby
can swat them. Watching them moveYour little one’s daily bath is about so much more
than merely getting clean and shiny. Bathtime
games and activities also brighten his brain
Making bath-
time brainy