Brilliant Bath Time

Bath time is the start of the evening routine and a vital part of your baby’s awake time. Estelle Roodt of Acorn Kids gives us some ideas for happy bath times.

We all know the obvious reason for bathing – to get clean. However when it comes to babies there are so many more reasons why bath time is one of the most important parts of the daily routine.

One of the biggest complaints that most parents have is a lack of sleep. A wonderful thing about bathing a baby or toddler is the calming effect that it has on them. Relaxed babies sleep well!

Bathing helps to calm a colicky baby so that they can fall asleep. It can also help to quiet the senses of an over-stimulated baby and allow them to relax.

Adding essential oils to the water can increase the soothing effect of the bath even further. Many pre-mixed oils available on the market are specially formulated for babies and are effective and safe. The best oils for relaxing a child are Lavender and Chamomile. These have been proven to have excellent natural calming properties.

Besides helping baby relax before bedtime, it can also be a wonderful time for bonding with your baby. There is nothing better than climbing into a nice big warm bath with your baby in your arms. Babies feel very secure when you are with them in the bath, this enables them to relax and enjoy the water more. This activity can be shared with Dads too. So often dads feel a little left out of the bonding with the new baby, but the skin-to-skin contact goes a long way to building a lifetime bond between Daddy and baby.

If your baby has a cold or flu, putting some Eucalyptus oil into the bath (it must be a blend formulated especially for babies) can help to open your baby’s stuffy little nose and tight chest before bedtime, which will also help them to sleep better.

Bath time should be enjoyable for all involved and need never be stressful. Enjoy spending this time bonding with your baby and helping them to wind down before bedtime.

Estelle Roodt - www.myacornkids.biz