Baby Basics
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Dry and dress.
Move your baby from the towel that is sitting in the tub and then dry her completely with the other towel. Diaper and dress your baby. Clean up your mess later. Once your baby is older, you’ll start submerging her body in a bath. You can use a small infant tub that fits into the regular bathtub, or a rubber pad on the base of the tub to prevent slippage. The small tub may be easier for you at first.
Fill the tub with two inches of water that is warm and comfortable to the touch. Test it on yourself first. Immerse your baby in water that has already been drawn, keeping her face well above the water surface. (Don’t put her in while water is running when temperature can vary.) Have all supplies (soap, washcloth, shampoo, towel) ready so you never have to take your eyes off baby while she’s in the water. Hold the baby’s head for support while washing with your other hand—babies can drown in less than six inches of water.
Use a slightly soapy cloth to wash her face first and then her body. Make sure to clean the genitals with plain water, pouring over all the creases. For circumcised boys, be sure to clean the area between the head and the shaft as debris will collect there. Shampoo hair last.
When you rinse soap or shampoo from the head, make sure to cup your hand across baby’s forehead so that suds stay out of the eyes. “You don’t have to bathe your baby every night,” says Brown. “Every three to four days is fine, but some families do it more often because they like a bath as a winding-down ritual.
M. J. Horowitz, a writer in Pasadena, California, remembers bathtime fondly now that her children are teenagers.
Just gotta try this Creamy Avocado Dip recipe via Momables.com - love how you can spread it on a sandwich in lieu of Mayo! 
Comment by Lauren Taylor on Oct 03 2009 09:36:26:
To sponge bathing a baby, fill a medium-sized plastic bowl with very warm (not hot) water. Place the baby, (clothed only in a diaper and loosely wrapped in a towel)on the changing table, kitchen counter or bathroom vanity. I use a large beach or bath towel to pad the counter and a waterproof ad or sheet to protect it.
Start by using a wash cloth on the baby’s face speaking to her the whole time. Tell her you are cleaning her eyes, cheeks, nose, mouth, ears. Gently lift her head and clean all the folds in the neck. Immediately blot the face and neck with a towel so the baby doesn’t get cold. Move on to the arms, still explaining the process. Gently shake the arm to relax it so you can get into the armpit. Next clean the legs and feet being careful to get in between each little toe.
Remove the diaper and use baby wipes to clean any fecal matter before cleaning with the wash cloth. I use soap on the diaper area to be sure it is cleaned well. Blot dry and put on a fresh diaper.
Finally, wrap the baby in a towel so that only her head is uncovered. I then hold the infant in my left hand and wash the hair over the bowl or sink. I squeeze water on her head and add a drop of shampoo. If possible, I let the running tap water flow onto the baby’s head so she can enjoy her spa experience. Usually, I sing,”Raindrops keep falling on my head” while I shampoo the baby.
Once the cord is off, you can immerse the baby. Be sure the water is deep enough to keep her warm and nevr take your hands off her during the bath. Even when I immerse the baby, I always finish the body, diaper and wrap the baby in a towel before doing the head. This technique keeps the baby warmer and happier. Having a pacifier nearby and immersing the baby into the water slowly can help her adjust to the water. be sure to tell her as you put her feet in that it is water. Slowly lower her into the tub just as you would enter a tub. Most of the time, babies love going into the tub this way. When parents put the baby in the water too fast, they complain because they are confused.
Bath time is my favorite time so i try to make it a pleasant experience for everyone. I try to remember to have my camera in my apron pocket before I begin so I can capture those wondrous looks when the baby hits the water!
Comment by Emily Elizabeth Christian on Apr 07 2012 03:01:31:
This magazine needs to do some serious research about cloth diapering, as the claims of diaper rash are just not true, my children were covered in rash in disposable and never get one in cloth. I also think that anyone who claims disposables are more convenient has never used a modern cloth diaper. It's just insulting to me that someone would tell me what is more convenient for me, when actually, I find the leaks, odor, disposal and chemical exposure of disposable to be far less 'convenient' than an organic cotton diaper that gets washed and reused. Cloth diapering is easy, and for those of us who do it full time the 'disposables are more convenient' line is frustrating because it only ever comes from the voice of people who have never given cloth a fair shot.