How to Bathe an Infant Girl

Safety First

• Gather together everything you'll need to bathe your infant before beginning, advises HealthyChildren.org. Use a towel on the bottom of the basin, sink or tub to prevent slipping if your infant is young. For an older infant able to sit with support, you can use a bathing seat. Always use the seat's safety straps. If the seat is non-textured plastic, use a washcloth or hand towel to prevent your baby girl's bottom from slipping around. Choose a time when you're less likely to be interrupted by the phone, the door or by other people. If you do forget something or something happens that does require your immediate attention, take your baby with you. Be cautious with water temperature. Between 90 and 100 degrees is ideal, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.

Bathing Basics

• An infant girl only needs about three baths per week, according to HealthyChildren.org. Give sponge baths until the umbilical area is healed. With a young infant, using a basin or sink may be more comfortable for you, making it safer for your baby. In addition to the towel underneath your infant, you'll want a towel for afterward, a clean washcloth that was rinsed twice during laundering, gentle soap, mild shampoo and a plastic cup for rinsing. Dampen the washcloth with water only -- no soap -- and wash her face. Start with her eyes, using a separate corner for each. After her face, wash her hair with shampoo, using fingertips to massage her whole scalp, rinsing well with the cup. Wash the rest of her with soap, working downward, cleaning and rinsing creases thoroughly.

Her Sensitive Areas

• Vaginal care is often a concern for new parents. The main thing to remember is to clean your baby girl by wiping from front to back. Going the other direction can introduce fecal bacteria into the urethra, leading to urinary tract infections. Don't spread the labia majora to clean that area, advises University of Maryland Medical Center. The white vaginal discharge is natural and there is no need to wash it away, explains the Group Health Cooperative. Trying to scrub it away can irritate that sensitive area. Carefully wash and dry her creases. Use a washcloth and just clean, warm water. Soap can dry diaper area skin, causing irritation and discomfort.

Bubbles and Scented Bath Products

• Bubble baths are fun, but they should be an occasional, if not rare, treat, not an every-bath event. Bubble bath can irritate the vaginal area. Other bath products, like strong and perfumed soaps, scented body wash and shampoo can cause similar irritation. These types of products are the most common causes of vaginal itching and irritation in young girls, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. The best bet is to use a simple, mild soap and a gentle shampoo. Have bath playtime before washing, instead of after. That way, your baby girl isn't sitting in soapy water so long, risking irritation. Wash and shampoo her right before you take her out of her bath.