Learning proper techniques for cleaning your baby keeps him healthy and free of infections. Get tips on what doctors say is the best way to keep him squeaky clean.

Cleaning your infant takes time and a little experience. Often new parents are much more afraid of the bath than the infant, and special techniques are required, especially early on when the umbilical cord has not yet detached. Harvard Medical School's consumer health information site Intelihealth provides excellent information on all kinds of baby care issues. Based on their information, here's recommended procedures for keeping your baby clean and infection-free.

Bathing Baby

Check with your pediatrician about how often she recommends bathing your baby. Depending on when your child was born (babies born in the winter are bathed less often, due to cold and dry skin from water exposure), some doctors advise bathing every day, while others suggest fewer baths - only 4 times a week.

• To prepare for bathing, you will need: a soft washcloth, a towel, fresh clothes and diaper, soap/shampoo, baby powder and lotion.
• For the first couple of weeks, while the umbilical cord is still attached, give baby a sponge bath instead of immersing him in the tub. Water caught in the cord can lead to infections, so doctors recommend keeping the cord dry until it falls off. Only remove clothing for the parts of baby you're washing, and clean with a soft washcloth and mild soap. Put clothing back on before you wash another area.
• Wash the diaper area last. Remove diaper and wash bottom and genitals. Wash girls from front to back, toward the bottom. If boys have been circumcised, clean area gently - unless a dressing is still covering the surgery, in which case follow cleaning instructions from your pediatrician.
• After the umbilical cord has fallen off, you can wash your child in an infant-sized tub - regular bath tubs are awkward for you and the baby.
• Fill the tub with warm water, not hot water. Lower your baby into the water gently, using both hands.
• Rest your baby in the crook of your arm, holding his head in your hand while you wash his body and shampoo his head.
• You can soap him with your hands or with a soft washcloth, using a gentle adult soap or a special-made baby soap (although not necessary). When shampooing his head, use a pea-sized drop of shampoo or mild soap, lathering carefully around fontanels (soft spots) at the back of his head and above the forehead.
• After rinsing, remove him from the water and wrap him in the towel. Clean eyes, ears, and nose with a cotton ball that's been dipped in water and sqeezed. Don't forget to wipe in folds of neck and ears. Pat dry with the towel.
• Apply baby lotion if his skin is dry, or powder if he has a tendency to chafe.
• Make sure all areas, especially genitals, are completely dry before putting on fresh clothing and a diaper.