Are you planning to travel soon with your baby? Will it be a road trip to see family or a flight to a destination vacation? The same basics of bathing baby apply; you simply add a dose of creativity!
Before Traveling
Review the bathroom layout and facilities. Whether it’s your family’s house or a hotel bathroom, call to ask questions so that you plan for how you’ll bathe your baby during your stay. Ask for photos to ensure your baby’s tub and bathing accessories will be usable.
Ask about the water temperature, and if there’s a limit on the hot water heater to avoid scalds and burns. Also ask if there’s an air duct over the tub or shower. It’s important to bathe baby in a room that’s not drafty.
Get extra towels at a hotel. If baby is a newborn, keep them warm with a sponge bath where you uncover the towel and wash one body part at a time.
Ship bath supplies ahead to your destination. If your trip is longer than a 3-ounce bottle of baby wash will take you, order supplies that can be shipped to your destination. You can always pack multiple small bottles if you’re worried about airport restrictions. At a relative’s home, you may be able to buy a size that’ll be available for your next visit if you travel there regularly. Also consider sending ahead a baby bathtub or foldable bath to ensure baby has a safe place for bathing.
Use products that you’ve tested before. Bring baby’s natural and hypoallergenic bath soap, shampoo, and lotion that you’ve been using. If a friend or family member provides products for baby you haven’t yet used, gently decline saying you don’t want to risk baby having an allergic reaction while you’re traveling.
Pack to protect from spills. Babies require lots of liquids. The smart way to travel is with liquids in bags or containers that won’t spill on the rest of your luggage. Protect baby’s products in no-spill travel bags that seal. Use a different bag for baby’s diapers, pajamas, socks, caps, and towels so that you’ll have everything you need as you bathe your baby. Consider using painter’s tape to seal bottles closed.
At Your Destination
Maintain frequency. When traveling, bathe your baby as often as you do at home. However, avoid drying out baby’s skin from too much bathing. They may need a moisturizer if you’re in a dry climate.
How Often to Bathe Baby
Newborn
- Wait until umbilical cord falls off to give a full bath
- Sponge bath 2-3 times per week
Infant (3-12 Months)
- Bath in water 2-3 times per week, depending on baby’s condition throughout the day (e.g., poop blow-outs, vomiting, playing in sand)
Toddlers (1-3 Years)
- Have fun bathing your baby 2-3 times per week or every night with a regular nighttime routine
Children (4+ Years)
- Bathe as often as needed
- Children this age often bathe themselves as you teach them to safely do so
Accept help from your family or friends. If you’re visiting family, grandparents may want to help with bath time. Show them how to keep baby safe and be on-call nearby to assist as needed. Regardless of who is bathing baby, always test the water first (each time) to ensure it’s not too hot or cold.
Some parents take older babies (3 months or older) into the shower with them and give them a quick wash and then hand them off to a parent that’s not in the shower to be dried off and dressed. Have fun with creative solutions to bathe baby while you’re away from home. Consider the time as a break for you to rest; enlist the help of family or support services (e.g., childcare) at your destination.
Give a massage. Since you’re away from home, baby’s behavior may change as they become more familiar with their surroundings. As you or your partner put lotion on baby, take time to give them a massage. Babies love nurturing physical touch. For newborns and infants, you, your partner, or any adult you give permission to may want to hold baby skin-to-skin for a short time after the bath to help them relax.
Limit space and timing. You’re at the mercy of your family’s square footage when you’re visiting. Take into account how many bathrooms or sinks there are compared to how many people that need to use those areas. Limit bath time with baby or try to bathe baby when there’s less traffic. Your travel bags will come in handy, so you don’t have to leave your baby’s products along the sink, tub, floor, or cabinet if there’s little room.
You may need to wash baby’s hair less often to accommodate others and use less bath toys and keep play time to a minimum.
Never leave your baby unattended in the water, not even for a second (anyone who bathes your baby has to agree to this). Babies can drown within seconds and in inches of water. Don’t place baby’s tub on an elevated surface, but rather on the floor, in the tub/shower, or in the sink.
Before each bath, be sure to prepare the area. Remove any hazards from other adults using the bathroom or sink area, ensure the floor is dry, add a nonslip pad beneath baby’s tub, and place all baby’s products and clothes within an arm’s reach.
Get creative by:
- Adding bubble bath
- Playing soft music
- Singing bath time songs
- Talking to your baby during their bath
Traveling with baby can be fun – if you have more kids, the excitement and exhaustion multiplies! Keep safety as your first priority and communicate baby’s needs with your partner, family, and/or staff at vacation properties. Enjoy this precious time with your baby and take lots of photos and videos to show them as they grow older!
