OJT - bathing the baby

After weeks of observing Ah Ma at the bathing 'ritual', it's finally Mummy's turn to do it.

OJT (On-the-job-training) Session 1
Date: 3 Jul 2006
Time: 8.15 a.m.
Venue: Karyn's bedroom / Common toilet

Step 1:
Prepare the bath (Venue: Common toilet)
- Get ready bath water in the bath tub (test first, must be lukewarm)
- Put cotton pad (for cleaning eyes), wash cloth and baby bath liquid at the tub
- Put bath towel (for wrapping Karyn after the bath) next to the tub

Step 2:
Prepare the changing table (Venue: Karyn's bedrooom)
- lay a cloth nappy on the changing mat
- pick a set of clothes (blouse & shorts) and put it next to changing mat
- get ready all toiletries (nappy rash cream, Ru Yi oil, powder)

Step 3:
Undress the baby (Venue: Karyn's bedroom)
- put baby on changing mat
- remove mittens, booties, blouse and shorts (leave the diapers on in case she pees or poos)
- wrap baby with cloth nappy and bring baby to the tub

Step 4:
Pre-bath (Venue: Common toilet)
- unwrap baby's upper body (leave the lower body wrapped, esp. the diapers)
- wet the wash cloth and clean baby's tongue
- wet the cotton pad and clean baby's eyes
- rinse the wash cloth to clean baby's face and rinse her hair
- put 2 drops of baby bath liquid into the tub

Step 5:
Actual bathing (Venue: Common toilet)
- remove diapers (beware of leaking poo and sudden pee!)
- dap baby's chest with water (to let baby transit from dry to wet environment)
- slowly lower baby's buttocks into the tub (support baby's back firmly with one arm)
- wash baby's upper body with wash cloth (take note to clean between all the joints, i.e. front of neck, armpits, inside elbows, between the fingers)
- gently transfer baby's chest onto another arm to wash her back (take note to clean back of neck)
- gently lift her up and clean her buttocks with other hand
- gently transfer her onto her back again and wash her lower body (take note to clean behind the knees, feet, groin area and lastly the genital area)
- lay out the bath towel on your knee
- scoop baby out from tub, place on knee and quickly wrap her up with bath towel

Step 6:
Dress the baby (Venue: Karyn's bedroom)
- put baby on changing mat
- quickly wipe her dry without removing bath towel
- pull bath towel down to expose only upper body
- apply powder (crane of neck, behind neck, armpits, inside elbows, chest, back)
- put on blouse (put left arm thru sleeve, lift her back off mat, put right arm thru sleeve and button up)
- remove bath towel and quickly place diapers under her buttocks (beware of sudden pee or poo!)
- put 2 drops of Ru Yi oil on your palms and rub them together until palms are warm
- put your palms onto baby's tummy for 3 - 5 secs
- repeat the procedure another time
- apply nappy rash cream all around her buttocks
- fasten the diapers
- put on her shorts, mittens and booties
- carry baby upright for a while in case she needs to burp (tend to have wind after bath) then put her back to bed

Step 7:
Clearing up (Venue: Karyn's bedroom/Common toilet)
- keep away nappy rash cream, Ru Yi oil, powder
- pick up soiled clothes and put into baby laundry in toilet to soak
- throw away soiled cotton pad
- rinse wash cloth and put into baby laundry to soak
- pour away bath water, rinse tub and put it away

End product: A satisfied and contented baby!

Actually, I didn't do all the steps on my own. Only did steps 2 to 6.

Ah Ma helped to prepare the bath and the clearing up.

Well, it was my first attempt, what did you expect? Hehe...

In time to come, I'll need to do everything myself. Meanwhile, I'll accept all the help I can get.