The baby bath in the bucket is a great option to bathe the baby, because in addition to allowing you to wash it, the baby is much calmer and relaxed because of the round shape of the bucket, which is very similar to the feeling of being inside of the mother's belly.
The bucket, shantala bath or Tummy tub, as it may also be called, should be transparent, preferably, so that the mother can see the baby, as shown in the images. The bucket can be purchased in stores for babies and the price of the shantala bathtub or Tummy tub varies between 60 and 150 reais.
Bathing the baby in the bucket can be done right after the baby leaves the maternity ward and even when the parents wish or until it is no longer comfortable for the baby. However, the first bath should be done by a physical therapist and only later by the parents.
The bath should not last more than 10 to 15 minutes so that the baby does not feel uncomfortable and should never be left alone in the bucket because he can get up and fall or fall asleep and drown.
How to bathe the baby in the bucket
To bathe the baby in the bucket, you must first fill the bucket up to half the height or up to the height indicated by the bucket with water at 36-37ºC, as shown in image 1. Then the baby should be seated in the bucket, with legs and arms curled and bent, with water at shoulder level, as shown in image 2.
In the case of a newborn baby, a diaper can be placed around the baby to make it safer and it must be held around the neck because the baby still does not support the head, as shown in image 3.
If the baby has poop or pee, it should first be cleaned and then placed in the bucket.
Benefits of baby bathing in the bucket
The benefits of baby bathing in the bucket include:
- Calms the baby; Decreases the baby's agitation and may even fall asleep; Activates the baby's blood circulation; Decreases the baby's colic attacks; Helps eliminate toxins from the baby's body; Stimulates the development of the baby's nervous system.
For all these benefits, bathing the baby in the bucket is a great option to replace the regular bath. When the baby is very small and still cannot sit inside the Shantala, the mother can ask the father for help at the time of the bath and, while the father holds the baby, the mother can give the bath.
