Baby Bath Safety: What Parents Should Know

The most current data shows more than 43,000 children under the age of 18 are treated for injuries occurring in the bath or shower. Children 4 years old or younger, including infants, are at a higher risk of these incidents, accounting for over half of injuries. The most common cause of injury was a slip, trip, or fall, but in the latest statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drowning is a leading cause of death among children, and in children under 1, drowning is most likely to occur in the bath. 

“People underestimate drowning, but babies can drown in 1 to 2 inches of water,” says Farida Kwaji, MD, FAAP, a pediatric urgent care physician, mother of three, and founder of Uwa Postnatal Care in Atlanta.

Establishing safe bathtime practices is the best defense against scary stats like these. Here are the bathtime safety rules experts recommend, as well as tips for a better baby bathtime, including when to bathe a newborn, the best water temperature for baby’s bath, and how (and how often) to wash an infant.