The art of top & tailing

Whilst keeping your baby clean is key to maintaining their health it is not imperative that you bathe your baby everyday.

Newborns don’t need to be bathed everyday , they are fine to have 2 to 3 baths per week. Of course this would increase to daily baths as they get older.

There are also times when it simply may not be applicable to bath your baby (or for that matter times when it is not applicable to bath a child) and this is when top and tailing is a great alternative.

Cleanliness is important. A baby needs their nappy changed regularly with their bottom cleaned at each change, their face and hands cleaned for every feed and the folds of their skin cleaned during the day.

Top & tail is something that you can do on alternate days from a bath.

As with bathing your baby having all the items and being prepared makes for a more relaxed and comfortable time for all.

Make sure the room is warm. A baby loses heat from their head and quickly loses body temperature when they are undressed. A warm room of 24 degrees C or 75 degrees F is recommended.

Gather all the items. You will need:

• Cotton pad (or alternative such as wash cloths). you can use cotton wool, however, they can shed pieces of lint.
• Towel
• Clean nappy
• Clean clothes
• Container (may be the bath or tub) with warm water. Test the water with your elbow or inner wrist.
• Optional- a mild baby cleanser.
• Nappy cream or baby oil or moisturizing lotion.

It is a good suggestion to top and tail on a change mat on the floor or a change table for stability.

Talking to your baby as you go helps to reassure them.

When you undress your baby you can either do a “as you go” (ie: top first and leave the bottom clothes on and then progress to the bottom) or take off all your baby’s clothes . Either way you chose leave their nappy on until last and you lie them on the fresh, clean towel you will use to pat them dry.

Keep talking as you go. This will help to keep your baby relaxed, is positive interactions and helps to soothe and calm them ready for bed, feed, sleep, etc.

1. Ensure you have clean hands.
2. Once the baby is undressed wrap them in a towel with the body of the towel underneath the baby.
3. Wet cotton wool/cloth in the warm water.
4. Start with your baby’s eyes. Wipe their eye from the inside corner to the out. Always use a new clean cloth or cotton wool for each wipe, even if wiping the same eye more than once.
5. Repeat with the other eye with a clean cotton wool.
6. Wipe over and behind each ear with an individual cloth. Never use a cotton bud in a baby’s ear. You only need to wipe what you can see. Gently pat dry with towel.
7. Wipe their face. Gently pat dry as you go.
8. Wipe their chin, neck with a new cotton wool. Focus on any creases in the skin they may have. Gently pat dry with the towel.
9. Wipe their hands clean and then dry them.
10. Cover the top half of their body with the towel edges.
11. Clean their feet.
12. You can clean their hair. Be mindful of their soft spot.
13. Remove their nappy. Clean the area with new damp cloth. Clean from front to back. For a uncircumcised boy wash the penis and genital area, avoiding pulling back the foreskin, and also wipe front to back. Again pat dry. This is the tailing portion of the top & tailing.
14. Put a clean nappy on including any nappy cream if needed.
15. Apply any lotion should you wish prior to dressing.
16. Dress your baby.
17. Cuddle them as you dress and wrap in a blanket if required.