Place their right arm beside their body or on their tummy and wrap the left corner of the cloth across and under the chin. Tuck the remainder of the cloth behind the baby. Figure 26(c).
   Finally, fold up the bottom corner of the cloth underneath the baby for added warmth. Figure 26(d). If your baby likes to suck his thumb then you just fold their arm to leave the preferred hand on their chest.

   How long you need to swaddle your baby will depend on how long it takes them to relax and lie still when they go to bed. Beyond outgrowing the dimensions of the rug, they may still like be comforted by a loose wrap in a light blanket or sheet at bed time. This may need to continue up until 6 months or even more.

	~First Bath~

   After all the effort of childbirth, both mother and baby can look forward to a nice warm bath! Depending upon circumstances, the time when bathing occurs will vary greatly. A newborn baby will usually be quite tired after their journey of birth, and after the initial period of being awake and their first feed, they usually settle down for several hours sleep - affording you the time to attend to your own needs of washing and resting. Alternatively, you may decide to cuddle and feed your baby, then wash yourself and bathe him / her just prior to a sleep.
   Sometimes, in those who consider blood and amniotic fluids "unclean", there can be much urgency to wash a baby soon after the birth, but unless there are communicable diseases involved there is no risk in leaving this until it is convenient. Although it used to be the norm for a baby to be bathed before their first sleep, these days many are not fully immersed initially but are given only a wipe-over with a warm cloth for the first few days after birth. This approach is considered better for cord care (see following).
   In a birth with no complications or infectious situations, whether you attend to bathing before or after their first sleep is of little importance. What is important is that when it is done it occurs in a relaxed atmosphere that allows the water to become a medium by which the baby can experience pleasant feelings and a mother can fully explore her baby through touch and sight. Ideally it is the mother who should first wash the baby as this first bath is a potentially powerful bonding opportunity. The medium of water imitates the uterine environment and can often 

help in settling an unsettled infant. Handling her baby right from the outset, rather than deferring this task to someone more experi-enced, can also be an important confidence booster for a new mother.
   Babies lose body heat very quickly so bathing should always be carried out in a warm room and they should be covered again soon after their wash. To assist this, make sure you have their towel and fresh clothes warm and nearby to pop on straightaway. Make a warm bath that is deep enough to allow the infant supported floating. Support the baby's head and neck with your left hand and hold their buttocks with your right. Gently submerge the lower torso into the water. Once the baby is relaxed free your right hand and allow the baby to float supported only by your left hand. Use your right hand and a cloth to stroke their body in slow, strong movements that cross from one shoulder diagonally over the body down to the opposite thigh and down the leg. No soap or additives should be used. That is usually enough on this occasion as this bath is more about bonding and using water as a sensory experience for your baby than about rigorous cleaning. A newborn is usually covered in a thin coating of vernix - a fatty white cream secreted by their skin to protect it from the amniotic fluid. Vernix continues to protect and nourish the skin after birth, and removal with soap or by rubbing is not recommended. Babies that are excessively washed in the first few days will tend towards dry flaky skin until their natural oils build up over a period of weeks.
   Immediately after their bath the baby should be gently dried, dressed and swaddled. Hold him / her close to you and if they are still awake and interested, offer the breast again.

	~Cord Care~

   After the umbilical cord has been cut, a stump of about 3 - 5 cms is left attached to the belly button. This stump will take 7 - 14 days to drop off. Within that time you must pay special attention to it whenever changing and washing your baby. There is no danger of infection if the stump is well dried after bathing. The easiest way to do this is to pat it dry with a soft towel and then dab methylated spirits around it each time you dress or wash your baby. Never pull at the stump to try to encourage it to disconnect and take care when changing nappies that it is held securely under the nappy rather than poking out over the top where it can be rubbed by clothing.