The first bath of a newborn should not be done until the umbilical cord has fallen off [learn more about: umbilical cord], usually around the 10th-15th day of life: until then the water would prevent the skin to heal properly.
Bathtime is a very important moment for a child, for an hygienic aspect but above all because it is an opportunity to bond with the parents, through massages and care. Precisely for this reason we advise you, where possible, that the bathtime is part of a daily routine, as a pleasant habit, and in the most playful and affectionate way possible ... Therefore, a pleasant moment for everyone!
The best time is in the evening, before the penultimate or last feed, as a moment of relaxation in preparation for the night sleep. Try not to give a bath when your baby has just eaten (probably he could be about to sleep or on this coil affect his digestion), if he is waiting to eat (he could get irritated because he is hungry) or if he is too tired. In any of these circumstances he wouldn’t enjoy this pleasant moment in the best way…and neither would you.
Preparing your baby and the environment is part of the bath ritual:
prepare everything you need to wash, dry and dress your baby;
make sure you heat the room which must have a temperature around 20°C;
try having dim lights that relax and don't hurt the baby's eyes;
the water, on the other hand, must have a temperature maintained at about 38°C to be measured with a thermometer or more directly by immersing your elbow in the water to check if the temperature is adequate; mix it well so that it is uniform. Do not add oils to the water for at least the first month.
Before placing your baby in his bathtub, check that he doesn’t have a soiled nappy that needs to be cleaned: to prevent the water from getting dirty with germs, clean your baby with an adequate baby wipe or rinse his bottom in the sink with lukewarm water, only then, place your baby in his bathtub.
What is needed?
baby bathtub: for the first few months it can also be placed on the bathroom floor for practicality; around 6 months it can be placed inside the normal size bathtub or on the shower tray. It could be practical to have a foldable baby tub: safer and less spacious;
delicate and suitable baby wash: for the first few times use just water to avoid overexposing your baby's delicate skin. From the third month onwards you can use rice starch or bath oils, liquid or solid soaps with a neutral ph (ask your pharmacist to suggest a good soap that doesn’t irritate the eyes and skin);
neutral and delicate shampoo: from the 4th month onwards;
two cotton towels (possibly white, because they are less impregnated with chemical dyes which, at the beginning, could irritate the skin) large enough for the newborn and, if it was particularly cold, preheated until lukewarm (who doesn’t like a lukewarm towel?!);
a soft mattress covered with a clean towel to support the child once out of the tub
neutral Ph oil or creams to massage your baby and relax/hydrate his skin (but not before he is a month old);
a clean nappy;
rash cream, if needed;
pajamas or other clean clothes.
To make the point, we can say that the bathtime consists of a few steps:
body cleaning
cleaning of the genitals: with a boy you must gently pull back the skin of his foreskin (the part of the penis that covers the glans) to remove the dirt residues; with a girl you must clean the vagina with a movement that goes from the labia majora towards the anus (never the opposite!) to prevent any germs from spreading from the anal area to the genital area. This must be done if their nappy is soiled, otherwise they can be rinsed with only water;
hair shampoo (the child can be tilted back slightly so that the shampoo and rinsing water don’t get into his eyes)
nail trimming (using special scissors with a rounded tip) when necessary, to prevent the baby from scratching others or himself, especially.
If he cries, don't give up…try another day, maybe when he's less tired or hungry, maybe taking a bath together, preparing him by singing songs to him.
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/caring-for-a-newborn/washing-and-bathing-your-baby/