We learned to do a developmental bath in the NICU. It made bath time easier for James when we came home.

I love this photo of James! His nurse, Lisa, taught me how to do a Developmental Bath. Bath time can be stressful for some babies, and they were concerned it would be for James. Doing a Developmental Bath kept him partially covered in the bath, allowing the weight of the blankets to help define his boundaries. Boundaries are important when you don’t really know what to do with your arms and legs. We uncovered only what we were washing so James wouldn’t feel overwhelmed with the freedom of being in the water. We continued to do Developmental Baths for a while after James came home. I think it helped him feel secure in the water. When we made the transition to a regular bath he did fantastic. He’s always loved bath time. I’m glad we had such a caring nurse who helped make bath time easier on James right from the start.