An infant is being discharged at 48 hours of age.The parents ask how the infant should be bathed this first week home.Which is the best recommendation by the nurse?

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A newborn infant's skin has a pH of approximately 5.This acidic pH has a bacteriostatic effect.The parents should be taught to use only plain warm water for the bath and to bathe the infant no more than two or three times the first 2 weeks.Soaps are alkaline.They will alter the acid mantle of the infant's skin,providing a medium for bacterial growth.

An Infant Is Being Discharged at 48 Hours of Age