My newborn hates everyday bath time
My Japanese wife was told to bath my 1 week old son every day due to the hot humid summer in Japan even though we run air conditioning most of the time. But he cries right through bath time with warm water. What can we do to make it better?
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Timing.
A hungry, cranky or tired baby won't like bathtime - because it will hate almost everything besides what fulfills his current needs and desires. You need to catch the rare awake and alert window.
Temperature.
It's not only the temperature of the water (and some babies have their individual preferences, one of mine liked it warmer, one cooler), but also the getting into and out of the tub - some hate undressing and the part when the air hits wet skin.
Position.
Some babies detest the position, use something like a Tummy Tub (or frankly, any other largeish bucket), see the linked video on how to use them. I have even "bathed" one of mine laying on his tummy on my hand under the faucet. A good position for those "soiled diaper leaking upwards" accidents...
Generally speaking, bathe rarely, avoid soap etc. and don't bathe before the navel is healed. A washcloth will do for all but the really dirty cases. For really, really temperature-sensitive babies, you can even half-undress them (e.g. top or bottom half) to wash, then do the other half.
Some parents even bathe with their babies because they feel safer in their arms or on their tummy. But baby-temperature feels rather cool to us grownups... And you need a second helper unless you plan on standing there dripping and shivering while you towel off and dress your baby ^_^
Use two washcloths - one to wash him with, and get the other wet and use it to cover whatever part of his body you aren't washing. This helps keep the baby from feeling cold where the air hits his wet skin. Every so often, re-wet the washcloth so it stays warm.
This worked wonders with keeping our newborn daughter happy during her bath.
Not sure if this is any help, but I've been washing our daughter (now 3 months old) in the shower more or less since birth, and she loves it -- and I love it too, but I love every single moment with her anyway. I had never considered doing this, but our 'maternity carer' (kraamzorg, Dutch) suggested it. You might want to consider it.
Of course, be very careful.
I used to bath with my little one and that worked wonderfully. She hated bathing on her own and we weren't the best at bathing her without being in the bath with her. win win!
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