What instruction should a nurse give about bathing a newborn?

The instruction regarding washing a newborn's head under a stream of running water is appropriate as it highlights a method that minimizes the baby's exposure to direct water flow and allows for gentle cleansing. In practice, it's important to support the baby's safety and comfort during bathing.

When bathing a newborn, care should be taken to avoid using harsh soaps which can irritate their sensitive skin, hence the choice stating to use soap and water on the entire body is not advisable for a newborn's delicate skin. Recommendations generally suggest sponge baths until the umbilical cord stump falls off, rather than a full bath with running water. Therefore, while gently washing the head might not involve direct soaking of the infant, it's an effective means to keep the newborn clean without overwhelming them with water.

In terms of bathing practices during the initial period, avoiding any water completely in the first week is not necessary as gentle cleansing is acceptable and beneficial for hygiene. Sponge baths are usually recommended until the umbilical cord is healed, but this typically lasts for only about a week or until the cord stump falls off, rather than an entire month, making the concept of sponge bathing for the first month less accurate. This information also emphasizes the appropriateness of using careful techniques for keeping a newborn clean