There is an art in laying the baby in the water. Support the back and head with your left hand, grasp the ankles with your right, and very gently slip the little body under the water, being careful not to immerse the head: the sensation of water running into the ears, mouth, and eyes startles the baby and implants in him a fear of the daily bath. Support him with the left hand, and, with the right, rinse off the soap, using a piece of gauze or absorbent cotton. The very young baby should be kept in the water only long enough to rinse off the soap. As he grows older, and shows pleasure in the bath, he may remain in the water three, four, or five minutes. If, from the first bath, a child shows great fear and does not seem to outgrow this, do not plunge him directly into the water. Have a large square of muslin stretched over the tub, lay him on this and gently lower him into the bath, always keeping his head above the water. Once the soap is rinsed off lift him out carefully, the left hand supporting the back and head, and the right hand holding the ankles. Have a warm bath-towel at hand, spread it over the flannel apron on your lap, and roll baby up comfortably in towel and apron. Pat him dry. Never rub. Rubbing may start up irritation in the tender young skin. Dust him with talcum powder; and be particularly careful about drying and powdering the creases. Next sew on the belly-band. Draw on the shirt by slipping it over the feet, never over the head. Next comes the diaper and, finally, the Gertrude skirt and slip. Draw these up from the feet, never over the head. Then the baby is ready for his feeding and good sleep. Physicians quite generally agree that the best hour for bathing the baby during the first year is in the morning before the second feeding. This gives the busy mother a chance to get her breakfast work out of the way, her husband off to business, and the older children off to school. As one who has been her own housekeeper and cook, I know that it seems very hard to stop in the middle of a busy morning, when every room in the house calls for attention, and give half an hour or more to bathing the baby, but if this becomes a habit with mother and child it means a quiet, comfortable baby, and several peaceful hours in which the mother can catch up with her household duties. Irregular bathing is disturbing to a baby, and, while the average mother may think that she can spare the time better just before his bedtime, she should realize that this is the family supper hour, and if she postpones it, baby’s sleep is disturbed.