Baby Bathing And Skin Care
How do I bathe my baby?
A lot of new born bathing you're going to do every other day, or every third day; you don't really have to do it everyday. Follow your child's cues. You know, their hair gets a little greasy, the body gets a little clammy; that's usually when we do the bathing. They make little basins or baby tubs, you can do it in the sink, but you usually do it in a small basin that fits your child better. You're really going to have to sponge bathe them, especially until the cord comes off. After the cord comes off you can submerge them more in water. It's very, very important obviously to stay with them at all times. So, if the phone rings you, take them up and go with them whenever they are around water. Usually you can just use small little basins, you're going to need water and you're going to have to watch the temperature. It's really important to make sure that your house temperature is set to 120 degrees or less so that you avoid scalding, just in case somebody turns the wrong dial. You can just use water, but you can buy some baby soaps or baby shampoos; you don't want to get anything with a lot of extras. You don't need extra fragrances because your child's skin is very sensitive, so it's better just to stay very mild. Dove, Ivory, Johnson and Johnsons; they make good products but the key is to have fun, and trial and error.
What are key safety tips for bathing my baby?
One way to bathe your baby safely is obviously first to make sure that your water heater's set at the right temperature. You check the temperature before your child is immersed in the water. Number two is bathe the baby in a smaller basin so that you have control over how much water's there and your child's sitting there, and that you stay with them at all times. You're going to have to support their head and neck because they won't be able to hold it up, obviously as an infant when you're bathing your baby. It is OK, and people always get worried, if water gets in the baby's ears while bathing, and it's fine if water gets in their ears. This doesn't cause infections. It actually may actually help get some of the wax out, but don't worry about it if a little water gets in the ears while bathing. It doesn't hurt you. It doesn't hurt them.
How should I care for my newborn's skin?
You don't have to do much. Again, your child's skin is acclimating over the first month. They just spent nine months in water and now they're acclimating to the air so you don't have to do anything, but if you'd like to for those scaly areas of dry skin you can use some baby moisturiser creams. For the most part, these are safe. Again, avoid all the extras and if you're worried about allergic reactions, maybe put a little bit on their foot first, just to see if their skin is really sensitive. However, most of these baby moisturiser creams are safe on the face and over the entire body.
How should I wash my newborn's clothes?
In order to wash your newborn's clothes, you can use the same detergents that you use, or try some hypoallergenic detergents. One of the most common ones is called Dreft, which basically takes out all of the little extras that your child's skin may be sensitive to. Again, you could try the regular detergents to wash your newborn's clothes, and if your child's skin isn't reacting and isn't sensitive, it's probably fine to use the same ones that you use. But if you're concerned, or you want a more specific hypoallergenic formulation for your newborn baby's clothes, then something like a Dreft is fine. The idea is just that the baby's skin is very sensitive, and you want to take out all those extra fragrances and chemicals.
