Caring for a newborn baby can be a little bit overwhelming, especially for a new mother. Just like an older child or adult, your baby will need to be groomed, keeping fingernails clean and trimmed, the skin moisturized, and the umbilical cord clean until it falls off. In this article, we have provided some helpful tips to make the process a little less intimidating.
Skin Care
First, your baby does not need a daily bath in the first two months of life. In fact, two or three baths a week is sufficient. During the off days, you can use a clean, damp cloth to wipe the face, feet, hands, bottom, and so on. Of course, the bottom should be last. Plain water is best since your baby’s skin will be sensitive, not tolerating soaps well. In addition, you want to avoid getting the umbilical cord too damp in that infection can set in. For baby girls, always clean the genital area from front to back, again to avoid infection in that even little babies can get yeast infections. For a little boy, the penis area will need to be wiped off or cleaned while bathing carefully, especially if he has not been circumcised.
Shampooing
During the couple of times a week when you bathe your newborn, you can also wash his or her hair. For this, make sure you choose only gently shampoo formulated for babies. In fact, you might consider purchasing organic baby shampoo, which is 100% natural and void of fragrances, colors, and chemicals. Apply only a half-dime size in the palm of your hand, taking care to keep the shampoo out of the baby’s eyes. Then, gently work the shampoo into the scalp, which will help loosen any cradle cap (dry skin). Rinse using barely warm water (not too hot), using a cup or spray nozzle from the sink to push the shampoo away from the baby’s face. To keep the soap and water from getting into the ears, you can place a cotton ball during the washing and rinsing process. To further help with cradle cap, brush the hair after drying.
Diapering
You can be sure that you will be changing your fair share of changing dirty diapers. To keep your new baby from developing a painful diaper rash, after removing the diaper, use a slightly warm, damp washcloth to clean the bottom. If you are visiting someone or traveling, then diaper wipes work but remember that diaper wipes do not clean feces off well. Therefore, we suggest you also carry baby clothes and plastic bags. With this, you could dampen the cloth, clean the baby, and then place the soiled cloth in the plastic bag until you get home where you can wash it.