Here Are Some Basics In Infant Skin Care

There are some basic things one can do for infant skin care. The first thing is a newborn infant does not get their first bath until their umbilical cord falls off first. You may sponge bathe the baby. Wipe very gently with a cotton ball or cotton swab around the umbilical area to avoid infections. A newborns umbilical cord usually falls off from after the 1st to 3rd week of birth. Let it come off naturally. Most do fall off easily. If you notice a foul smell coming form the umbilical cord or see blood coming from the cord call the pediatrician immediately.

The same is true for circumcision infant skin care. A baby boy who was just circumcised can look quite red below and then develop a yellow scab as it heals. Clean the penis area very gently with mild soap and water. Coat the head of the penis with petroleum jelly and keep it covered with a gauze dressing. The doctor will tell you when you can remove the dressing.

To sponge bathe the baby for good infant skin care you can undress them or take off the pieces of clothing one at a time to clean each area. Keep the baby covered with a towel. Using a baby washcloth, ring out the excess water and gently wipe the baby’s face. You don’t have to use soap, but they do have soap for newborns now. Only expose the parts you are washing. Pay particular attention to creases, under arms, behind ears and in between fingers and toes. If you want to wash the baby’s head gently clean it with soap. Rinse with a washcloth and towel dry. If they baby has cradle cap (dry skin-like scales resembling dandruff, you may use a soft brush or tooth brush to loosen them before you rinse with a wash cloth. Cradle cap is considered a mild form of eczema.)

It’s okay to use a lotion or moisturizer on a babies skin. There are many natural chemical free products available for infant skin care now. Make sure the moisturizer for you infant’s skin care does not contain alpha-hydroxy acids or sunscreen.

Although taking a baby out is good you need to be careful in the sun. With infant skin care, infants burn within 10 to 15 minutes of sun exposure even on cloudy days. The first defense is the clothing. This is a natural infant skin care protectant. There are natural and organic clothing available for babies today. On warm days cover baby’s arms and legs with light weight cotton clothing and make sure their head is covered. It’s best not to go out in the sun between 10 am and 3pm when the suns rays are the strongest. Remember to always wash the clothing that is new before putting it on baby, which is important to avoid irritants that may be in the clothing.

Another infant skin care advice is about heat rash. Babies can develop prickly heat or heat rash if they are too hot. Keep baby cool in hot weather by not over dressing them. Also a cool bath and light cornstarch powder can be applied to the skin if there is a light heat rash.

Diaper Rash prevention is another good infant skin care precaution to take. This is done by changing the baby frequently. Thoroughly cleaning the area with soap and water. Air-drying frequently because moisture can cause irritation. Use an ointment as a protective barrier. An ointment with zinc oxide is recommended such as Desitin, A and D ointment, zinc-oxide ointment or Nivea.

One last infant skin care tip is to keep baby nails trimmed. They grow very fast and babies can scratch themselves. There are baby emery boards, baby nail clippers and baby scissors available to do the job.

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