The hygiene of the baby is an area that parents should be very careful, because the newborn has a very delicate skin , also easily absorbed substances are applied. Therefore, its correct care during the first months of life involves using the appropriate products and cosmetics and minimizing the use of certain ingredients that can be harmful.
And it is that, as indicated by the Directorate of Quality of Medicines and Healthcare of the Council of Europe (EDQM) , the safety of a product is based on the properties of the ingredients that make up its formula. Thus, these experts point out several agents to take into account when they are aimed at the smallest of the house, such as preservatives and perfumes, which have significant allergenic potential . Therefore its concentration should be kept to a minimum in products for babies and children under three years of age. In addition, they also warn that products containing camphor , eucalyptol and menthol, for example, should be avoided in children . Therefore, you always have to pay close attention to the labeling.
And now, take out a pen and paper (or open your smartphone’s notepad) and take notes! These are the essential products you will need to take care of your baby’s skin:
Neutral soap
A sponge and a soft brush
Wet wipes
Moisturizer
Perioral cream
Cream for the diaper area
Massage oil
Sun protection for when it’s needed
And of course many, many disposable diapers (an estimated 6,000 diapers will be used by a baby until he learns to go to the bathroom on his own!).
As you can see, there are numerous hygiene products available to our baby, although some are more essential than others. For this reason, we teach you how the general hygiene of your little one should be, and also the specific hygiene in certain areas of her body. Buy kids beds
Everything you need to give your baby a gentle bath
The bathrooms of the baby , the more simple and short, better. And as the daily and frequent hygiene can produce irritations and even allergies in his so sensitive skin, the dermatologists advise that the baths of the infant are brief (not more than five minutes) and very soft. Simply with water or adding a small amount of neutral soap (neutral pH) we will wash the baby delicately, trying not to rub their skin too much, and then we will rinse well to remove all the remains of the product. We can use our hands and take the opportunity to caress and massage our little one, although it is also acceptable to use a natural sponge.
As for the hair, since babies still have it fine and not very abundant, it is not necessary to use shampoo . The first months the hair will also be washed with water and neutral soap. Of course, if your child has cradle cap (yellowish peeling on the scalp), you should use a specific product, such as an oil that facilitates the shedding of the scales. But in addition to using mild products during the bath, after it it is recommended that we hydrate the skin properly , especially during the first weeks of life, when it appears more dry. A good option is emollient creams, which prevent dehydration thanks to components such as Vaseline, lanolin, vegetable oils or paraffin. They create a thin oily film on the skin’s surface that prevents water loss.
Regarding the care of the newborn’s navel, it is important to know that 0.5% chlorhexidine should be used for cures and avoid other antiseptics and iodized solutions, which when absorbed can be harmful.
Finally, we can take advantage of the softened fingernails and toenails to cut them when necessary and prevent the baby from scratching. We will do it with special scissors , with a rounded tip, without rushing the cut too much and making sure that there are no spikes (we can use a soft file to polish them delicately).