5 Tips For Health And Hygiene In Babies
Taking care of babies’ health and hygiene, as well as providing them with adequate nutrition, is essential to their well-being.
Parents need to be very attentive, well-informed and follow professional advice.
Although pediatricians provide a comprehensive list of information related to the baby’s health and hygiene, one may feel a little confused or afraid of how fragile the newborn actually is when it comes to putting things into practice.
To simplify these tasks a bit for parents, we have made a list of basic tips that are easy to implement.
5 tips for health and hygiene in babies
The first piece of advice, according to the health and hygiene of babies, is actually aimed at parental hygiene. It is essential that parents have clean hands before touching, feeding or changing diapers on babies.
This is because newborns and babies have a low defense, through the first years of life. So, if we do not take the necessary precautions, we may be the ones harming their health.
Now, it is important to know that every part of the baby’s body needs special attention. We will talk about them more specifically, below.
1. Care for babies’ skin
Babies’ skin is very delicate. You should always use special baby products. Many of them do not contain soap, so they avoid being rough. You must clean the folds on the skin, chest, arms, legs and buttocks with special care.
To wash your head, use a very small amount of shampoo for children. You need to take good care so that it does not get into the eyes. It is very important that you thoroughly cleanse any residue of soap or shampoo from your body.
When removing the baby from the bathtub, make sure that you dry the baby well. Apply a moisturizer, and avoid putting colognes or perfume on hair or skin.
This can create irritations, or even olfactory discomfort. If you want to do it anyway, put it on their clothes, not their skin.
2. Diaper change
Properly cleaning a baby’s butt guarantees his or her well-being. This area is prone to irritation, due to the moisture that occurs when using diapers, as well as from bowel movements.
One of the most important pieces of advice, to avoid irritation, is to try to reduce the use of wet wipes as much as possible, by using sponges with warm water. If there is no irritation, wash the area immediately.
In the case of girls, always wash from the front and back so you go avoid moving remnants of feces into the vagina. It is also very important to clean the vaginal area thoroughly.
3. Clean their ears
Contrary to many parents’ beliefs, the most important piece of advice, according to ear hygiene, is to avoid using cotton swabs.
It is important to wipe the moisture, after a bath, and always on the outer part of the ear. Inserting a cotton swab can cause earwax to be pushed deeper. That way, clots and infections are created.
4. Nail care
Clearly, babies’ hands are very fragile. Therefore, it can make you nervous to cut their delicate nails.
If so, it is recommended that you use a file that is not very rough. That way, you can reduce the size of the nail, with great care.
5. Clean the navel for good hygiene in babies
The remnants of the umbilical cord that adhere to the navel usually fall off within the first month of the baby’s life. However, for proper healing, it is recommended to clean the area twice a day with gauze, or, alternatively, cotton soaked in alcohol at a low percentage.
The most important piece of advice for this area is: take special care when changing your baby’s diaper. You should also let any dead skin cell fall off naturally, without forcing it or trying to remove it.
Although, at the beginning of these basic tips for the health and hygiene of babies, it may seem demanding or challenging, they will become a routine that requires very little effort, over a few months.
