How to wash and clean a newborn baby

Bath time provides the opportunity to hold the baby, caress, and strengthen emotional ties. It is a time to enjoy the newborn and is an activity in which all family members can participate. Although the technique is simple, it is not free of doubt and uncertainty, it is appropriate to resolve them before the first bath.

Wash the child at night facilitate his dream

Baby hygiene is a great opportunity to convey to your child feelings of well being. Immerse in warm water, pleases while relaxes you. Do at similar times each day, for example before dinner, promote a good night's rest. It should seize this moment of intimacy to establish a special contact with the newborn, enhancing the bonding with parents.

How to bathe a baby before the fall of the cord is different as will be later. This is to prevent infections and the navel is kept as dry as possible for proper healing. It is for this reason that before the fall of the umbilical cord is preferable not to wash the baby dip, ie not completely immerse the baby in water. However, with proper technique you can be performed hygiene without completely submerging the baby in the water.



Preparing baby bath

Before you begin, it is important to have everything ready. A good organization is necessary for baby care are easier. To achieve this, nothing better than to gather and keep handy everything you need:

The proper water temperature is between 34-37 ° C

- The first few days should not wash the baby in a large bathtub and difficult, it is dangerous. So it is recommended to use the kitchen sink or baby bañerita that can be placed on a raised, hard surface, such as the kitchen counter or a sturdy table. The tub is filled 5 to 7cm of warm water, not hot. The right temperature is between 34-37 ° C. You should check the water temperature before entering the newborn, to do the inside of the wrist is submerged, the back of the hand or elbow, bath thermometers also exist for these cases. It should be prepared warm water in a basin, it may be necessary to add more hot water.

- Cotton towels, large and soft.

- Natural sponge baby special. Also you can use your hand to wash the baby.

- Liquid soap special for newborn, with a neutral pH without fragrances or colors. You only need to use a small amount and make sure to rinse thoroughly your skin. All this is very important because your skin is very sensitive and prone to chafe. Anyway, we could bathe the newborn with water only, especially advisable given the few days of life.

- Soft brush or comb.

- Oil and special moisturizing baby lotion.

- Clean clothes and diapers.

Be careful of the bath temperature
When all the collected material, it is advisable to wash your hands and lock the door and window of the room where you bathe the baby. You make sure that the ambient temperature of the room is warm and ranges between 23 and 25 ° C.

Baby cleaning ears

Do not use cotton swabs to clean ears

How to bathe the newborn

It is important to dispel uncertainty logic of the first day, organize with ease and deal with this situation as a moment of affection with the baby.

1. To begin, soothes the baby. To do this, speech and Caress. Then he begins to undress, leaving the diaper. Wrap it in a towel and proceed to clean the eyes very gently. Use a new and different for each eye gauze, soaked in water or saline at room temperature. You also have to clean the face, passing a wet cotton towel with clean water around the mouth, nose and the rest of the face, always from the inside out. Should pay attention to the back of the ear and neck folds. In cleaning the ears, neck swab into the ear introduce cana, just clean the visible parts. Finally removed the diaper and proceeded to clean the area before inserting it in the bathtub.

2. The best position for cleaning a newborn is keeping his back with one arm, so that the baby lean your head on his forearm, holding the armpit and shoulder; so we have built semi-free is the other hand and the baby. The order to follow hygiene is top-down, starting at the head and ending with the genitals.

3. With the free hand baby hair is washed and a small amount of shampoo specially formulated for newborns applies. Apply with a gentle massage all over your head. Then rinse thoroughly with water to remove traces of shampoo.

4. For the rest of the body, use your free hand or help yourself to a sponge. It should start from the neck to the waist, Forget arms, hands. Then it goes to the lower limbs, legs and feet. Leave cleaning of the genitals always to the end, as is the dirtiest area of ​​the baby. In the case of girls, should be cleaned from front to back so that no traces of feces entering the genitals.

5. Finally, rinse well and dry with a slight pressure. We must take special care in the folds, because excess moisture can cause skin irritation.

We stop cleaning the genitals to the end to be the dirtiest area

6. Since your skin is much thinner than that of adults, it is common to lose moisture quickly. You might feel dry and irritated skin, so it is advisable to apply for full body baby oil or moisturizing lotion specific. Do not forget manage a thin layer of cream to the diaper in the folds of the ass, to protect from moisture and diaper rash.

7. It is time to comb with a soft brush. They can put a few drops of cologne on the clothes, but it is advisable to use a low alcohol colony that does not dry your delicate skin.

Cleaning the umbilical cord after a bath is very important because good hygiene will prevent future infections thereof. There are some basic care to wash the umbilical cord before it dries and is definitely falling.

- Should wash hands before cleaning the baby's umbilical cord. Remember that any bacteria can cause an infection to the newborn.

- Clean the cord with sterile gauze soaked in antiseptic solution.

- Dry it well with gentle pat and let it air dry. The cord remain clean and dry is the most important.

Make this care always after bathing, and each time the umbilical cord, which is usual when the diaper is stained staining. In case of bleeding, odor or discharge, consult your pediatrician.

Remember never to leave your baby alone in the bath

Important tips for bathing a newborn.

There are some special care that you should consider for the bathroom:

- You should never leave your baby alone while bathing.

- The use of powders is not recommended, especially during the first months, to avoid maceration and possible allergies.

- The ture of the bath should be appropriate to your height, thus preventing back problems.

- It is recommended to wash the bath before and after use.

Let your baby completely dry

- Remember to dry well all the folds of the skin of the baby, pay special attention under the chin, behind the ears and in the diaper area.

- Bath time is a great place to check the baby and so rule rashes, inflammation, or other problems now.

- But mostly fail bath time to enjoy it. Do not be discouraged if he cries a lot during the first baths, and it is logical that scare you the unknown. With caresses and good environmental conditions you will soon get used and enjoy.

Finally, remember that bathing the newborn is a very special contact between parents and baby time, so it is advisable to take it easy and enjoy the moment. It is the best opportunity to use your hands not only for baby hygiene care, but also for stroke. If new parents, rest assured that the uncertainties will disappear.