Baby Hygiene: Everything You Should Know

Introduction

It goes without saying that your baby’s personal hygiene is of utmost importance to keep him or her healthy and safe. A baby’s skin is extremely sensitive and delicate, hence it needs special care and the right products that are gentle on the skin. As a new parent, it is crucial to know what’s best for your baby and the doctor may guide you through baby hygiene and daily care. A baby’s defence mechanism is not so strong in the early days and they are likely to pick up many passing diseases and infections, allergy-causing dust can easily find their way onto your baby’s body, particularly through their hands and feet. So you must be on your toes when it comes to newborn baby hygiene.

It is a known fact that a baby must be bathed regularly, and you must change the baby’s diaper at frequent intervals even if it can still hold more, but here are a few baby hygiene essentials that you must consider when you are raising a newborn baby:

How To Maintain Baby Hygiene

1. Use Nail Clippers or Scissors Regularly

Not just bathing your baby every day, you must regularly trim a baby’s nails as part of hygiene. Use a nail clipper or a pair of tiny baby scissors to cut your baby’s delicate fingernails. It may seem to be a daunting task, but it is necessary to keep the baby safe. Babies’ fingernails grow really fast and have sharp edges; they may accidentally scratch themselves, it is also important to note that the baby puts his hands and fingers in his or her mouth often, so to avoid the spread of any infection, baby nails must always be trimmed. Make sure you are using stainless steel blades only and maybe use a magnifying glass to get a closer view of the tiny fingernails.

Wash your hands (or use a hand sanitizer) before handling your baby. Newborns don’t have a strong immune system yet, so they’re at risk for infections. Make sure that everyone who handles your baby has clean hands.

Dr. M.G. Kartheeka, MBBS, MD(Pediatrics)

2. Use a Finger Brush 

Maintaining oral hygiene is very important and it applies to infants too. From early on you as a parent must focus on the baby growing up with healthy gums and strong teeth. You can start brushing your baby’s teeth as soon as his first tooth appears. Begin with a soft bristle finger brush with a small head, made from non-toxic materials. Clean the baby’s tongue because milk can leave back deposits which are bad for oral health and may lead to an odour. Remember, it is never too early to start taking care of your baby’s dental health.

3. Use the Right Laundry Detergent

As your baby’s immune system is still developing, you must be extra careful about keeping infections at bay, even from his or her clothes. While washing baby’s clothes, always use a good quality, mild detergent, but most importantly use a disinfectant. Using any harsh regular detergent to wash the baby’s clothes can irritate your baby’s skin, and the chemicals present in the detergent can lead to allergic reactions in your baby. You can add a few drops of Dettol to warm water, which acts as an antiseptic liquid, before soaking baby clothes in it. Wash the clothes and rinse thoroughly, later, allow the clothes to dry in the sunlight. This can be done by washing the baby’s bedsheets and other baby products as well.

4. Sanitize and keep your Home Clean

While the baby may not be stepping out yet, you are on the move and whenever you come back home and want to play or touch the baby, remember to wash and sanitize your hands first. If you have visitors, ask them to do the same before touching the baby. Also, keeping your home sanitized and clean is very important, especially if you have a crawling baby. It ensures that your crawling or walking baby is not exposed to germs. Always use anti-bacterial floor cleaners to sweep the floor of your house. Babies have a tendency to put their hands in their mouths and a baby in a dirty home can mean a baby that falls sick frequently. Make sure that your baby’s sleeping cot is clean, change the bed sheets regularly and keep the room dust-free, twice a week go over surfaces with baby-friendly antibacterial products to kill any germs or bacteria that may have found their way into the baby’s room. The room where the baby stays must be well ventilated, with plenty of fresh air and sunlight. 

Poor sanitation, nutrition and unsafe drinking water cause diarrheal disease, frequent infections, stunting, or impaired growth and development.

Dr. Ashish Bajaj, M.B.B.S., M.D. in Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology

5. Use a Sterilizer

You may think that washing a baby’s feeding essentials is enough, but sterilizing them after each feed is a must. Your baby may use a feeding bottle, a spoon, or a bowl and it is ideal to sterilize these regularly. This will remove unwanted germs, and is the best way to protect your baby from health risks and infections. You may buy a non-toxic sterilizer or simply use boiling water to clean the essentials. As a parent you want the best for your baby and sterilizing is a trusted process which has been in use for ages. 

Conclusion:

A baby’s surroundings must be clean and hygienic at all times. It is true that when you have a baby, you need to be alert and prepared because the baby’s health and safety are the first priority and maintaining that is not always an easy task. Your little one is learning and growing. He or she is likely to put everything in his mouth, so keep things out of reach, and keep the baby’s toys clean, as they say, prevention is the best cure!

Read More – Guide To The First Trimester Of Pregnancy For Expecting Moms

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

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