Parenting is a joyful journey filled with learning and excitement. It teaches young parents responsibility and care. Taking care of young ones can be one of the most challenging tasks out there and parents must prepare themselves mentally as well as physically to ensure their baby receives the best childhood.
Parents must take a proactive approach to keep their young ones from getting contaminated by harmful agents. From sterilising baby items to keeping a clean environment around them, maintaining baby hygiene requires a multi-faceted approach and lots of learning.
In this article, we will cover various aspects of maintaining baby hygiene, and understand how parents can create a safe environment for the love of their lives.
Why is Baby Hygiene Important?
Following a proper baby hygiene routine is critical to ensure your newborn’s overall well-being. Babies with delicate skin and developing immune systems are quite susceptible to diseases and irritation. Parents must ensure their child is well-protected and cared for round the clock. Let us now walk through some of the best practices for baby hygiene such as bathing schedules, diaper choices and oral hygiene methods. Before getting into those details, let us first understand the importance of maintaining baby hygiene.
1. Infection prevention: As mentioned earlier, babies are quite prone to skin rashes and infections due to their hyper-sensitive skin and underdeveloped immune systems. Proper hygiene routine ensures the young one’s exposure to harmful external elements stays at a minimum level and they are protected from various kinds of bacteria and viruses.
2. Comfort: At a young age, babies cannot communicate their discomfort clearly and may resort to crankiness. Parents must ensure that their children do not face any adverse situations and are protected from elements such as sweat, dirty diapers and grime.
3. Growth: Your child’s well-being and growth depend entirely on the hygiene and care they receive in their early years. Parents must take a proactive approach in this aspect and ensure children are provided with a healthy environment.
4. Healthy skin: Skin rashes, redness, inflammation, eczema and cradle cap are some of the worst enemies for newborns. Their tender bodies and sensitive skin are quite susceptible to these conditions. Following a proper skincare and hygiene routine ensures your baby doesn’t experience any such complications.
Tips on Personal Hygiene for Babies
Baby Diapers
Diapering is one of the quintessential aspects of baby hygiene as your young ones spend most of their early lives in diapers. As parents, it is our responsibility to follow proper diaper routines to prevent diaper rashes and infections. Here’s how you can achieve it.
The right diaper choice
- Material: Some parents opt for disposable diapers while others go for the cloth options. Both of these options have their pros and cons. While disposable diapers are more popular among parents for their ease of use, cloth diapers are cost-effective and eco-friendly.
- Size: The diaper fit should be comfortable and facilitate easy body movement. Ensure that the diaper is snugly fit and fastened well enough to prevent any leaks or friction with the skin.
Also read: How to Choose the Right Diapers and Wipes for Sensitive Skin
What is the Ideal Diaper-Changing Routine?
Here are some pointers regarding the diapering routine you must remember to ensure your baby stays comfortable and rash-free.
- Keep an eye on your child’s diapers at frequent intervals and change them every couple of hours. Always change the diapers as soon as they become soiled.
- Use baby wipes or a soft cloth dipped in warm water to keep the diaper area clean. While doing so, we must pay special attention to skin folds.
- Let the diaper region dry off completely post-cleaning. Use a soft towel or let the skin air dry using diapers.
- Use creams recommended by healthcare experts on the diaper region to keep the diaper region clean and infection-free.
- Always roll the diapers tightly before disposing of them after use. Throw the used diapers in a sealed dustbin to ensure optimum hygiene.
Preventing Diaper Rashes
- Change frequently– Keep changing your child’s diapers as and when they become soiled. Keep the region dry and clean
- Airflow– Allow your baby to be diaper-free for some time during the day. This air circulation is vital for the baby’s health and skin.
- Choose wisely– There are a plethora of diaper options in the market today. Such a wide range of choices can confuse parents. Always go for fragrance-free products to ensure your child doesn’t experience skin irritation.
Baby Bathing
Bathing your child can be a fun experience and create some great memories. This is one of the most crucial aspects of baby care and parents must pay great attention to ensure their child stays clean and healthy.
What is the Ideal Bathing Frequency for my Child?
As adults, we take a shower 1 or 2 times a day and sometimes, even more. However, in the case of babies, such a frequency is not recommended. It is advised to bathe your newborn 2-3 times a week and you can increase the frequency as they start growing. A lot of factors such as your child’s exposure to the external environment, your living conditions and the professions of adults in the home must be factored in before you decide on a specific number.
What are some Bathing Essentials for my Child?
Bathtub – As mentioned above, bath time can be a fun exercise for you and your child. You can set up a small bathtub and even fill it with some toys to keep your little one engaged.
Mild soap and baby-specific shampoo – Your child’s skin is extremely sensitive and must not be exposed to harmful chemicals. Choose soaps and solutions that are free from harsh chemicals and strong fragrances.
Soft cloth- Bath your baby with a soft washcloth to remove dirt and soap from their body.
Towels – Opt for soft, hooded towels and pat dry your child gently to keep them warm
How to Bathe my Child?
Young parents often encounter this question in the early stages of their parenthood. Here are some steps to ensure your child receives a proper bath.
Step 1– Ensure the water is lukewarm and comfortable enough for your child.
Step 2– Support your child’s neck and head while placing them in the tub.
Step 3– Use the cloth to wipe your baby’s face and body along with a gentle dosage of baby soap.
Step 4– Rinse your child with lukewarm water and ensure there’s no soap residue on their body.
Step 5– Pat dry your child with a soft towel and pay special attention to skin folds.
Note– Ensure the water temperature is tested before you bathe your child and never leave your child unattended during the process.
Best Practices for Baby Hygiene
Apart from diapering and bathing, there are several other critical elements of baby hygiene. Let’s understand them individually.
Hand hygiene for babies
Hand hygiene for babies is a two-pronged approach where both parents and caregivers along with babies are involved. Parents and caregivers must always wash hands before handling the baby. They must thoroughly wash their hands after changing diapers, entering the home, handling pets and after every meal. Apart from this, parents should also constantly clean their child’s hands, especially before feeding.
Nail care for babies
Like adults, baby nails can attract a lot of dirt even if they spend most time indoors. Children have a tendency to put their fingers in their mouth making nail care even more important. Baby’s nails should be regularly trimmed with baby nail clippers. This will ensure babies don’t scratch and hurt themselves and those around them.
Note– Trim your child’s nails when they are asleep or in a joyful mood.
Baby Oral Hygiene
One of the most critical aspects of baby hygiene, oral hygiene involves taking care of your child’s gums as well as teeth. At a stage when babies don’t have teeth, you may use a soft, damp cloth to wipe their gums. Once babies start developing teeth, you can clean them with a soft-bristled toothbrush and lukewarm water.
Ear and Nose Hygiene for Babies
Parents can clean their children’s ears with a soft cloth. They must never insert earbuds or any sharp objects for cleaning as baby ears are extremely sensitive.
To clean a baby’s nose, parents or caregivers can use a small bulb syringe or drops as prescribed by healthcare experts.
External hygiene
Keeping your home and baby’s toys clean is another crucial aspect of baby hygiene. Parents must ensure their home flooring and walls are regularly cleaned and sanitised. Similarly, they must also keep children’s toys and surfaces they regularly touch thoroughly cleaned.
Note– Sterilisation is a vital aspect of external hygiene. Always sterilise baby products like bottles, pacifiers and utensils and ensure they are thoroughly cleaned. Keeping our homes well-ventilated and maintaining a safe distance from sick individuals is another important step to achieving complete immunity for babies.
Conclusion
Following proper hygiene practices is a continuous process that requires a proactive approach from parents and caregivers’ side. Diaper changes, bathing, sterilisation and maintaining overall cleanliness are key to a baby’s good health and growth. Parents must follow all of the above steps meticulously to provide a great childhood for their little ones. For further information, they may get in touch with healthcare professionals.