Having a baby is a new responsibility for parents. The return from the hospital marks a new stage in the life of the family, and many parents face many questions. One of them is how to wash a newborn. It is unclear what the water should be in the bath, whether it is necessary to add something to it, whether it is possible to use soap. The answers to these questions are not so much complicated as they are important.
Is it possible to wash a newborn with soap
The skin of the baby is very delicate, so you should be extremely careful with soap. Even if a piece of soap is labeled “baby,” pediatricians do not recommend using it in the first weeks of life.
Can I wash the newborn with soap? It is possible, but infrequently. During the first week after returning from the maternity hospital, you do not need to use soap at all during bathing. In the future, you can soap the body of the baby not more than once or twice a week.
But by and large, until the child begins to crawl, there is simply nowhere for him to get dirty, which means that the need to use soap is experienced more by parents than by the baby himself. The sweat glands on the baby’s body work differently than on the body of an adult or grown child. Therefore, babies need a simple bath with water.
Regarding the washings, then after the chair, you can and even need to use baby soap. After washing the ass and legs, you need to get wet with a thick terry towel, and lubricate the skin with baby cream without perfumes.
Is it possible to wash a newborn with liquid soap, not lumpy, or cream soap, for example? The answer is the same. It is possible, but only if the baby is really dirty. During the daily "ritual" bathing, there is no point in using soap. Moreover, frequent washing with soap can harm not only the skin of the crumbs, but also its health.
Why do not abuse soap
Any soap, even specially created for the delicate baby skin of infants, contains drying substances. It dissolves a special fatty film on infant skin, that is, deprives it of natural protection. Therefore, parents should not get carried away with excessive cleanliness. But to know about what soap is better to wash a newborn, it is necessary.
What is the risk of abuse of soap when bathing a baby:
• deprived of a protective film, the epidermis (outer layer of the skin) is subjected to increased attack by bacteria and viruses. It takes about two days to restore protection, and this time is potentially dangerous;
• after washing with soap, the skin begins to actively absorb substances, including those that are removed from the body as toxins. On the other hand, soap disrupts the function of excretion. Accordingly, through the skin, the body seems to poison itself;
• the drying substances contained in the soap adversely affect the condition of the skin, can cause itching and irritation. That is why after using soap, you need to treat the skin with baby cream;
• if the soap contains synthetic substances, it obviously will not bring health to children's skin and in general can seriously affect the state of health;
• flavors work in the same way. If the bar of soap smells strongly, is brightly colored, it is clearly not suitable for the baby, no matter how the manufacturer labels its goods.
Frequent use of soap is undesirable and even harmful. One, maximum two washes per week will not cause harm. Every day you can’t swim with soap.
What soap is better to wash a newborn
You can’t do without soap at all. At least because the baby is soiling diapers from 5 to 8 times a day. What soap is better to wash the newborn, so as not to harm his body? Here are the basic rules that will help parents choose the best for their crumbs:
• you need to immediately refuse to buy the “Know Name” soap. Large reliable manufacturers have introduced a strict quality system, using natural and safe components;
• When buying a product, pay attention to the notes “neutral PH” and “clinical trials”. This means that the soap is tested and will not harm the skin of the baby;
• good baby soap should not contain fragrances, dyes, or synthetic components;
• if the soap contains herbs, this is not always good. The fact is that they can cause allergies, irritation, dryness.
It is necessary to take into account the individual characteristics of the child. It is impossible to say unequivocally with what soap it is better to wash a newborn. In some children, the skin responds well to herbal extracts (succession, celandine, chamomile), while in others the plants cause allergies.
Therefore, before lathering your favorite child, check whether the soap will cause a negative reaction. It is very simple to make a test: apply soap on the bend of the elbow or on the wrist, rinse off and observe the skin. If after two or three days nothing bad happened to the skin, it remained clean, without redness, you can use this soap.
How to wash a newborn
After each stool, the child needs to be washed. For boys and girls, the procedure is slightly different. This is due to the structure of the genital organs.
A newborn girl is washed under a stream of water with hand movements towards the anus to prevent the ingress of dirt and inflammation.
Soap is used as a last resort. The fact is that the skin of the mucous membranes on the genitals of the girl is very tender, and the soap injures her, causing inflammation. This, in turn, is fraught with fusion of the labia minora (synechia). When washing, keep the girl more correctly on the back, laying on the elbow and holding the handle.
It is more convenient for a newborn boy to wash on the contrary: laying on his elbow with his tummy. You need to wash the baby under a stream of warm water, first the ass, then the genitals. Caring for baby boys is easier.
How to prepare a bath
Baby bathing daily is a ritual that should give pleasure to both the baby and his mother. Therefore, details are important: the temperature of water and air, a "pea" for convenience, a soft diaper, spread out at the bottom of the bath.
The meaning of the procedure is not so much to wash away the dirt, but to let the child relax, feel the pleasant warmth of the water, the touch of mother's hands and a fluffy towel. In addition, daily bathing is a hardening procedure. The combination of water and air, the temperature difference makes the immune system work, strengthen it.
You can bathe a newborn already a day after the first BCG vaccination. However, there is no need for this, so nothing bad will happen if mom puts off the procedure for several days. The duration of the first bath is 2-3 minutes. After a week, the baby can be left in the water for five minutes, gradually bringing the procedure to 10-15 minutes.
How to wash a newborn in the bath? First of all, prepare the water. During the first month of life, some pediatricians recommend boiling it to avoid inflammation of the umbilical wound. For disinfection (especially if boiled water is used), manganese can be added, achieving a weak stain in a pinkish color.
The water temperature should not be higher than 37 degrees, and the air temperature should not be lower than 22 degrees. It is important that the child does not freeze, but swimming in hot water will not bring him joy. If there is no special water thermometer, mom can easily check the temperature by immersing the elbow in the prepared bath. The skin should not feel neither cold nor heat.
To add decoctions of medicinal herbs to the water depends on the desire of the parents. There is no special need for them if the baby's skin is healthy. Moreover, a newborn may have an allergy. If this happens, then the experiments should be stopped immediately. Another thing is if the doctor prescribes a decoction of a particular herb for therapeutic purposes (for example, with sweating, dermatitis, etc.). In this case, you must follow the recommendations of the pediatrician.
How to wash a newborn
A special slide in the baby bath is convenient because you don’t have to keep the baby. The slope of the piles should be covered with a diaper so that the body does not slip. If there is no slide, then the child needs to be placed with his back on his left elbow and held by the handle. Carefully lower into water and keep so that the head and shoulders are above the water.
You need to wash your baby with your right hand in smooth movements: first the arms and armpits, then the legs, inguinal folds, ass and tummy. Now you can turn the baby on his tummy, lift above the water and wash the back.
If soap is used, then mom lathers her hands and washes her baby with them. The usual shower gel can not be used in bathing a newborn. Children's shampoo - it is possible, but only after the baby reaches the age of four months. Shampooing should be done no more than once a month.
If the mother used soap, then after bathing, the baby’s body should be doused with clean water from a previously prepared jug. Now it remains only to wet the baby with a towel, grease the skin with baby cream and put the baby to sleep.
