‘Smooth as a Baby’s Bottom!’
How many times have you heard that timeless adage, uttered by someone else or perhaps even yourself, when referring to something ‘smooth as silk’?
The thing is, baby skin is not always going to be in the proverbial ‘pink of health’. Luckily for you, we at Kangaroo Kids have fortified this article with all the newborn skin care tips you need. If you think you have a baby skin problem or two, you’re certainly in safe hands. Want to prevent the likes of nappy rash symptoms flaring up and invading that otherwise ‘smooth’ baby skin?
Read on, for simple tips to keep that baby skin healthy, and ensure that your little one is always at ease and chuckling with glee!
Table of Contents
Newborn Skin Care: Simple Tips to Keep your Baby’s Skin Healthy
If you thought only ‘mommies’ need all that ‘special’ attention in the spa, you’re sorely mistaken!
Presenting simple tips to keep your baby’s skin healthy. Follow these newborn skin care tips, to ensure Baby is always pampered more than Mama, as they rightfully should be!
- Limit their exposure to the Sun!
- The First Cleansing
- Clean the Skin Regularly
- Preventing and treating Nappy Rash Symptoms
- Check those nappies frequently, so you can change them whenever they are wet or soiled.
- Ensure you use a clean and soft cloth, and not baby wipes. The reason being, the ‘alcohol’ content in some of those wipes might irritate the baby’s skin further!
- Do not use baby powder. Instead, you might wish to apply a layer of petroleum jelly or even a protective ointment like Desitin, to treat those nappy rash symptoms.
- Be Minimal
- Treating Pimples and Whiteheads
- Take care of that Dry Skin
- Wash that baby clothing before your baby wears it
- Treat that Eczema
- Prevent Heat Rash
The last thing Baby needs is to ‘sunbathe’ by the pool!
o Keep them in shaded areas as far as possible.
o Ensure they wear a hat that covers the neck and ears, and lightweight clothing that covers the arms and legs.
This is one of the most important skin care tips, that’s overlooked by most people. When they are born, you can clean them with a dry towel, but ensure you don’t rub off the ‘thin white layer’ that covers their skin.
Cool Fact: It is this layer that has important uses: like wound healing, thermoregulation and even protection from bacteria!
After the first cleansing has been done, you want to ensure you clean their skin regularly with a sponge and warm water.
Note: You want to pay special attention here, to the ‘mouth’ and ‘diaper’ areas.
More often than not, newborn rash in the diaper area is caused on account of ‘soiled nappies’.
Note: You want to see a paediatrician, if that newborn rash persists for more than 3 days. In that case, it might be on account of a bacterial infection.
Ever heard the phrase ‘less is more’? That is indeed the case, where it comes to the regimen you wish to set in place for your baby’s skin!
Hot Tip: You don’t wish to deprive a baby’s skin of its natural oils. For that reason, it is important that you bathe your baby not more than thrice a week.
If that baby skin sees an outbreak of pimples, relax! The pimples on a baby’s face are not like the kind that teenagers get.
To do: Absolutely nothing! Those pimples will clear off in a few weeks by themselves, without the need for using any kind of lotion.
Yes you need to use moisturizer for baby’s skin, but only if they have extremely dry skin.
Hot Tip: Ensure that you use a moisturizer that does not have alcohol. As mentioned earlier, it can irritate the skin. You can make use of petroleum jelly, too.
True, one of the best ways to take care of that baby skin, is to ensure that their clothes are washed with only ‘baby laundry detergents’, that are free of fragrances and dyes.
Hot Tip: You want to make it a point to wash those baby clothes and even bedding and blankets, separately from the family’s laundry.
Eczema is a kind of newborn rash that breaks out in response to a trigger – like say asthma, or allergies. Over time, this type of rash might turn out to be ‘thick’ or ‘scaly’.
To do: To treat this baby skin problem, you want to use only gentle soaps and a moderate amount of moisturizer.
Note: If that eczema is especially severe, it might just need to be treated with prescription medicine.
If you notice an outbreak of tiny red spots on your baby’s skin, it might just be a case of ‘heat rash’! Generally speaking, it is found in those places where a baby’s clothes brush against their skin.
To do: To help clear this rash, it is recommended that you keep your baby’s skin cool, by giving them a cool bath or even, making use of a washcloth.
We at Kangaroo Kids want all parents to know, that newborn rash of any kind is perfectly natural, and expected in all babies. We hope our list of newborn skin care tips will help keep your baby’s skin ‘glowing’ and ‘healthy’, for a long time to come!
