However, the fact is, it is always best to use fewer products during the first year, and it is important to especially avoid products in the first few weeks of life. This allows the skin to mature naturally with out being messed around with.
Newborn Skin Care
A newborn baby is fragile, and so is its skin. They are at risk from all of the chemicals which are in shop bought products, and that is why it is essential to give the baby a good head start by not using these products at the beginning. If you simply use just water for the first month or so, you will find that it is more than sufficient and it is a lot better for baby skin
There are other ways to care for baby skin which include applying certain basic methods. An example is to always wash your hands thoroughly before carrying out any baby care. Dirty hands will pass dirt onto the baby and can cause irritation.
Baby baths need to contain just plain water, and you should wash them using cotton wool. The delicate skin will be protected against germs, chemicals and water loss, even if you do only use plain water. When caring for the hair, shampoo is not needed, but you can use a baby comb to rid the scalp of any debris. You should not wash around the eye area and if you notice any sticky patches around the eyes, nose or ears, always consult a doctor and do not attempt to clear it with cotton buds.
If you baby is premature, you should know that the skin will be even more delicate, and therefore it will take longer to mature. Also, if the baby is overdue, the skin might be dry and cracked which is generally to be expected. You should not apply creams and lotions to the area as it can cause more damage. It is just better to bathe with plain water for the first month.
The area surrounding the baby cord needs to be kept clean and dry, so to do this it really needs to be left alone. It will generally heal on its own. You may notice that a few weeks after birth, your baby may experience some minor skin conditions which usually disappear quite quickly. The reason this happens is because the baby is retaining some of your hormones. A few skin conditions that a baby can get which are easily managed include:
Newborn acne. Babies sometimes develop a harmless case of acne on their face, and this is caused because of the hormones being passed from the mother to the baby.
A heat rash often occurs because the sweat glands are still developing and often become blocked, and because of this red bumps can appear all over the body.
Nappy rash. It does not matter how well you change the nappy and how good you are with cleanliness, nappy rash will probably still rear its ugly head at some stage. It is generally caused due to the ammonia which is in the urine. There are over the counter creams which you can apply that can help to relieve mild to moderate cases. Another effective method is to try petroleum jelly which often helps by forming a barrier on the skin.
Impetigo: This is very contagious and you will usually notice either a yellow sore or it could occur as lots of sores all over the body, but mainly they appear around the mouth, nose and nappy area.
Hives: If there is a rash characterized by loads of red blotches that have a light colored center, this may well be hives. The most common reason for hives in babies is down to a virus.
If your baby has any of the above conditions, see your doctor immediately. They will be able to help you treat them as soon as possible.
