A baby’s skin is much more delicate than adult skin so you need to take extra care.
Bath time
When a baby first comes home from hospital it can be tempting to give them a bath every day but this can do much more harm than good. Midwives recommend that you only bath your baby once a week for the first few weeks as bathing too often can remove the natural oils in your baby’s skin. You shouldn’t add any baby bubble bath or use shampoo for a few weeks either, just keep things simple.
On days when you’re not giving them a bath, you should use cotton wool and warm water to clean your baby. Babies can get cold very quickly so always have a towel close to hand and get them dressed as soon as you can.
Wipes, nappy cream and talc
There’s lots of different types of baby wipes to choose from, some are scented and some are fragrance free. They all claim to be soft on your baby’s bottom but for the first few weeks you should stick to using cotton wool and warm water when changing your baby’s nappy.
Disposable nappies today are much more advanced than they were a few years ago so you don’t need to apply a nappy cream before you put on your baby’s nappy. If you do apply a cream, this can stop the nappy’s barrier from absorbing their wee and cause a nappy rash. It’s much better to apply any cream and let it soak in whilst your baby enjoys half an hour or so lying on a towel, without a nappy.
Advice is changing all the time so it’s always advisable to attend parentcraft classes before you baby is born. Currently midwives are warning mums not to use talcum powder as it has been linked to cot death.
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