A newborn baby is still completely dependent and needs a lot of care. The clamped umbilical cord must be cared for in the first days after birth until the stump has fallen off. Furthermore, caring for a baby includes: bathing, changing the diaper, clipping nails, brushing teeth, cleaning ears and (inflamed) eyes. The skin folds also deserve some extra attention. If you do not dry the skin folds properly, the skin will become irritated. But with some greasy ointment you can prevent irritated skin.
Care after birth
After birth, the baby sometimes still has some sebum on the body or somewhat flaky skin. Sebum protects the skin against infections. You don’t need to wash it off because it absorbs into the skin within a few days. Only remove residual sebum that has not been absorbed by the skin within a week.
The umbilical cord
After birth, the umbilical cord is clamped with a clamp. A few days later, the remaining stump has already dried thoroughly and around the eighth day the stump falls off. The umbilical stump does not require much care. Gently patting dry after bathing is sufficient. Make sure that the edge of the diaper falls over the umbilical stump so that it does not rub against it.
Washing the baby
A baby’s skin is delicate and sensitive. To prevent dry skin, it is better not to bathe a baby every day. On days when the baby does not take a bath, he can be washed with lukewarm water and a washcloth.
The temperature of the bath water
When the baby takes a bath, the bath water should be lukewarm. You can feel whether the temperature is right with the bottom of your wrist. But with a bath thermometer you can measure the temperature accurately. The ambient temperature must also be good. So start heating the room on time, or wash the baby in a room that is already heated. It prevents large temperature differences when the baby comes out of the bath. Do not bathe the baby for too long and do not use too much soap and shampoo to prevent dry skin. There are also products available that do not degrease the skin much, such as bath oil.
Dry with a hydrophilic diaper
Dry the baby with a hydrophilic diaper. These are soft, thin cloths that can easily reach the skin folds. Blemishes and irritations quickly develop in these areas. Skin folds are in the neck, groin and under the armpits.
Extra attention to the skin folds
Skin folds occur in places where the skin touches each other. The skin remains moist here and can easily be irritated by leftover milk, urine or bath water. Irritation also occurs when the skin rubs against each other. The skin turns red and swells. You can care for this vulnerable skin with some greasy baby ointment. Apply a little ointment to the skin folds. The ointment protects the skin without closing it.
How does mountain form and what can you do about it?
Mountain (dew worm) is a skin rash caused by sebum secretion. It is recognizable by the yellowish crusts that appear around the fontanelles. The crust will disappear automatically after some time, but you can also loosen the crusts with some oil. Leave it on overnight and carefully remove the loose crusts.
Changing the diaper
You change a diaper after every feeding and when the baby has pooped. First you prepare everything you need, because you can’t walk away while changing. An unsafe situation could then arise. For example, the baby may roll over and fall to the floor.You need:
- A changing mat
- clean diaper
- baby wipes
- possibly baby ointment
- A clean romper and clean clothes
Changing
- Place the baby on the back on the changing mat.
- Take off the pants and slide the sweater up slightly.
- Loosen the romper and slide it up.
- Loosen the diaper
- Grab both feet with one hand, while pressing the diaper down between the legs with the other hand.
- The diaper is now double under the baby’s bottom.
- Wipe your buttocks clean with the wipes.
- Also clean and dry the skin folds thoroughly.
- Lubricate if necessary. some baby ointment on the bottom.
- Take a clean diaper, unfold it and place it under the buttocks. The back should be slightly higher than the front.
- Pull the front between the legs and secure the diaper with the adhesive strips.
- Check that the diaper is not too tight.
- Make sure the edges of the diaper are on the outside along the legs. This prevents leakage.
What is diaper rash and how can you prevent it?
Despite regular changing, diaper rash can still develop. The skin is irritated and there are red bumps on it. Diaper rash occurs when the skin comes into contact with irritating substances such as urine and feces in combination with a damp diaper.Diaper rash can be prevented by:
- Change the diaper regularly.
- Clean the buttocks thoroughly.
- Let the skin air dry for a while.
- Use a good quality diaper. With some (often cheaper) brands, the buttocks remain wet because these diapers do not absorb moisture well.
- Lubricate the buttocks with greasy cream. (e.g. sudo cream)
Teething and dental care
Babies can be tearful when teething. Erupting teeth cause itching, pain, increased body temperature and softer, sharp stools. In this case, give a teething ring against the pain. If you put the teething ring in the refrigerator for a while, it will be nice and cold. This relieves the pain. In most cases, the front two teeth, top and bottom, emerge first. Once the teeth have erupted, they can be brushed with a special toothbrush for babies.
Clipping nails
The nails should not be clipped in the first few weeks after birth because they are brittle and tear easily. Sharp nails can be carefully filed with a nail file. A baby does not keep his hands still while cutting his nails, making this a difficult job. Therefore, it is best to cut the nails when the baby is calm, for example during feeding or while sleeping. You use special nail scissors with a blunt tip for this.
A cold
A baby cannot blow his nose when he has a cold. This makes drinking from the bottle difficult. A special vacuum cleaner can be purchased at the drugstore or pharmacy with which you can remove the snot. But you can also clear a blocked nose with a nasal spray (saline solution).
How do you care for your ears and (inflamed) eyes?
Many babies suffer from dirty eyes the first time after birth. The tear ducts are not yet fully developed. The eye can be cleaned with some boiled water and a cotton ball. Wipe once from the outside to the inside of the eye. Each cotton ball can only be used once and the boiled water must be changed every day.
Cleaning the ears
You can clean the ears with a wet washcloth. First on the outside, then the inside of the auricle. Do not remove the earwax with a cotton swab. This can damage the eardrum. You can remove too much earwax with a wet cotton ball or a baby wipe.