Essential washing habits
Updated on March 2, 2023
Created on July 17, 2019
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Updated on March 2, 2023
Created on July 17, 2019
Impurities that are often invisible accumulate on your baby’s face all day long and can damage their skin, the cutaneous barrier of which is not yet mature. You should cleanse their skin every day using a product that has been specially formulated for fragile skin. To help your baby become accustomed to the procedure, make it into a ritual, and preferably always do it at the same time of day.
Before starting: get in the habit of always washing your hands and only using products specially designed for your baby’s delicate skin.
The face
Eyes: wet a cotton ball or sterile gauze pad with saline solution, gently wipe it and clean from the external corner of the eye to the internal one. Use another cotton ball to wash the other eye.
Ears: create a small tube by rolling a piece of cotton between your fingers and only clean the outside part of the ear to avoid the formation of wax plugs. Avoid using cotton buds, which can irritate and even damage a baby’s ears.
Nose: take a cotton bud for adult; moisten it with saline solution, then gently insert it inside for moistening the secretions, then use the dry side to take off these ones.
Face: wash the baby’s face as often as necessary during the day and don’t forget to wash behind the ears, where dirt tends to accumulate. You can use a no-rinse cleansing water or moisten a cotton ball with lotion, then rinse with water.
Hair: when styling your baby's hair, spray a few drops of detangler (or skin freshener) onto a special brush for babies.
The body
Nails: wait at least a month before cutting your baby’s nails for the first time. Until then, they’re still too fragile and brittle. After a month, regularly cut them short with a pair of scissors with rounded tips. Choose a time when the baby is calm, hold his hand or foot firmly and talk to him gently so that he remains calm during the procedure. Be careful not to cut the nails too short to avoid infections around the tips!
nappy-changing: carefully clean your baby’s bottom each time you change his nappy, especially in the skin folds where wetness can lead to irritation. You can use special baby wipes, a no-rinse cleanser or a cleansing lotion. Gently dry your baby’s skin before putting on his nappy.
Umbilical cord: after birth, you need to take care of your baby’s umbilical cord until it falls off by itself in one week to 10 days. To avoid any risk of infection, disinfect it every day with a sterile gauze pad moistened with an antiseptic. Then carefully dry it with a clean pad.
Hands: always keep cleansing baby wipes with you to clean your baby’s hands when you’re going for a walk, during a snack or in the car.
You can also spray a few drops of special baby “eau de soin” on your baby’s body and clothes for a delicate fragrance. This will stimulate his sense of smell.