HOW TO GROOM NEW BORN?

Grooming the newborn:

The arrival of a newborn at home means that parents take responsibility for their child's needs, including taking care of body hygiene, which is a challenge for first-timers. Children under one month of age require different care than those who have exceeded that age, due to their special characteristics.

How should the newborn be bathed?

There is no consensus on how often to bathe a newborn. It is just as good to do it daily as every other day, even in some countries they do it once a week. The important thing is to know that the bath must be regular enough for the baby to maintain proper hygiene. If it is a pleasant moment, it is usual to do it daily, while if it is stressful, it can be done more and more.

The bathtub should not be overfilled, about 15-20 centimeter in height is suitable. The water temperature should be 36-38 ºC. The water temperature should be checked before putting the child in, by submerging the elbow or the back of the hand or using a thermometer.

The child can be submerged, even if the umbilical cord has not fallen off. A mild, neutral pH soap should be used, sparingly, to gently lather the child and then rinse him. The duration of the bath should not exceed a few minutes in the first days of life to prevent the water from getting cold and the child too.

The room where you bathe should be heated to about 22-24 ºC. This will prevent the baby from getting cold when getting out of the water. After bathing, you will proceed to dry with a warm towel, doing it gently.
It is important to have everything necessary for the newborn's bath on hand and never leave the child unsupervised in the bathtub.

How is the umbilical cord cleaned?

The cleaning of the umbilical cord should be done from the first day of life and on a daily basis. In countries with good hygienic conditions, such as ours, the use of alcohol or other antiseptic solutions is not necessary.

The following measures should be taken:

• Wash your hands beforehand.
• Clean the cord area with soap and water.
• Proper drying.
• To help keep the cord dry, a clean gauze can be used to wrap it, which should be changed at each diaper change.
• Frequent diaper changes to prevent the cord from getting wet when the child urinates.

Because cleaning the cord requires soap and water, a good time to do so is bath time. The usual thing is for the cord to come off between 7 and 15 days of life.

When can the nails of newborns be cut?

It is common for babies to be born with very long nails. It is important to know that the tips of the nails are usually attached to the skin of the finger, which makes it very difficult to cut them during the first days without injuring the baby.

For this reason, it is appropriate to delay the first nail scissor cut at 15 or 20 days of life. While you can use a fine nail file (although it is difficult to achieve it, since the nails are very soft) or remove the excess tip, very carefully, after bathing.

After those first days, a small blunt-tipped scissors will be used, always cutting the nails straight and without leaving spikes in the corners that can cause scratches or dig into the skin of the finger. Later it can be repeated, when the parents see them long.

Is it necessary to use creams in newborns?

The skin of newborns tends to dry out naturally during the first days, due to the fact that they are no longer in contact with the amniotic fluid and go into a dry environment such as air. At one week of life, the skin has usually adapted, acquiring its smooth and soft appearance.

Therefore, it is not necessary to use creams routinely in newborns. You can use a moisturizing cream, in case the dryness of the skin is excessive, using a special one for babies with the fewest possible irritants (parabens, perfumes ...).

Diaper Changes:

The skin in the diaper area does not require special care either. In general, frequent diaper changes are sufficient so that urine and feces do not irritate the area. In the event that the skin becomes red or irritated, a "water paste" can be used, which isolates the skin from further aggressions.

Should colonies be used in newborns?

Smell is one of the most developed senses in the newborn, together with touch, in fact, the baby learns the smell of its mother from the womb. Using colonies with strong odors can make it difficult for the newborn to recognize its mother through smell. In the same way, the mother should not use strong-smelling perfumes that interfere with the mother-child recognition.

How should the diaper change be done?

Newborns can wet an average of 6-8 diapers a day and have up to one bowel movement per feeding. So you have to change diapers frequently, so that both urine and feces remain in contact with the baby's skin for as little time as possible. For cleaning you can use water and a sponge (impregnated with a mild soap if necessary) or wet wipes that respect the pH of the skin (without irritating products). In girls, clean from front to back (towards the anus), to prevent feces from coming into contact with the genitals. Then, dry the skin and the folds, before putting the diaper on.

As in the bathroom, you should have everything at hand and never leave the child unsupervised (either on a changing table or on a bed) to avoid falling.

How are the ears and hair cleaned?

The wax that is secreted in the ear canal is a substance that protects the ear against possible attacks. No attempt should be made to extract. If necessary, use a damp towel to clean the outside of the ear and never with a cotton swab.

Newborn hair can be cleaned daily in the bathroom with soap and water. Afterwards, the head should be thoroughly dried to prevent the child from getting cold. For combing, a soft bristle brush is usually used.