By Ghazal Alagh, Co-founder of MamaEarth
It’s not easy being a new mother in 2019. There’s so much information out there that it can be really overwhelming sometimes. Between soothing your baby, changing the diapers, feeding them right, and putting them to sleep, extreme exhaustion becomes an everyday affair.
Yet, amidst the general chaos, there’s one thing a young mother is especially paranoid about, and that’s baby hygiene. This paranoia is not without reason. Our environment is not as resilient as it was 20-30 years ago. And a newborn baby is not readily equipped to handle this. Unlike adults, an infant has a very delicate immune system which is still developing. This makes them vulnerable to even the smallest microbes. Things like dryness, chafing, rashes, and skin irritation are a natural consequence.
In such a delicate scenario, taking care of the baby’s hygiene becomes critical. This includes ensuring both the baby’s personal hygiene as well as the overall hygiene of their surrounding environment. With so much information out there, it’s easy to get confused and not know where to start.
As Ghazal Alagh, Co-founder at Mamaearth (that has a range of toxin-free products for babies) says, “As a new mother, my biggest fear was that I would inadvertently harm my baby by doing the wrong thing. My son was born with eczema, a condition where the skin is allergic to a whole lot of substances. As a result, baby hygiene was our biggest priority. We could only use toxin-free and natural baby products which we simply couldn’t find in India. That’s how Mamaearth was born.”
In this article, we’ll go over some simple ways in which you can maintain hygiene around your baby.
Bathing your baby
Regularly bathing your baby is one of the most important elements in maintaining good hygiene. A good bath helps remove excess oil from the baby’s hair. It also helps dry the areas in between skin folds and remove excess moisture from the skin. At the same time, it’s very important not to overdo it. Bathing your baby too frequently can lead to dry and chapped skin. Once a day is more than enough — in cold climates, thrice a week is also okay. It’s also a good idea to sponge bath your newborn till the navel heals completely. A gentle massage post the bath is also incredibly healing.
It goes without saying that you should only use the mildest and most skin-friendly products to bathe your baby. Baby products that are organic and ayurvedic and preferably with a MadeSafe certification, are your best bet. For instance, Mamaearth’s Gentle Cleansing Shampoo is meant specifically for infants and has been certified as toxin-free and hypoallergenic. Together with Mamaearth’s Deeply Nourishing Body Wash, Soothing Massage Oil, and Moisturizing Daily Lotion for Babies, you have the perfect bathing kit for your newborn.
Changing diapers and doing it right
Unappealing as it might be, changing diapers frequently is the only way to prevent a diaper rash. The urine and faeces tend to stick to the baby’s gentle skin, making it sore and eventually leading to an ugly rash. When you’re changing the baby, make sure you take them with you even if you step away from the changing station for just a few moments. You have to use cleaning wipes each time you change the baby, but you also need to ensure the cleaning wipes are natural and toxin-free. Mamaearth’s Bamboo Based Baby Wipes is a safe and gentle option.
The baby’s ears, nose, and nails
The baby’s ears, nose, and nails are often the most vulnerable as they allow access to any number of microbes. Make sure you keep the baby’s nails trimmed so that there’s no danger of scratching themselves. It’s best to do this using nail clippers designed especially for babies. It’s also important to not cut the nails too deep as you might hurt the baby. Try to cut the baby’s nails when they’re fast asleep.
When it comes to the ears, every mother’s biggest fear is a bad ear infection. Remember, if your baby has a fever, is irritable, and is touching their ear constantly, an ear infection is a real possibility, and you should get medical attention immediately. Also, make sure you don’t clean the baby’s ear with an earbud as it might damage the baby’s eardrum. It’s also important to wash just the outer ear and not the inside of the ear.
As far as the nose is concerned, gently clean dried mucous in the nostrils using a damp cloth. In extreme cases, where the baby’s nose is excessively runny, a nasal syringe is also an option. Of course, ensure that this is only done under medical supervision.
Skin care for your baby
When it comes to your baby’s skin care, there’s really only one mantra. Keep the skin moisturized at all times. You can use massage oil or organic, hypoallergenic body lotion. Again, always choose products that are natural and designed keeping a baby’s gentle skin in mind. Mamaearth’s Soothing Massage Oil and Moisturizing Daily Lotion for Babies are both great options.
As a new mother, there are far too many things to take care of. The panic and paranoia are not helped by the constant state of sleep deprivation. Yet, when it comes to baby hygiene, use these time-tested precautions to keep your little one as strong and healthy as possible.
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