Simple Skin Care for Your Newborn

These days, there are numerous products available that claim to be important for the skin care of a newborn. But it might surprise you to know that some experts believe that these baby skin care products may actually do more harm than good. This is due to the chemical content of many of them.

You want to avoid exposing your baby to chemicals as long as possible. Leave your baby's skin to develop unimpeded. This discourages the emergence of skin irritations such as eczema and allergies.

Basic skin care is generally enough for your baby. So avoid any kind of chemicals for the first month of your baby’s life. In fact, when bathing your baby in the first month you should only use water and a soft cloth. You can comb thick hair with a baby comb to get it clean during bath time.

The Natural Way

Natural is the best way to go when approaching baby skin care. To follow a natural skin care routine, leave your baby's skin untreated as much as you can.

After your baby's birth, you might see a white, sticky coating on your baby's skin. Don't remove it, because it's a natural skin moisturizer. It should be allowed to penetrate the skin on its own.

It's doubly important that you stay away from these products if your baby was born prematurely. The reason for this is that preemies have even more fragile skin than a full term baby. The best time to start skin care for your premature baby is after the exact due date of your baby.

Cleaning the Cord Area

Before your baby’s cord falls out you need to make sure that the area remains clean and dry. There is no need to use any powders or lotions on it. Just use some warm water and a soft cloth to clean it if it gets dirty, then gently pat dry.

If your baby is premature or sick then the skin care routine you should follow for keeping the cord clean may be different. You may need to use antiseptic wipes in the area to help prevent infection. Ask your doctor for advice when it comes to skin care for your premature or sick baby.

Don't use baby wipes until your baby is at least one month of age. Choose baby wipes that don't contain alcohol and are unscented. They need to be very mild. Emollient based moisturizers are the best for your newborn.