5 mistakes you are making while cleaning your baby(and how to do it right)

Babies can be messy for obvious reasons. Due to this, they may come in contact with germs, which can lead to diseases and an infection, which is why it is essential to keep your little ones clean all the time.Cleaning your babies is important, but cleaning them in the right way is even more important. This because the wrong way of cleaning can lead to further complications with their health. Here are 5 points to let you know if you’re cleaning your baby wrong. 

1. Let the vernix be for a while

As soon as babies are born, parents go ahead with bathing and cleaning them. As repulsive it might be to see your infant covered in the white greasy substance, called vernix, it is extremely beneficial for your baby’s skin. Keeping this in mind, try to delay your baby’s first bath by at least six hours. Vernix acts as a natural coat of protection for your baby and protects their sensitive skin for a couple of hours after birth.      

2. Bathing your baby too often

Babies have a thin coat of skin and are therefore wrapped up in blankets most of the time. While it is important to set a nightly bathing routine, it is not necessary for your baby to have a bath every other night. Once or twice a week is sufficient for them to be clean and fresh. Although, keep in mind that a diaper-blowout certainly necessitates a bath.

3. Using too many cleaning/baby products

Parents are fascinated by their little ones and want to put in every effort to keep their babies squeaky clean. They go out on a shopping spree for baby bathing products, cleaning products, massaging products, etc. Although there is a need to use certain products, so many baby products can be a little too overwhelming for your infant’s skin and may cause allergic reactions. Therefore, it is necessary to keep it simple when it comes to any kind of cleaning/baby products. All your baby requires is a moisturizer and a cleanser (free from perfume, dye and paraben).

4. Drawing extreme temperature baths

As babies have extremely sensitive skin, drawing a bath too hot or cold can be harmful for their skin and may cause rashes. Make sure your baby’s bath water temperature is just right (about 100 degrees Fahrenheit) and make it a point to set your water heater to less than 120 degrees Fahrenheit.

5. You fear the belly button stump a little too much

As any experienced parent can attest, you wait (and wait!) for that belly-button stump to dry up and fall off, and treat it ever-so-gently until it does. According to doctors, the best thing to do is to ignore the dried-out part (after all, that really doesn’t need cleaning!) and look at the skin underneath. If it’s gooey or oozing, wipe it gently with rubbing alcohol or plain water on a gauze pad.