All parents who have a baby in the family should definitely know the most important rules for caring for him. All newborn babies are defenseless and very tiny, so they need special care. If the couple becomes parents for the first time, then they may have some problems in caring for the child, as they still have no experience. What are the basic rules for the care of a newborn baby?
It is necessary to process the umbilical wound
Until the moment when the umbilical cord does not fall off on its own, it should be treated with some kind of antiseptic (this could be brilliant green, 70% alcohol solution, potassium permanganate).
After the baby is born, the umbilical cord is cut, so the umbilical wound is formed. That it is the most suitable place for the habitat of microbes. To avoid this, you need to carefully care for this place. . Crusts that form at the bottom of the umbilical wound should be removed with a cotton swab, which must be moistened with hydrogen peroxide solution in advance.
After the wound is treated with peroxide, it should be treated in the same way with a cotton swab previously moistened with brilliant green. But very often, instead of brilliant green, calendula infusion is used, since it has the same effect as brilliant green (healing and antibacterial), but its plus is that it is almost transparent, and this will allow the mother to see if there is any redness.
It is best to clean the umbilical wound after the child has been bought. If the umbilical wound is bleeding for any reason, or there are clear signs of an inflammatory process, you should immediately call the pediatrician. Usually, the baby's umbilical wound heals in eight to ten days.
It is necessary to bathe the baby
The best time for this procedure is the time before the evening feeding. It is important to monitor the temperature of the water in which you will bathe your child, it should be 36-37 degrees. While the umbilical wound has not healed, the child needs to be bathed in boiled water, when the healing process is completed, then tap water, from the column, will also be suitable for bathing. Many parents are interested in the question: “Where to bathe the baby?”.
Very often for bathing a baby they buy a special bath (nursery). But the benefits of bathing in such a bath is minimal, since it brings only convenience for the parents of the baby, but there are no positive moments for the child’s health from bathing in such a bath.
The baby needs to be bathed in a large bath; there he can roll over onto his stomach from the back, moving his legs and arms freely. All this helps to strengthen the immune system and trains muscles. But it is important, before bathing the baby, to wash the bath very well. In no case at washing it is not necessary to apply any means of industrial production, the usual baking soda can perfectly cope with this task.
Bathing is for the child's body some load, so before this procedure you need to warm up the body of the baby. To do this, it is enough to hold a light gymnastics or massage. Each of the procedures should be given about fifteen minutes, after which you can begin the procedure of bathing. The child should be immersed in the water completely, with one hand should be held by the chin, and the other - under the head.
It is important to monitor the behavior of the baby, if he actively moves his legs and arms, this means that he does not like the temperature of the water. If the baby is relaxed and quietly lying, then you can bathe him next time in the water, the temperature of which is lower by one degree.
There is a very large number of funds intended for bathing a child. In order to choose the right foam, gel or shampoo for your child, you need to pay attention to the following:
- Composition. Need to carefully read the label. The composition of the product should not include any bright dyes, preservatives that are prohibited, active dietary supplements. The tool itself should not have any sharp smell, its color should not be very bright. The best option is a colorless product.
- PH value. The pH of the skin of an adult is 5.5. But this does not mean that the baby is exactly the same. The baby's pH is 6.8. That is, when choosing products for baby care, it is important to pay attention to the fact that the pH was exactly 6.8. After a month or even a few weeks, you can use products that have a neutral pH.
- Additives. In the event that the baby has any allergic reactions, then you do not need to choose products with herbal supplements.
It is important to keep clean
Cleanliness is a guarantee that the baby will be healthy. The room in which most of its time will be located should be clean and tidy. It is important to ventilate the room so that there is clean air there and to carry out wet cleaning once or twice a day. Parents should ensure that they do not have long nails, as they can inadvertently injure the delicate skin of the baby. It is important to always wash your hands with soap and water before contact with the baby.
Mothers need to monitor their hygiene, take a regular shower or bath. Before you feed your child, she needs to rinse her breasts with warm water. You can allow the baby to contact visitors (friends, relatives, and so on) no earlier than two months from the day of his birth.
It is important to choose the right clothes for the newborn baby.
When buying any clothes for a small miracle you need to pay attention not to the design, but to the quality of the material. The material from which to make things for kids, must necessarily be natural. Things need to be chosen according to the season. Many mommies have heard the advice that a child needs to wear clothes on a layer more than on herself. But this advice is not always valid. It is necessary to regularly measure the body temperature of the infant to avoid overheating. Little baby does not need to cover with a very warm blanket, wrap it up and put on him as much as possible clothes.
Each parent can independently choose what he will use as the first clothes for the child. Many refuse to swaddle babies, preferring to wear them immediately in veins and sliders. Others still hold the opinion that in the first months of life a baby needs to be swaddled. Doctors allow both the first and second option. If the baby is not swaddled, then it is very good to wear it in the undershirts that have sewn sleeves. This is necessary so that the baby does not scratch his face. With the same purpose, “scratches” can be worn on its pens.
Have a baby walk in the fresh air
It is important for a baby to be outdoors every day, no matter what time of year. The first walk should not be very long. For the first time will be enough for ten to fifteen minutes. All subsequent walks should gradually increase. In warm seasons, the walk should be five to six hours, and in the cold - about an hour. It is best to walk with the baby twice a day.
Not recommended only in such cases: when there is very heavy rain and wind outside, as well as in winter, when the temperature is below five degrees below zero. If the weather is like this, then it is best to put the child in the stroller and put the stroller on the balcony. In the summertime, avoid direct sunlight on the infant. To walk, the baby needs to pick up clothes for the weather. Going for a walk, you must take a raincoat with you, so that the rain that starts by accident does not bring inconvenience. There are also special mosquito nets that can protect against various insects.
It is necessary to observe the desired level of humidity in the room and the required temperature.
The air in the room where the baby is located must have a temperature of 22 degrees. It is important to ensure that the temperature does not exceed 25 degrees under any circumstances. The indicator of air humidity in the room where the child is located is also important. It is best to have a humidity of between forty and sixty percent. If the air humidity is higher than these figures, then there is a chance that the baby may overheat.
And if the humidity of the air in the room is very low, then the little ones can dry out the mucous membranes, and this is a good environment for the ingress and reproduction of microbes. If there is such an opportunity, it is very good to purchase. Every day should be ventilated the room in which there is a baby. In this case, in any case it is not necessary to leave him in a ventilated room, as he can catch a cold. Regardless of the season and weather, the room needs to be aired four to five times a day for twenty to thirty minutes.
Baby's Sleeper
This issue also needs to be taken seriously. A newborn baby needs to purchase a separate crib. You need to place it in a place that will be protected from drafts. It is important that the bed be made of pure ecological raw materials so that the material is resistant to moisture. The most the best material for the manufacture of the crib is natural wood. should be treated every day with ordinary clean water, while not using any cleaning and disinfecting agents.
The blanket must be selected according to the time of year in which the child was born. If the season is cool, then it is good to use a blanket made of natural wool, for a warm season a great choice is a flannelette blanket. The quilt is not recommended for children, as the baby under it may suffocate.
It is necessary to wash or clap the baby’s blanket about once a month. Bed linen is best chosen in pastel colors, since bright colors can irritate the baby. Fabrics should be natural, best of all - cotton.
Pillow in the first year the child does not need. Instead, you can lay the baby four times folded diaper.
Use of baby cosmetics
To date, there are many different means to care for the delicate skin of a small miracle. The most important thing is not to overdo it with makeup. It is important that the baby’s skin can breathe. Cream for babies should be used only in those cases, if indeed there is such a need. The first six months of the baby can be bathed without the use of shampoos, foams and gels.
Air trays
For newborns, this procedure is an integral part of care! Every time when a mother changes her child, changes the diaper for him, she should leave him naked for a few minutes. The time for air baths per day should be two hours. If you use disposable diapers for baby care, they should be changed more often.
Morning infant toilet
Every morning, doctors recommend mom wash eyes baby. You can do this with cotton swabs, using a new swab for each eye. Eyes should be wiped from the outer corner to the inner corner. If pus occurs, you should immediately inform the doctor, as the pus may indicate various problems. You should also monitor the purity of the nose of the baby. Clean it with cotton buds (with limiters, so as not to damage the mucous membranes). Cotton swabs are pre-moistened in oil.
Baby ears are cleaned with the same chopsticks with limiters in cases when sulfur accumulates in a large layer. It must be done very carefully so as not to injure the child. In girls, the genitals should be processed only from the front and back, in boys - the opposite. As for washing: undermining the boy, you should hold him with one hand so that his tummy was on mom's forearm. In this case, the child must be held by the thigh. The baby with its head is located on the crook of the elbow. The ass, legs, back and crotch need to be washed gently. Water should be collected first in your palm, and only then rinse the child. Likewise, genitals are gently washed. In no case do not need to try to expose the head of the penis and to delay the foreskin.
When washing the girl, she should be put on the forearm, but only up the tummy. Thus, pollution will not be able to get into the genital slit. The girl needs to be flushed very carefully, no need to delay the labia and very strongly wash the genitals. You just need to remove visible dirt from the folds.
The child does not need to expose under a strong stream of water from the tap. Water should be collected in your palm, the skin should be washed with gentle stroking movements. After all, the skin of the baby is very delicate, so it is important not to injure her.
After washing, it is enough to wet the baby’s wet skin with a diaper, because wiping can be traumatic and not particularly pleasant.
To prevent diaper rash, clean and dry skin of a newborn needs to be treated with special oil. Oil is applied to the hand and warms up. You do not need to pour the oil directly from the bottle on the skin of the baby, he may not like it very much. Neat and massaging movements of the oil is distributed throughout the body, special attention is paid to the folds, namely the inguinal folds, elbows, armpits, folds behind the ears, neck, palms and wrists.
In newborn babies, sharp marigolds grow very quickly, and so that they do not hurt themselves, these marigolds must be trimmed in a timely manner. For trimming nails mom will need special scissors with rounded ends. You can buy special scissors in any children's store or in a pharmacy, and you can use regular nail scissors. Before each procedure, cutting the nails should be disinfected tool.
So, your long-awaited child was born announcing his birth into the world with a loud cry, but what to do next - How to carry out a child
Firstborn How many things, worries and anxieties are now with the mother. And the most important - no matter how sick the baby is. Maternal love for a tiny, as-yet helpless creature is manifested with the first attachment to his chest. In most maternity hospitals, this is done either directly after delivery, or in the first hours after the birth of the baby.
The point here is not to feed the child - his body is still provided with nutrients through the mother’s blood and the placental circulatory system.
The main thing - getting baby colostrumwhich plays a certain role in the process of a child acquiring resistance to various harmful effects of a new environment. It contains substances that protect the newborn from possible infection, as well as anti-allergens. Early attachment of the baby to the breast helps to establish emotional contacts between the mother and the newborn, which is an incentive to increase the lactation period and the well-being of the baby.
During pregnancy, the “mother-fetus” system is formed, and after birth a new system is formed - “mother-child”, and in this process a huge role belongs breastfeeding.
Each woman who has given birth is able to breastfeed if there are no anatomical obstacles on the part of the mammary glands. But such cases are extremely rare. Unfortunately, after giving birth, women often have hypogalactia, that is, a reduced amount of milk. Causes of hypogalactia are different. Anatomical defect is infantilism of the mammary glands with the predominant development of connective and adipose tissues due to glandular.
Other conditions affect lactation, such as nervous system and the type of higher nervous activity of a nursing mother. Fearing that she has little milk leads to the fact that the woman begins to get nervous, and this in turn leads to a reflex delay in milk production. Lactation also reduces premature supplementation of the child, unfavorable climate in the family, intense mental work, poor hygiene and poor nutrition.
There should be a large amount of protein in the diet. (up to 2 mg per 1 kg of body weight), most of which she receives with cottage cheese (120-180 g per day). Vitamin composition of food is also important. Since it is not always possible to fully satisfy the need for vitamins at the expense of the main diet, multivitamin preparations can be taken by prescription of a doctor. Cow milk more than 500 ml per day should not be drunk, it reduces appetite.
But the most effective means of stimulating lactation is the enhanced suction of milk by a healthy baby. In cases of secondary hypogalactia, more frequent (up to 9 times a day) feeding the baby with both breasts for several days is recommended. After each feeding, the mother should carefully decant the milk.
During the stay in the maternity hospital, the young mother learns the skills proper feeding baby and breast care.
After discharge of the newborn from the maternity hospital, care must be taken of the conditions that ensure the baby the proper development in the family.
From the very first days after discharge of the baby from the maternity hospital of a young mother, a child poliklinnka assists. A local doctor and a nurse come home.
What difficulties may arise
1. It happens that a young mother is lost before new worries, feels helpless before a tiny creature, which, in her opinion, it is terrible to take into the hands.She doesn't know how to hold a baby. At first, she is assisted by a doctor and a nurse. They tell and show
how to care for newborns.
The baby is gently picked up and held in a horizontal position, with the head on the arm bent at the elbow. You can hold it vertically, holding the back of your head with your palm. Taking the baby in her arms, the mother always accompanies these movements with gentle words.
2. The young mother is often disturbed by the umbilical wound in the baby.
Although the umbilical cord disappears upon discharge from the maternity hospital, the wound doesn’t heal. Special disinfecting actions are needed: daily rubbing with 60% alcohol and washing after this with an aqueous solution of eosin, applying a sterile dressing, which should always be dry (if necessary, change it several times a day). The umbilical wound should be fully healed on the fifteenth day, after which the bandage is removed. When the wound heals, the baby can be bathed (on the creation of sanitary and hygienic conditions, including bathing, see on page 21, walking with him in the air in good weather.
3. Sometimes the mother is anxious about the sweating of the child. Head, arms, legs sweat. It should not be afraid. For a healthy newborn, this is normal. But it must be remembered: overheating is harmful for the baby, it should not be wrapped up.
4. Of particular concern to the mother is the state of the skull and springs; for her it is a symbol of the fragility of the baby. It is important to know that in the first months of life the skull of a small child is very malleable, the deformations obtained during childbirth disappear on their own. Ossification of fontanels occurs only in 15-18 months of life of children.
5. How much joy the mother brings the first smile, the appearance of the first tooth and in general any change in the behavior of the first child. However, it should be recalled that each child develops in his own way: he begins to hold the head, sit, stand, walk (for all children this happens in different terms). therefore should not be upset if the first tooth appeared not at 6, but at 8-10-12 months. Here we can talk about physiological deviations and heredity (there is not a definite date for the appearance of the first and subsequent teeth, there are only starting dates, without taking into account the individual characteristics of the development of children). The so-called teething lag does not adversely affect the overall development of the child. But nevertheless there is an order of eruption of the first teeth, although, we repeat, for everyone this happens in its own way: 2 middle lower, 2 middle upper, 4 incisors (2 upper and 2 lower), then 4 first molars, 4 ocular; By the age of 2, 4 second molars are cutting. So, by the end of the second year, 20 milk teeth appear, which are considered temporary.
Teething may be preceded by swelling of the gums, sometimes accompanied by the accumulation of blood - hematoma. In this case, you must show the baby to the doctor. Taking any action to speed up the appearance of teeth without the advice of a doctor is harmful. Any negligence can damage the germ of a permanent tooth. This is especially important for the molar tooth, which appears at the age of 6 years and usually precedes the change of milk teeth to permanent ones. With poor care, it can very quickly undergo caries.
We dwelt on this example in such detail, given that some parents consider the time frame for teething to be an indicator of overall development. This is not true.
In cases of any deviations in the health and development of the child should consult a doctor. This is important to remember from the very day ", the birth of the baby and until the end of his growing up.
But the efforts of physicians alone are often not enough so that the child does not get sick. Caring for him, his upbringing fall primarily on the shoulders of parents. They must be prepared to raise children - this is a big, hard and responsible work, daily work, without days off and without holidays, and know that the baby’s health is in their hands. To do this, we need knowledge: how the child develops at each age stage and what conditions are needed to create it. This will be discussed in the following topics.
When the newly born parents appear in the family, a lot of questions arise about how to organize proper care for the newborn, because the newly born baby is completely helpless, and his well-being, health and adaptation in the outside world directly depend on the care and attention of his relatives. To avoid feelings of panic after discharge from the hospital, it is better to clearly understand in advance what kind of care a newborn needs.
Hygiene procedures
All procedures must be performed with clean hands, and remove moisture from the skin of the crumbs should always be blotting movements.
Daily care for a newborn begins with washing the baby’s eye with a cotton pad dipped in water or hands. When this movement is carried out in the direction from the outer corner to the inner. For each eye, a separate disk is taken. With the appearance of purulent discharge, washing with an infusion of tea brewing or a few drops of mother's milk effectively helps. If inflammation does not go away, then you should inform the pediatrician. To wash the baby's cheeks, forehead, nose and chin you will need another cotton swab.
Full care for the newborn necessarily includes cleansing the nose from the accumulations of crusts and mucus, which even in small quantities can lead to respiratory failure. Cotton flagella soaked in vaseline oil are introduced into each nasal passage with rotational movements and removed in the same way. Baby's ears are cleaned with a damp cloth or cotton swab only outside, within sight. It is impossible to penetrate deep into the auricle.
To avoid diaper rash, wipe the folds behind the ears, neck, underarms, groin, elbows and knees with sterile oil every day.
The umbilical wound in infants is the most vulnerable place for germs; therefore, the primary care of a newborn during the first 10 days is accompanied by its daily processing until complete healing. To do this, you will need to purchase brilliant green as an antiseptic, a 2-3% solution of hydrogen peroxide, a pipette, clean cotton pads and sticks.
The procedure is best performed immediately after swimming. Sequencing:
- Put a few drops of hydrogen peroxide in the pipette;
- To drop solution on a wound;
- Remove peeled crusts with a dry cotton pad;
- Process navel with a cotton swab soaked in green paint;
- Give Zelenka dry, and then dress the child.
It should be remembered that caring for a newborn baby requires confident actions from the mother, so everything must be done carefully and calmly. If the wound does not heal for longer than 2 weeks, reddening of the skin around the navel or purulent, bloody discharge has appeared, then you should consult a doctor.
Changing the diaper and the peculiarities of washing the heterosexual babies
When organizing the care of a newborn child, it is important to decide immediately which mothers will use diapers - diapers or gauze analogues. The approximate frequency of changing diapers in the first months is 3-4 hours. Gauze diapers will need to be changed much more frequently, since they do not breathe, and a long stay in them can cause diaper dermatitis.
With each change of diapers, it is recommended to lubricate the sensitive skin of the baby with a special protective cream under the diaper or baby cream. During the day, be sure to arrange the child air baths, leaving him naked for a few minutes.
Flush the newborn after each bowel movement and urination under warm running water. When you wash away the rules for caring for a newborn boy and girl are different. To prevent infection in the genital area, girls are washed from front to back, with the baby facing the water. Boys laid on the forearm belly down, holding the thigh. Water is always collected first in the palm of your hand, and then it is washed by the ass, legs, bottom of the back, and the baby's crotch with stroking movements.
Bathing is a pleasant and relaxing “ritual” for the baby.
Birth of a child and care of a newborn are responsible, touching and pleasant moments and efforts in the life of each family. This also applies to water procedures that train the baby’s muscles, increase appetite and promote good sleep.
It is necessary to bathe the baby daily and preferably before the evening feeding, after warming up the body of the child with the help of light gymnastics or massage. If there are crusts on the baby’s head (gneiss), then 30 minutes before taking a bath, you need to lubricate these places with vaseline oil.
For water procedures will need the following means for the care of a newborn:
The optimum water temperature is from 36 to 37 ° C. The room temperature must be at least 25 ° C. The child should be gently held by the shoulder joint and the head placed on the wrist. Mom's second hand is free to perform the necessary actions. The duration of the procedure is about 5 minutes. After bathing the baby you need to wrap up with a towel and put a hat on the head.
If the baby has signs of increased nervous excitability (anxiety, bad sleep and appetite, constant crying) it makes sense to add to the water for bathing a decoction of chamomile, lavender or sea salt. Such care for hyper-excitable newborns will have a calming effect.
What else to remember
Answering the question about what kind of care for a newborn is needed, it is necessary to note the mandatory washing of clothes with a special baby powder, regular walks in the fresh air, maintaining cleanliness in the nursery and periodic airing of the room.
Due to certain complications for some mothers, caring for a newborn immediately after childbirth can cause some difficulties, therefore you should always turn to your relatives and friends for rendering any feasible help.
Caring for a newborn baby requires young parents to be attentive, as well as certain knowledge and skills. Consider the main aspects of caring for a newborn baby.
Umbilical wound
The first two weeks of life of a newborn, special attention should be paid to the care of the umbilical wound and the physiological process of its healing. During this period, the wound is treated daily.
A 3% solution of hydrogen peroxide is drawn into a sterile pipette and 2-3 drops are dropped onto the umbilical wound. After that, a cotton swab is wetted with hydrogen peroxide, soaked and exfoliated crusts are removed. The umbilical wound and skin 3-5 mm around the navel are smeared with 5% potassium permanganate solution or 1% alcoholic solution of brilliant green once a day.
Infection umbilical wound called omphalite. If redness appears, there is an increase in temperature and unpleasant smell from the wound - you must immediately consult a doctor.
Morning toilet
Morning toilet is also an important part of caring for a newborn baby. The baby is placed on the changing table and completely undressed, and then the skin is carefully inspected, especially in the areas of the folds. Washing is performed on the principle of "top - down." Wash face and hands with warm boiled water.
Eyes
Eye care of the newborn is carried out as follows: the eyes are washed with sterile cotton moistened in boiled water from the outer corner to the inner corner; for each eye use a separate swab. It is necessary to ensure that water does not fall from one eye to another, therefore, washing the left eye, turn the child to the left and vice versa. If signs of conjunctivitis appear, you should consult a doctor and start treatment as soon as possible.
Conjunctivitis
If you see your baby with swollen red eyelids - do not be alarmed. This is normal for a child immediately after birth. Usually all this goes away after a few days, without affecting the vision. In the absence of any other problems, you need to wash your baby's eyes with boiled water several times a day - from the outside corner to the nose bridge. To wash each eye, use a separate swab.
Conjunctivitis - a frequent occurrence in 2-3-day-old children - is a consequence of the passage of the baby through the birth canal of the mother. Symptoms of conjunctivitis can be considered sticking of the eyelids, the presence of droplets of pus in the corners of the eyes. In this case, it is important to stop the development of inflammation in time and start to bury the baby’s eyes as soon as possible. eye dropsafter consulting with a doctor.
If conjunctivitis has developed - you need to start rinsing the child's eyes 3-4 times a day with a piece of gauze (but not cotton wool!). After washing it is necessary to bury the antibiotic in the eyes, which the doctor will prescribe. And regardless of whether one or two eyes are infected, all manipulations should be carried out with both eyes - to eliminate the likelihood of infection.
Mouth
The mouth of a newborn baby is not treated, because its mucous membrane is dry and easily injured. However, it must be inspected daily. The appearance on the mucous membrane of the mouth of white raids (thrush) requires therapeutic measures.
Ears
The ears of a newborn are a very delicate place that must be handled with extreme care. How to care for them and prevent ear diseases? First of all, you need to remember that the child’s ears need daily care. When cleaning the ear from sulfur, it is necessary to use special cotton swabs with stops, which will not allow it to penetrate too deep into the ear and push the sulfur even deeper or damage the eardrum. An alternative to such cotton buds can be a tightly rolled cotton flagellum. But in no case do not clean the child’s ears with a cotton wool wound around a match or ear sticks without limiters! Then clean the external auditory canal, ear curls and pay attention to the skin behind the ears. Most often, the newborn ears are pressed tightly to the head, so they need to be carefully bent back and smeared the skin behind it with baby oil with the help of baby wipes, because behind the ears children often have the same crust as on the head. There may also be pustules or an allergic rash behind the ears. If pustules are detected, treat them with brilliant green.
Nose
The nose of the newborn is also a very tender organ that needs careful care. Generally it is believed that he clears himself in the process of sneezing a child. But in fact, sometimes it needs to be cleaned by hand - for example, when crusts prevent a child from breathing. It is best to do this before feeding - so that the baby can breathe and suck the breast. You can also clean the baby's nose while committing the morning toilet. To do this, twist the flagellum of cotton wool, wet it with oil - and gently scroll the child's nose, removing the crusts. For each nostril, use a separate flagellum. If there is no baby oil - you can moisten the flagellum with saline or just breast milk.
In order to clean the nose, cotton swabs or cotton wool wound on a match should not be used, as this is all too rough for the delicate nose of the newborn.
For cleaning the nose, you can use drops on the basis of sea water. They are enough to drip into the nose of the child, wait until the crusts are soaked, and then suck the contents with an aspirator or a large pear syringe.
Of course, everything needs a measure. If the child does not show visible signs of nasal congestion or any other problems - it is better not to carry out cleaning “for prevention”.
When a nasal discharge (runny nose) appears, you can use a syringe with a soft tip to suck mucus, and flush your nose with saline. Use vasoconstrictor drops only as prescribed by a physician.
Leather
The skin of a newborn baby also needs special care, it is very thin, soft, elastic and sensitive. Handle it with care, in addition, it is very important clean hands. If the skin of a newborn baby is touched with dirty hands, various diseases (pustules) may occur. When drying the skin, you can not rub the towel strongly, so as not to damage the surface skin layer - just gently apply a dry sheet and “wet” the skin of the child.
The baby is born covered with original lubricant, which protected his skin when he was still in the womb. The baby's skin color at birth is pale bluish, after the newborn takes the first breath, it begins to turn pink. 20 minutes after the birth of the child, his skin becomes bright red, as the blood vessels dilate under the influence of a lower temperature. Soon the redness disappears - after which the skin begins to peel off. The period of peeling is individual for each child.
3-5 days after birth, most children develop jaundice - which can last 5-7 days. Doctors explain this phenomenon is very simple: it turns out that when the baby is inside the mother, he needs a lot of red blood cells - red blood cells - carriers of oxygen. After birth, it begins to breathe on its own - and excess blood cells are destroyed to form bilirubin, which is processed in the liver and turns into bile. The body of a newborn can not process this amount of bilirubin - so it lingers in the tissues, causing a temporary yellowing of the skin, and sometimes the whites of the eyes and the oral mucosa. But this jaundice is not a disease, so there is no need to treat it.
Among other skin problems in newborns can be identified the appearance of a rash, similar to a rash from impact nettle. Often it appears when a nursing mother abuses chocolate, oranges, tangerines or eggs. To prevent such a rash in a child, it is enough for mom to refuse these products.
Baby hygiene products
Children's hygiene products are designed to care for newborns, taking into account the characteristics of the skin (acid-base balance, hypoallergenic). They are divided into cleansing (shampoos, bath foams, soaps, lotions), protecting (oils, powders), nourishing (creams).
The tender and sensitive skin of a newborn baby requires a gentle but thorough cleansing and care. For this purpose, gentle detergents are used. The skin of the baby has a lower threshold of irritability than the skin of an adult, so you should not use cleansers in large quantities.
Soap can irritate the skin due to alkaline components, and synthetic detergents (bath foams, shampoos) due to the degreasing effect they produce. Skin irritation can be caused not only by the composition of the detergent and its high concentration, but also by the duration and frequency of bathing, as well as water temperature, the type of towels and sponges used.
Skin protection from the action of irritants is carried out by dusting or smearing with cream, oil. The moderate dusting of the baby’s skin prevents it from being rubbed with a diaper or clothing. The powder is first applied to the hands, then to the skin of the child for a more even distribution, without lumps. Sometimes children do not tolerate rubbing emollients (creams, oils) into the skin, as this may cause delayed sweating and softening (maceration).
Also, when caring for a newborn, it is important to remember that excessive use of oils hinders the respiratory function of the skin. Skin care cosmetics should be selected individually for each child. The main selection criterion is the appropriateness and portability of such funds.
Bathing a newborn
After separation of the umbilical cord, with an uncomplicated course of the umbilical wound healing process, the newborn should be bathed daily. The duration of the hygienic bath is 5 minutes, the water temperature is + 36.5 ... + 37.0º C. For bathing, you need to select a special bath, which will be used only for this purpose.
For swimming, you can use boiled tap water. It is necessary to bathe a child with the use of detergents no more than 2-3 times a week. The head of the baby is placed on the arm bent at the elbow. With the same hand he is held by the upper third of the shoulder. The other hand support for the buttocks and thighs. The child is immersed in water slowly, starting from the buttocks, then the whole body. Water should not get into the ears, nose and mouth. Lather with a palm, wash the scalp in the direction from the forehead to the back of the head. Then wash the body and limbs. Next, the child turn over and wash the back and neck; at the end of bathing pour water, which is 1-2 degrees below the temperature of the water in the bath.
After bathing, the baby’s skin is dried (but not wiped!) With a towel or a diaper made of soft cotton cloth with blotting movements. After 6 months, you can bathe your baby every other day (in the hot season - every day at any age), at a water temperature of + 36º C, bathing duration - up to 10 minutes. It is necessary to wash the child regularly in the direction from front to back, after a bowel movement.
It is more convenient to carry out nail care for a newborn baby after bathing, when they become softer. Special scissors with rounded ends are used only for a child. On the legs the nails are cut evenly, on the arms - rounding the corners.
Subsequently, child care and upbringing are inextricably linked. It is necessary from an early age to pay attention to the baby's appearance, to teach to clean and tidy. During feeding, toilet, bedding should be gentle with the child, showing goodwill and calmness. Caring for him should be accompanied by a gentle conversation, which causes positive emotions and distracts from unpleasant sensations.
The skin of newborns is very tender and sensitive, and therefore it is necessary to take care of it very carefully to prevent the appearance of irritation and inflammation. Let's discuss the basic procedures that young parents have to face every day. They cause difficulties only at the very beginning, until all actions become habitual. There is nothing difficult in them, but it is necessary to take into account some features of care for the little man. And now about everything in order ...
How to change a diaper
First of all, parents learn to change a baby's diaper. For this procedure, any hard and flat surface will suit - a changing table, bed or table covered with oilcloth and diaper. Put the crumb on the back. We unzip the Velcro of the diaper and, with careful movements, roll it from the baby’s tummy, turning it inwards. Then we lift the baby, clasping both ankles with our hands, and with a careful movement we remove the diaper, fold it into a roller and fasten it with Velcro.How to wash a child
Now it is necessary to wash the child, after “big things” - with soap, after urinating it is rather simple with water. For infants, it is better to choose a special baby detergent with a neutral pH level, odorless and dyes. Prepare everything for washing away in advance so as not to be distracted. In addition to soap, you will need a warm diaper or a soft towel in order to dry the skin after the procedure.Laundry is carried out under running water in the sink, bath or over a basin. If the umbilical wound has not yet healed, water should not fall on it, so as not to cause infection.
Girls and boys need to wash away in different ways.
Girls need to hold the tummy up on their hands so that the water runs down to the butt and the germs with particles of feces do not fall on the region of the labia and the vagina. Usually, the head of the baby is placed on the elbow, and her body - on the forearm, and tightly pressed to him with one hand. The second hand carefully washed the area of the buttocks and the genital lips, washing away all the pollution with soap, but not penetrating the genitals. It is necessary to thoroughly wash the inguinal folds and the hips. Then the child is wrapped in a diaper or soft towel and carried to the changing table or other prepared surface. Already there, with gentle blotting movements, they dry the genital area, buttocks, legs, and all the folds.
Boys can be held on the hand in any position, but usually more comfortable tummy down. The head of the baby is placed in the area of the elbow bend, the body is on the forearm, the tummy is placed on the palm of your hand and tightly pressed the baby to your body with one hand. With the second hand, they thoroughly wash the hips, penis, scrotum and perineum under running water. In this case, the head of the penis is not opened, washing the foreskin only outside. Further actions are the same as for girls.
How to avoid diaper rash in a newborn?
Before you put on a diaper, you can treat your baby’s skin with a special cream under the diaper. It protects against contact with moisture, relieves irritation and gives a feeling of comfort. The cream is not absorbed and forms a thin film on the skin, protecting the sensitive skin of the child from irritating urine and feces. It is applied to the area of the inguinal folds, around the anus and at the point of closing of the buttocks. Girls can not apply the cream on the labia, and boys - on the penis, only near the scrotum, where there are wrinkles.The powder is applied in this way: first you need to evenly distribute it on your palm, and then with a patting movement “powder” the skin of the child.
Next, the diaper is straightened, the baby is placed on its back, its legs are raised with one hand and the diaper is placed under the buttocks. Then straighten the diaper in the groin area, fasten the velcro and straighten the belt. If it is not possible to wash the child under running water, you can use special children's wet wipes.
Changing the diaper in the first 2–3 months is necessary every 2–3 hours, then as you fill, usually every 3–5 hours.
How to wash baby
The baby is washed in the morning, after sleeping, before or after feeding. For washing, prepare:- warm boiled water;
- sterile cotton balls or discs;
- clean soft napkin.
How to clean the nose of a child
The baby’s spout needs to be kept clean, this is important for its proper breathing and nourishment (after all, with a stuffed nose, it's hard to eat). Cleaning the nose is very simple, although initially this procedure sometimes causes difficulties for parents. Usually the nose is cleaned in the morning and before bedtime.You will need:
- saline solution (the finished product can be purchased at the pharmacy) only in the form of drops, sprays can cause spasm of the larynx, so they are not recommended to be used;
- pipette with a rounded end;
- cotton flagella (twisted from a piece of cotton);
- container with warm boiled water.
How to care for hair
The head of the baby and care for her often cause questions to moms. Young parents are especially frightened by the presence of a fontanel (this is the region of the descent of the seams of the skull, the connective tissue under which the brain is located). But the head and hair do not require particularly complex care, they are washed about once a week with baby shampoo, and after the bath they blot with a towel and combed the hair with a soft bristle brush. Brush your baby daily. If milk crusts form on the head, they are not removed. Once there was a recommendation to smear the head with oil and put on a cap for 2-3 hours, then comb the peels with a comb. Today, this method is rejected, since the special combing of the crusts injures the delicate scalp of the baby, stimulating an even greater formation of crusts.Umbilical wound treatment
Another difficult issue for parents is the care of the umbilical wound. After birth, the umbilical cord is cut off and a terminal or ligature is applied to the umbilical residue. At about 3–5 days, the umbilical cord residue disappears, and under it forms a wound, from which blood or suture is released. In some maternity homes, the umbilical residue is surgically cut off on the second day. Until the umbilical wound heals, it is necessary to process it twice a day (in the morning and after bathing).You will need:
- 3% hydrogen peroxide solution;
- pipette;
- cotton buds;
- alcohol or antiseptic (for example, brilliant green, solution of potassium permanganate).
How to bathe a baby
It is necessary to bathe babies only with special children's soap (liquid or lumpy), shampoo or foam, preferably without fragrances and dyes, without a strong odor, marked "hypoallergenic". It is recommended to wash the baby 1-2 times a week with detergent, the rest of the time there is enough water.- The label must be labeled "allowed from the first days of life." It is desirable that this tool can be used to wash the crumbs from head to toe and it does not pinch the eyes.
- In addition to soap, you will need a soft sponge or a terry glove for the body.
- Also prepare a water thermometer to monitor the temperature in the bath, although many parents are guided by their own feelings (water is tried with the elbow or the back of the hand).
- Water temperature should be 36–37 ° С. You also need a dipper or a water jug to rinse the baby at the end of bathing, a large bath towel (conveniently, if it comes with a corner) or a warm diaper in which you carry the baby out of the bathroom.
What you need to know? Do not boil water for swimming, rather ordinary warm water from the tap. Until the navel is healed, a solution of potassium permanganate is added to the water, coloring it to a slightly pink color. This solution has a disinfectant effect. This is necessary so that microbes do not get into the umbilical wound. If a baby has a navel healed, you should not bathe it in a solution of manganese or herbal decoctions - they dry the skin strongly, which leads to its peeling and irritations, up to the formation of rashes.
Never, never for a second can you leave the baby alone in the bath, even if, in your opinion, it lies safely in the slide - this is dangerous! If you need to step back, stop bathing and take the baby out of the bath. When bathing you should try to keep water or soap from falling on the face of the child. It is unpleasant for babies and can provoke a negative attitude to water procedures and crying. Many children cry while swimming due to the reaction to the difference in water and air temperature. Try to keep the temperature in the bathroom not lower than 24 ° C. For swimming, choose a time when the baby is vigorous and not hungry, in a good mood. It is advisable to wash the crumbs always at the same time - this teaches him to the regime. If he is excited after a bath, it is better to bathe him in the morning, if he relaxes and calms down - before going to bed.
Dip the child in the water and let him swirl around a little, move his legs and arms, and lead him back and forth across the bath. Then soap the mitten and wash the baby, first the neck folds, then the breast, tummy, legs and arms, turn it over and wash the back. The head is always washed last, slightly throwing it back so that the soap does not fall into the eyes. Lather hairs and gently massage them, especially in the area of crusts, then rinse, scooping water from the bath and pouring it over your head, towards the back of the head. At the end of bathing, dial a 1–2 ° C colder water in the jug colder and pour the baby with an energetic movement, having his belly tumbled down. The first swims take 4–5 minutes. Gradually extend the procedure to 15–30 minutes. Wrap the baby in a towel and take it to the changing table, dry the baby’s skin thoroughly with blotting movements and then carry out the necessary hygiene procedures (treatment of the umbilical wound, inguinal folds, etc.).
If the house is cool, you can wear a baby cap or a light cap - until the hairs dry.
Bathing and hygiene procedures will gradually become an integral part of the routine of the baby, you will learn to perform them quickly and adroitly, they will no longer cause any difficulties.