Baby’s skin is often described as soft and smooth. However, they can also be delicate, which can lead to dryness, flakiness, and sensitivity when exposed to certain elements.
This might be concerning especially if you’re a first-time parent who isn’t sure how to handle it. Fortunately, there are some simple steps you can take to keep your baby’s skin healthy and hydrated. You’ll need to develop a good skincare routine for newborns.
Bathe Your Baby Regularly
Experts have different recommendations when it comes to how often you should bathe your baby. Overall, the main goal is to prevent your baby’s skin from drying out because of too much bathing.
Ideally, you shouldn’t bathe your child daily. Instead, you should bathe your baby every other day or at least three times a week. This will help preserve the natural oils of your baby’s skin and keep it moisturized.
Knowing the proper baby bath procedure is also crucial. Make sure the water isn’t too hot and avoid scrubbing your baby’s skin too hard since it can be extremely delicate.
You should also use a baby washcloth to cleanse important areas thoroughly. These include your baby’s diaper area, skin folds, and feet.
Lastly, this newborn skincare routine step should only last between five to seven minutes. Letting your baby spend longer than ten minutes in the bath can cause them to get cold and their skin to dry out.
Dealing With Diaper Rash
Your baby is in diapers almost every minute of every day. Because they can’t go potty by themselves just yet, they need to wear diapers 24/7, unless you want a messy house.
Diapers, although very useful, can cause skincare problems for your newborn. One of the most common skin issues that you may encounter is diaper rash. This causes your baby’s diaper area to become pink or red and tender. It will be uncomfortable for your baby, so they might cry more often when experiencing a diaper rash.
The main cause of diaper rash is prolonged exposure of your baby’s skin to a dirty diaper. Diaper rash can also be caused by harsh and drying soaps that you may be using to bathe your baby.
To avoid diaper rash, the best care of skin in a newborn that you should do is frequent diaper changes, especially if your baby is pooping more often than normal. This will allow you to make sure that their skin is always clean and dry.
You should also be gentle when cleaning your baby’s diaper area. Being too harsh with wiping can cause extra irritation, which can lead to diaper rash as well.
If your baby already has a diaper rash, you should invest in quality newborn skincare products. Choosing a diaper rash cream that contains a high concentration of zinc oxide can help soothe your baby and heal their rash.
Moisturize Your Baby’s Skin
You might think that moisturizing is only essential once you hit puberty. But this step is actually crucial in a newborn skincare routine.
Your baby’s skin is prone to dryness because of how delicate it is. With just a slight change in the weather or their diet, babies can experience dryness that may be uncomfortable.
To avoid this from happening, you should make sure that your baby’s skin is as moisturized as possible. You can achieve this by applying moisturizer to their skin immediately after getting out of the bath. This allows the newborn skincare product to lock in as much moisture and prevent it from evaporating.
You should also make sure that the lotion you are using is safe for newborns. Some moisturizers, especially those that contain fragrances, can be too harsh on your baby’s skin. Therefore, it is important to go for natural and organic moisturizers that are specifically designed for baby’s skin.
Protect Your Baby From Sun Exposure
Skincare for newborns doesn’t end with moisturizers. Even if they don’t usually go out, your baby still needs protection from the sun’s UV rays right after they’re born.
This is because the sun’s harmful rays can penetrate your baby’s delicate skin and cause serious damage. So, it is important to address the care of skin in newborns when it comes to the sun.
To protect your baby from the sun’s harsh rays, you should make sure to apply sunscreen whenever they go outdoors. This is even more important if they are out during peak hours, which is between 10 AM and 4 PM.
You should also make sure to prevent your baby from being directly hit by sunshine. There are many ways that you can achieve this, including using your stroller’s sun cover, making them wear hats with brims, and covering their body with a breathable cloth.
Maintain Your Baby’s Soft and Healthy Skin
Taking care of your baby’s skin should be one of your top priorities as a parent. Follow these tips and provide the best newborn skincare routine to ensure that your baby is kept safe and comfortable as they grow older and learn more about the world. With the right newborn skincare products, you can also make sure that your baby’s skin stays soft, healthy, and protected.