So you’ve just had your little wonder finally delivered to this world after 9 months of pain, vomiting, and nausea.

You’re probably just like I was when I gave birth to my first baby. Full of excitement but also scared. Scared because you saw no tutorial on how to manage your new life. But excited nonetheless because of the affection and the new challenge.

As a mother, I feel responsible to share my knowledge with you. I want to help as many other women as possible take good care of their young ones. Beauty might not be skin-deep but keeping your newborn’s skin healthy can be a bit tricky if you have no one to consult with. Anyway, I’m not going to waste your time any further. Here are my top tips for keeping your baby’s skin as healthy as possible.

Bath Time

Do you feel how soft your baby’s skin is? That’s partly because it hasn’t fully developed yet. Baby skin is much more sensitive to temperature than adult skin.

In this sense, you should avoid bathing your little one in hot water. Best case scenario, bathe them in warm water for about three to five minutes. Don’t leave your baby for too long in soapy water. The lather can damage skin tissue if left on for too long.

After bath time is over, apply baby moisturizer or lotion while the skin is still wet, then gently pat dry instead of rubbing. 

Before I forget, there’s one more thing worth mentioning. If you live in a hard water area, the minerals might irritate your little one’s skin and even cause eczema or atopic dermatitis. As such, I recommend taking a look at the best water softener for this exact reason.

Offer Them a Massage

Skin irritations are common in children. In most cases, you need not worry, as it comes with age. You should try gently massaging the irritated area. Use some baby lotion to make it less likely to trigger any itches.

This has two main benefits: it can ease the irritation and it can put your baby to sleep in no time. However, do note that if a certain irritation keeps persisting, it’s best to go to the doctor. Pediatricians know best how to handle these situations.

Avoid Scented Baby Products

Yes, I know they smell good and I know that the temptation to buy such products is high. However, I don’t want you to go through the same experience as I have.

The truth is, the perfumes in most of these products can cause an allergic reaction inside most babies. If not even half a year has passed since your child was born, then you’re far better off using regular products. Or, if you really want to, try products that have naturally-derived fragrances and absolutely no perfumes.

Diaper Rash

This is one of the trickiest parts when you’re a new parent. Yes, yes, I know. It’s nasty. Changing diapers is a hassle. A stinky one. But someone’s gotta do it.

The hard part comes whenever your baby has diaper rash. It’s mostly caused by the wetness of an unchanged diaper or if you didn’t dry the baby properly after a bath. Also worth noting, some antibiotics might also cause diaper rash because they promote the growth of fungi, AKA a yeast infection.

Regardless, here are a few tips to avoid dealing with diaper rash in the future:

  • Change diapers ASAP when your baby wets or soils it
  • Wash the diaper area with mild fragrance-free cleanser or plain water
  • Use a soft clean cloth instead of traditional baby wipes
  • Instead of rubbing your baby dry, try patting them with a clean soft cloth
  • Apply protective ointments
  • Avoid baby powder

The Bottom Line

I hope my short article was helpful. Did you try any of these methods up until now? How well did it hold up? Feel free to leave a comment and start a discussion with the rest of our community.