Natural Baby Skin Care
Your precious baby is home from the hospital and you want to give them the best care. Remember that a newborn babies’ skin is delicate. Their immune system is also. Any chemicals, fragrances and dyes in clothing, detergents and baby products can lead to skin irritation, dryness, rashes, chaffing, etc. What can you do to protect your baby from these skin problems?
Don’t use baby products in the early months – your baby’s immune system is still developing so it is advised not to use baby products on them. If you have a family history of allergies, “it’s especially important to protect your baby’s immune system — and protect baby from irritating allergens.”
Wash baby’s clothing before it’s worn – wash all clothes, bedding and washable toys that your baby will use in baby laundry detergent that are fragrance- and dye-free. An extra rinse cycle will be helpful as well.
Resist the urge to bathe your baby frequently. Babies don’t really get very dirty. So, you may clean around their mouth and their diaper area with a little water and a gentle baby soap.
“For the first month or so, a sponge bath two or three times a week will keep your baby safely clean.” Bathing more often will remove natural oils that protect the babies skin and make them more susceptible to allergens – “triggering a reaction like eczema.”
Darker skinned babies should have a bath once a week or less. Their skin tends to be dryer and frequent washing will increase the “risk of skin problems such as eczema.”
http://www.webmd.com/parenting/baby/baby-skin-10/skin-care-tips
