We are first-time parents, how do I take care of my baby’s skin?
Do not worry because you are in the right place to get the best advice for that moment. It is very common to hear: “you have skin as soft as a baby’s bottom”, but how do you keep it that way always? From when we are born we have soft, tender, firm and very sensitive skin. Caring for it is very easy if you do it well. We know that the skin of little ones should be hydrated and taken care of in a habitual way. Do you have questions about the large number of products on the market and other myths?
We dismantle it:
- THE BATH: ideally every 2-3 days, with short baths and ideally cleansers without soaps (syndel would be the name of these products). They maintain the pH of our children’s skin. Most carry emollient products that will help hydrate the skin.
- HYDRATING CREAM: you should use special baby products, trying to avoid irritants like perfume and adult products. A good moment to apply it is after the bath, helping to maintain the moisture of the skin.
- WHAT CREAM TO CHOOSE?: Just as adults have different skin types and each one is better with a cream, the little ones also have differences that can make one cream more suitable than another. If your baby has healthy skin, a special hydrating cream for babies will be sufficient. But if your baby has dry skin, atopic or with eczema, you will need more specific creams to hydrate and calm the burning, consult with your pediatrician on which may be the most appropriate in your case. Just because a cream is the most expensive, does not mean it is the most suitable for your child!
- THE DIAPER AREA: we should pay special attention to this area that comes into contact with the diaper on kids. Changes in our children’s skin is frequent due to contact with urine, feces, humidity. It is important to choose a diaper with high absorption. You must also change it frequently and wash it with water and soap. Then apply a protective cream to keep the area free of moisture. What usually works best are those that have zinc oxide, as they help form a protective barrier.
- SUN PROTECTION: our skin has an exceptional memory of sun exposure in childhood. It is proven that an adult has a higher risk of suffering from skin cancer (melanoma) if they had more unprotected sun exposure as a child. This is why protecting our kids from the sun is very important, whatever the season. Do not forget to put on special pediatric sunscreen with at least SPF 50 and a broad spectrum (covering UVA and UVB radiation) for those days that you spend several hours outside. Apply it half an hour before you leave the house without missing any area and re-apply it every two hours.
You should know that bath time should be relaxed, comfortable and healthy, both for you and your baby! Do not forget to check the temperature of the water with your elbow. It should not be very hot. Do not add more once you start the bath, as you could drastically change the temperature of your baby.
Clean all creases, especially the neck, hands, feet and genitals. Dry the entire body immediately to avoid the baby catching a cold. Do not leave moisture in certain skin folds as it will cause a skin condition.
Finally, have confidence in yourself, do not make sudden movements, enjoy it as much as your baby is.
*Content validated by the medical team of mediQuo.
