New mom !!! How to change a baby's diaper and wash him?
How to change a baby's diaper step by step?
To prevent skin problems, properly clean your baby's bottom, umbilical cord, face and scalp. To help you, here are some tips to follow to properly change his diaper, wash his nose, eyes, etc.
Clean baby's bottom before putting a clean diaper on him
To prevent diaper rash , change your baby's diaper regularly, following these steps :
- Wash your hands with soap.
- Prepare on the changing table a glove or cotton pad moistened with warm water, soaked in a little mild soap. If you do not have water available, in case of travel for example, you can use wipes (disposable wet towels), preferably without perfume, to avoid any risk of skin allergy .
- Place your baby on a clean towel, remove the soiled diaper and close it. With one hand, hold your child by the feet, gently lifting his buttocks (or seat). With the other hand, clean his buttocks well. Pay particular attention to the groin folds and between the buttocks, in order to remove traces of stool and/or urine residue (very irritating and promote the occurrence of skin mycosis ).
- Put your baby's seat back down and wash his or her genitals. To do this :If you have a girl, clean her vulva by gently passing between the labia majora, from the pubis to the rectum (to prevent any contamination by fecal germs). Also avoid the inside of the vulva (you will remove the secretions that protect the vagina from bacteria).If your child is a boy, wash the scrotum and penis, without pulling back the foreskin. In newborns and babies, the foreskin is most often tight and adheres to the glans. This phimosis is normal and will disappear with growth. Pulling back the foreskin could hurt your baby and create fibrous lesions and scars on the foreskin.
- Rinse the seat and genitals thoroughly. Then dry them thoroughly, patting them with a towel. To avoid irritation, make sure that the folds are dry, but it is not necessary to use a protective cream. However, if the skin is red and irritated, you can apply a layer of diaper rash ointment (based on zinc oxide).
- Throw away the soiled diaper.
- Place your baby in a safe place (for example, his bed).
- Rinse the used washcloth thoroughly (or put it in the dirty laundry).
- Finally, wash your hands.
Inguinal hernia in infants discovered during bathing
In infants, an inguinal hernia is discovered by parents during bathing or diaper changing. The inguinal lump appears during pushing efforts (screaming, crying,defecation...) and disappears when the child is calm. Surgical treatment is necessary to prevent strangulation of the hernia.
Umbilical cord care
At the end of delivery , the umbilical cord is clamped (pinched) using forceps and then cut, to interrupt the blood flow between theplacentaand the baby. Then this clamp can be :
- removed during the stay in the maternity ward (48 to 72 hours after birth) ;
- removed by a midwife from the mother's home (in case of early return home) ;
- left in place until the remaining cord fragment falls off.
In any case, the umbilical cord dries up in a few days and falls off after one to three weeks, forming the navel. While waiting for it to fall off, follow these tips to keep it clean and dry, as soon as you return from the maternity ward :
- Wash your hands with soap.
- Clean the cord with warm water and soap, using a clean washcloth or gauze. Be sure to remove any crusts of blood or dirt that may have formed underneath, then rinse thoroughly.
- Dry the cord completely to avoid anymaceration(which can promote infection). To do this, you can pass a dry cotton swab around the cord. A dry compress can then be wrapped around the cord, but you can also let it air dry and raise it vertically (this limits contact with the skin) so that it heals more quickly. However, avoid pulling on it, even if it starts to come loose.
- Put a clean diaper on your newborn :
- fold the edge of the diaper over to prevent it from covering the cord fragment ;
- If necessary, point your boy's penis downward (so he doesn't urinate in the direction of the piece of cord).
These cord care procedures should be performed at least once a day (for example, after bathing ). Repeat them whenever necessary (especially if soiled with urine or feces).
On the other hand, disinfection is superfluous. However, it may be necessary if the cord no longer dries and softens, if its base turns red and/or if it smells bad. In this case, do not use alcohol. Instead, use a product containing a disinfectant substance such as chlorhexidine (ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice).
When the cord falls off, some traces of blood may also appear (this is not a serious phenomenon). Then continue to wash and dry the navel using the same method. If necessary, remove the scabs and dirt at the bottom of the navel by spreading the edges a little, with a cotton swab.
When healing is complete, stop cord care.
Can I bathe my baby if he still has his umbilical cord ?
Yes, bathing is possible. The main thing is to dry the cord and its surrounding area well when you wipe your baby.
Washing a baby's eyes, nose, face and scalp
Washing your baby's face
Your child may sometimes have whitish secretions accumulated in the inner corner of the eyes (near the nose). In this case, pour a few drops of physiological serum into the eye , then wipe the deposits with a compress, going from the outside to the inside of the eye.
Consult your doctor or pediatrician if your infant has a red eye with purulent discharge. This is likely bacterial conjunctivitis and requires treatment.
Similarly, if your child's nose seems blocked, you can :
either introduce a few drops of physiological serum into each nostril, then wipe the base of the nose ;
either roll two small cotton wicks on themselves and soak them in physiological serum, then clean the nostrils with them.
To wash the rest of your child's face, simply use compresses (or a clean washcloth) and lukewarm water.
Washing your baby's scalp
Although it is not necessary to wash the scalp more than two to three times a week in the bath, it is important to brush it every day with a soft brush to remove build-up of greasy secretions and prevent cradle cap .
Cleaning your child's ears
Your child's ears are washed during bathing . To do this, clean the auricles (visible parts of the ears) and the grooves behind them with soap and water. If you are washing your baby without bathing him, use a wet glove and soap.
In all cases, rinse and dry the auricles and the back of the ears well, in order to avoid anymaceration. Insist on the entrance to the ear canal, using a thin towel. You can also use a small cotton wick rolled up on itself (changing the wick as many times as necessary). On the other hand, never use cotton buds, which could hurt your child.
Preventing falls while bathing your baby
To prevent any risk of falling, always stay close to your baby during the toilet. To avoid having to move, prepare in advance all the things you might use. Hold your baby with one hand when you reach for an object useful for the toilet.
When and how to cut baby's nails?
During the first few days of life, the nails remain stuck to the skin at the tips of the fingers. If you cut them, you risk cutting the skin on your baby's fingers. So wait until his nails are long enough to cut them for the first time, then do it regularly.
To make it easier for you:
use round-tipped scissors, suitable for infants;
choose a time when your child is calm and relaxed (for example, after a bath or during a nap);
slightly round the corners of the fingernails, so that baby avoids scratching himself;
Cut the toenails straight across, from side to side, so that the corners remain relatively long.