How to Take Care of Skin of a Newborn

What you need to first realize about your newborn is that their skin is not like your own. Untouched by the sun and by harmful chemicals, your baby has a blank canvas of skin cells that are pristine. To protect this fragile skin, you have a lot of options and tools at your disposal.

First of all, the best thing you can do for your baby is to bathe them on a regular basis with a gentle skin cleanser. Make sure to choose a product that is made for the sensitive skin of a baby, not something that caters to adult skin. You can also have a basin of warm water into which you dip a clean cotton ball to wipe the face of your newborn clean, including the eyes.

Once you are done cleaning your baby’s skin, you will want to gently pat them down and apply a light baby lotion to their arms and legs. This will help to protect the skin from becoming too dry and a soothing scent can often calm a fussy baby.

If you should notice any rashes or skin irritation on your baby, you may want to call your doctor, but in most cases, these are simply going to resolve on their own. When a rash is accompanied by a fever, however, you will want to schedule an appointment with your baby’s pediatrician.

You might want to opt for natural skin care products that do not contain harsh chemicals like other products. While these may be more expensive, they are less likely to harm your baby’s skin and to cause irritation.

It is not necessary to scrub your baby’s skin, not is it recommended. Since your newborn’s skin is much thinner than yours, you only need to gently pat it when you are bathing them, perhaps even giving them a gentle massage as you do.