Skin care for your baby is different than it is for you and your older children. After all, the skin us older folks are clad with is much tougher than the thin, sensitive, soft skin of our babies.
Understanding the Skin of your Baby
The first step to taking care of your baby’s skin is understanding just how sensitive it is. This means that your baby will get rashes from time to time; therefore, although you will need to do what you can to prevent rashes from developing and then treat them when they do, you must also not beat yourself up when your precious little one develops a rash.
Preventing Rashes
The general rule of thumb to preventing rashes is keeping your baby’s skin clean and dry. This will go a long ways towards preventing diaper rash in particular. However, other rashes have other causes. If your baby develops other types of rashes, ask your pediatrician to check for food and other allergies. Babies are sensitive to a great number of substances to include even some items that are specifically made for newborns.
Skin Care for Your Baby’s Face
The rosy cheeks of many babies is not a positive since it is often caused by eczema. The two causes of eczema are dry skin and allergic reactions to triggers such as rough material like wool, high temperatures, and harsh chemicals. If your infant has eczema try to keep her skin moisturized and see your pediatrician who may prescribe a steroid cream.
Caring for Scratches
Baby’s scratch easily. In fact, they can even scratch themselves with their cute little fingernails. If your baby is scratched, hold a clean bandage or cloth against the scratch until you are sure it has stopped bleeding. Once its bleeding has stopped, clean the scratch and surrounding area with soap and warm water and then dry it. Finally, apply an antibiotic ointment to the scratch and cover it with a bandage. Re-apply the ointment and replace the bandage every day or every time the bandage gets wet or dirty.