When the baby is born, you may have concerns about how to clean and care for them; there are a couple of things you need to know when it comes to the umbilical cord, the baby’s washing, skin care, hair, hands, nails, etc. The water you use to clean the baby should be clean and boiled to kill off bacteria, but of course it should be warmed before using.

Umbilical Cord

Usually the umbilical cord falls off within 10 days after birth. During this time, you should clean this area at least twice a day to ensure hygiene. For cleaning, you can use gauze or cotton dipped in alcohol or soaked in an antiseptic recommended by your doctor. Until the cord heals completely, there is a rare risk of infection. In case of any infection or bleeding, consult your doctor immediately. The umbilical cord and this area should be kept dry, make sure the diaper does not get over the umbilical cord and no wetness or feces get into this area; this will make the umbilical cord fall off and heal faster. After the cord has fallen off, this area should be cleaned daily until the wound is completely healed.

Hands

To clean the baby’s hands, you can use cleansing milk or baby soap. You can clean and dry the hands at least 3-4 times a day with a soft and wet sponge.

Nails

With newborns, it is very important to take care of the baby’s nails in the first few weeks, as babies can hurt themselves due to sharp nails, plus sharp nails might also cause your face to get scratched. To prevent this from happening, you need to make the baby wear gloves as well as cut the nails. This is conveniently done with small baby scissors or nail clippers with non-pointed edges. If your baby gets very restless, you can cut their nails during sleep.

Hair

Hair should be washed when it is greasy and when bathing the baby, and when washing the hair, use special baby shampoos that do not hurt the eyes.

Eyes

It is natural for your baby’s eyes to have burrs in the first months; you can clean them with water and cotton. You should definitely not use soap to avoid irritating the baby’s eyes.

Ears

You can clean the ears with a damp cloth. If you use a cotton swab, it should NOT be inserted into the ear, you only need to clean the visible areas, the outside and the surrounding area.

Nose

It should be checked and cleaned every morning if dirt is visible and clogs the nose. It can be cleaned with a very soft tissue or cotton swab. The cotton swab should NOT be inserted into the nose, similar to cleaning the ears.