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Wash Your Newborn Fast and Efficiently
Learn how to top and tail for less tears and more smiles
Washing a newborn baby can be a challenge because new babies don't like to be naked. They don't like to be cold, they don't like water, and they will let you know about it.
When
my son, James, was born, I really couldn't see the point of giving him
a bath every night. I was really, really tired because I was breastfeeding,
and needed a way to get my son clean without having to go to so much effort.
I also saw that he didn't need a bath every night. Newborns aren't really getting into anything. They aren't able to pull open the compost bin and climb inside, they aren't able to eat a banana and smear it all over themselves and the freshly cleaned carpet, and they certainly aren't able to pick up a glass of orange juice and upend it over their own head.
Mostly newborns just lie in one place, wiggle occasionally, stare into space, drool, drink milk, and cry.
The only thing that really makes them dirty is what they eat. I breastfed my son until he was 9 months old, and can assess to the fact that milk doesn't always go where it's supposed to. A lot of that milk, drool, and crumbs from my own snack would end up around James's neck and result in skin fold irritations. This area can get irritated very easily if it's not cleaned every day.
James's bottom would occasionally get irritated too. Diaper rash can easily be kept at bay, but the area needs to be wiped down with plain, warm water to elliminate the build up of ammonia on the skin. The best solution for cleaning both areas was to Top and Tail.
Topping and Tailing Instructions
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1. Take the baby into the bathroom or other warm room. 2. Keep his clothes on, so he stay's comfortable, and wet a washcloth with plain warm water - no soap. 3. Start with the top and wash his face and neck folds. You can even take a little of the wash cloth in your finger and rub down his gums. If your baby has any teeth coming in, this will give you a heads up and also get you in the habit of brushing them later. Dry the area, making sure that the neck area is especially dry. 4. Rinse out the washcloth with more warm water. 5. Leaving the rest of his clothes on, just take off the diaper. Wash his bottom thoroughly and then pat dry with a soft towel. 6. If the baby has any skin irritation either in his neck folds or on his bottom, just apply some Pure Aloe Jelly or Aloe Rich Lotion to the area and keep it as dry as possible for the next day. |
You
don't need to use soap on your baby's skin because he's really not getting
that dirty. Washing with warm water is a much better alternative because
most baby washes, bath bubbles, shampoos, and oils can actually be very
irritating to the skin. It's also a lot cheaper too!
If
you absolutely had to use some sort of wash on your baby's skin, I would
suggest L'Bri's Body Wash. I use this
very occasionally on James because I like the clean scent and natural
ingredients. It can even be used as a shampoo if your baby isn't bald
like James.
As a
new mother, it will certainly simplify your life to not bother with a
bath every night, especially when your baby hates it as much as you do.
Just top and tail him and get that kid in bed so you can enjoy your evening
and hopefully catch up on some sleep.
© Leah Day Online:
How to Top and Tail Your Baby