Keeping baby clean and happy …

[18 March 2010 - 15h01]

Washing a new baby can often seem a delicate operation … to the extent that some parents even dread it … How should you clean the sensitive areas like the eyes, the nose and the ears when the infant in front of you is a squirming, wriggling mass? Here are a few tips for getting your baby clean.

The eyes? A pad dipped in saline solution will do the trick! But it’s not as simple as that. It’s very important to pay attention to how you wipe: start at the outside edge of the eye and wipe towards the nose to avoid any secretions building up in the corner of the eye. Don’t worry, it will soon become second nature … because it’s something you’ll be doing every time you wash your baby!

Our little cherubs aren’t able to blow their own nose … and it’s not something that comes naturally as they get older. There are different ways – not always very pleasant – to help babies to clean their nose. They vary according to the child’s age. For newborn babies who don’t yet know how to breathe through the mouth, the simplest way is to lie them on their back, to raise their head slightly and administer a small drop of saline solution. The baby nose clear – a kind of nasal aspirator – is also a very effective little device for removing secretions from your baby’s nose.

The ears require a different approach. Up to the age of 18 months, the ear canal is shorter than it is in adults. This makes access to the eardrum easier and … more risky. So it’s important not to poke things into the ear canal. Cleansing must be limited to the visible part of the canal. A small piece of tapering cotton will do the trick. The jury is still out on the use of cotton buds however, but if you do use them, just clean the entrance to the ear canal to avoid any possible damage to the eardrum. And later, when your child is able to clean his ears himself – one can always dream! – be cautious. Make sure you teach him the right way to do it and, if necessary, use a cleansing spray.

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