5 tips to protect baby skin
Your baby's fresh skin is very sensitive, especially at first – it's up to 30% thinner than your own and loses moisture much faster. This is especially true on cold days like today. When the humidity drops, the skin loses moisture more quickly. Just like with us, the skin is the only barrier between the baby and the outside world, and a weakened skin barrier can lead to dryness.
The good news is, we have 5 tips to help you keep your baby's skin soft and healthy.
1. Delay the first bath
Even today, many babies are still bathed immediately after birth. However, this is not necessarily recommended, as babies are naturally born with a protective, sticky white layer on their skin. This layer is moisturizing and has antibacterial properties.
Babies should only be bathed after about 24 hours . However, you shouldn't immerse them directly in the water, but rather simply dab them with a sponge. Make sure to cover the part of the baby you're not "washing." This way, the little ones always feel safe and stay nice and warm.
2. Don't bathe too often
Less is more when it comes to bathing your baby. Frequent bathing dries out the skin and can weaken the delicate skin barrier.
Short baths of less than 10 minutes , two to three times a week are sufficient.
If your baby does unexpectedly have a diaper explosion or completely spit up, a washcloth is usually enough to solve the problem.
“Be bold, be wild, be wonderful”
Astrid Lindgren
3. Make your baby as comfortable as possible
The bath water should be lukewarm. You can easily check this by using the inside of your wrist to test the water. Cold water is simply uncomfortable for babies, and they cool down more quickly than adults. Hot water could burn our little treasures and thus damage the skin barrier. Just make sure your baby is as comfortable as possible and trust your instincts.
4. Use gentle detergents
Because your baby's skin is thinner, it is more easily affected by external influences.
It's recommended to use special baby detergents. These are usually pH-neutral and free of fragrances, dyes, and phthalates.
Use only a small amount of detergent and rinse your little treasure thoroughly afterwards.
5. Dab, don't rub
When you take your baby out of the tub, gently pat them dry. Harsh rubbing or scrubbing is very unpleasant. (Fun fact: we adults shouldn't rub ourselves either, just gently pat ourselves dry.)
We also protect the sensitive skin barrier by gently patting.
After your baby is dry, we should apply baby cream. Like laundry detergent, this cream should also be free of dyes and fragrances.
