Think all newborns have flawless skin? Think again. We all imagine our baby’s skin to be smooth, soft, and smell amazing. But in reality, it can be dry, flaky, sensitive, and even have some funky discolorations—especially during the newborn period.
Here’s a crash course on how to care for a baby’s skin, even when it’s not as perfect as you may have expected.
Don’t go too crazy with baths
Sure, YOU take a shower every day, but babies really shouldn’t get a daily bath. Three times a week is plenty according to baby care experts. Of course, clean the diaper area as often as necessary. But frequent bathing may dry out the skin and remove oils and other substances that protect against infections and other irritants.
Choose gentle products
You probably already know this, but you don’t want to use your adult shampoo and soap on your baby. Until infants are about one year old, it’s best to use soaps and shampoos that are specifically formulated for this age group. Generally, these products are ‘nontoxic,’ containing no or few dyes, deodorants, alcohols, and other ingredients that can be harmful to your infant’s skin. You’re probably staring at the long list of available baby products, not sure which to get. Well, we suggest taking a look at the label and choosing the ones with the fewest weird chemicals. Here’s our professional tip: Makari Bebe SOAP
Lotion is your friend
Your baby’s skin is prone to dryness, so you want to keep it as moisturized as possible. When you get your baby out of the tub, gently pat dry and apply moisturizer immediately. You’ll probably be moisturizing plenty in between baths too. Moisturizers enhance and also help to rehydrate and help the skin to hold water. Apply moisturizers as often as necessary. Your baby’s skin will be better for it 😉.
Go easy on sun exposure
Sunscreen isn’t recommended for babies under six months old. This is because they haven’t been tested for this age group yet. But we believe that in the rare situation where sun exposure is needed for an infant, using sunscreen is safer than not using sunscreen.
But you and your baby can’t stay cooped up at home forever. Take proper measures when this happens such as not letting the sun directly hit your baby’s skin — opening the sun cover on their stroller, dressing them in hats. You may also want to get sunshades for the backseat windows of your car. And lastly, When you’re at the park or the beach, chill under an umbrella or shady tree.
Once your baby hits the six-month mark, look for a sunscreen with inorganic filters (like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide), because they won’t irritate the baby’s skin and eyes.
And yes, that brings us to the end of the class, bet you can’t wait to start implementing your new found knowledge on your baby. Before you go, take a quick detour and check out our array of amazing baby products.
