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Do not use oil and cream for baby care
Oil, cream, powder or just warm water? Many parents are uncertain when it comes to taking care of their baby, be it while bathing or the supply of a sore diaper pos. Against occasional creaming is usually objectionable from the perspective of many professionals. But too much of a good thing can even harm the child's skin. Experts give tips in conversation with the news agency "dpa", what parents should pay attention to the care of their baby.
Insecurity in personal care
"Is the bath water too hot?", "Can I use the foam for my 3-month-old baby?" "And what is the best way to treat my sore bottom?" Many new parents are asking themselves questions like these when it comes to the Body care of their offspring goes. Nina Kruse also experienced this insecurity after the birth of her first child five months ago. For while she had received help from the nurses in the hospital for basic things such as breastfeeding or diaper changing, she was hardly familiar with caring for a baby until then, the mother reports to the "dpa". Therefore, she and her husband had in the first time mainly based on the tips of the midwife.
Baby skin is very sensitive to excessive care. (Image: petunyia / fotolia.com) Clear water instead of washing or shower gel
This advised the parents of washing or shower gels and advised instead to use only clear water. This opinion is also Prof. Peter Höger, chief physician of the Departments Pediatrics and Pediatric Dermatology / Allergology at the Catholic Children's Hospital Wilhelmstift in Hamburg. According to his recommendation, a baby should be bathed about twice a week in clear water - which can be enriched with frequent bathing but also with some baby bath oil. But here should be carefully considered: "Some parents try to give olive oil into the bath water, for example - but that brings nothing." Because the fat molecules can not mix with the water, so that the oil has no effect.
Creams and oils can be dispensed with
Creams can also be dispensed with according to the experts, because "the skin of healthy and mature babies does not have to be creamed". However, anyone who wants to cream should, according to the midwife look carefully, because even pure herbal products such. Marigold ointment (Calendula) could trigger allergic reactions on the child's skin.
Many parents would also like to use oil for the care and massage of their child - but this is not absolutely necessary. In addition, parents should be careful in choosing the product and e.g. do not use normal olive oil. Because this could easily form oxidation products, which in turn can irritate the skin, warns the expert.
Treat head glands in the infant with jojoba oil
"There are no standards for the skin care of infants and toddlers," says Prof. Peter Höger. But even for the hair washing in babies according to the experts normally clear water is sufficient. To treat a so-called "head gneiss", it is best to use a special agent with jojoba oil and gels, so the tip. The head gnaw is a transient skin lesion in babies that usually does not cause any discomfort such as itching or burning sensation.
Characteristic are instead fatty, firmly adherent, crusty scales on the scalp, which are initially mostly milky-yellow, later tanned more brownish. Frequently, the harmless dandruff would be caused by the presence of more sebaceous glands on the baby's scalp than in adults, Prof. Höger further explains. "In addition, the sebaceous glands are stimulated by maternal hormones during pregnancy and lactation".
Diaper area must be cleaned daily
Uncertainty is also often in care of the Pos, which is quickly sore by the diaper in many babies. "As long as children still wear a diaper, cleaning and skin care in the diaper region are in the foreground," explains Heike Behrbohm of the German Skin and Allergy Aid (DAH) to the news agency. Accordingly, the diaper area must be cleaned every day - for which, for example, in very small babies, for example. moist cotton pads are well suited.
Even if sore, red areas in the diaper area are very common, parents should take the skin irritation seriously. Because these can quickly develop into a large-area, inflammatory rash, which is referred to in the jargon as diaper rash. If the child's skin remains irritated and / or bleeding for several days, the pediatrician should be consulted. This can determine the exact cause of the complaints and also delimit the diaper dermatitis of an allergy or psoriasis.
Scaling of the skin by switching to dry air
It is generally normal for the baby's skin to show redness and flaky areas in the first few weeks. Because the natural "protective cover" must first get used to suddenly not being surrounded by amniotic fluid, but instead by relatively dry air. Therefore, a few days after giving birth, many children begin to notice a noticeable scaling: "This is normal and takes about four to six weeks," says Höger.
To nurse her daughter's irritated skin, Nina Kruse, on the recommendation of her midwife, used a cotton pad soaked in mother's milk, which she placed on the affected area. In addition, the sensitive facial skin of the child usually creams it after bathing, because it is then particularly dry. Meanwhile, she no longer needs the tips of her midwife, but instead trust her intuition, says Kruse. (No)