Caring for baby skin: Tips from midwife Daniela Lauer
How do I properly care for my baby? What needs to be considered? Midwife and mother Daniela Lauer reveals useful tips and answers the most important questions about baby care.
Daniela, what do you need to consider when it comes to baby care?
It is important to remember that your baby’s skin is still very thin, five times thinner than in adults. The dermis between the epidermis and subcutaneous tissue is not yet fully formed. In addition, the sebaceous glands are not yet active, which basically makes theskin rather dry. The skin surface also occupies a significantly larger area in babies compared to body weight than in adults. On the one hand, your baby loses more moisture, on the other hand, the skin is therefore more susceptible to pollutants. Therefore, only gentle, as natural as possible products are suitable for baby care.
Wouldn’t it be better to do without care products altogether and only take water?
No, because water causes your baby’s skin to swell and dries it out. Mild, moisturizing products counteract this. For butt cleansing, for example, a few drops of oil on a soft cloth are great. This makes you clean and cares at the same time.
And if my child has very sensitive skin or is at risk of allergies?
Then you should make sure that the baby care does not contain any preservatives and dyes, perfumes or essential oils. These are known to cause allergies. Instead, you should choose as natural products as possible with only a few ingredients. The less there is, the lower the risk that your baby will not tolerate the care.
The baby comes home, the changing table is ready. Which care products does the baby need, which are superfluous?
As care products, I recommend a good wound protection cream with panthenol, fragrance-free cleaning wipes, a soap-free wash gel and a massage oil for thecareof your baby. For face and body care, you should also use a cream, lotion or milk, depending on what you prefer to use. Powder, on the other hand, is unnecessary. It clogs the pores.
How often can babies be creamed?
Once or twice a day is no problem. In any case, you should cream your baby after washing. The little ones feel especially comfortable when they receive a massage with a baby oil afterwards. Applying lotionis especially important before you go outside with your baby – especially when it’s cold. Wind & weather creams with a high fat content are suitable for this. The fat prevents the cream from freezing on the baby’s skin and provides good protection against cold.
Opinions differ again and again on the subject of bathing. From when, how often, how long and in what are babies allowed to bathe – what do you recommend here?
Bathing the babyis a nice ritual before bedtime. It’s okay to bathe your baby about every three days. However, only when the umbilical cord has healed properlyand of course not for hours. Five to ten minutes are enough. It is best to take a good moisturizing bath oil, then you usually do not need to cream your child afterwards.
How important is skin contact in baby care?
Very important! For your baby, skin contact is the most important sensory experience, especially in the first few weeks. Through this, it experiences security and love. This helps to build trust. In turn, you get to know your child better, learn what it likes and what it reacts to. When it comes to baby care, everyone is very close, it is stroked and pampered. So these are wonderful opportunities for cuddling.