Baby bath and Baby care

image_15

Freshening and Between Baths

  • Take a few minutes to talk to your baby about her day as you prepare for the transition to bath time. Undress her, except for her nappy, and wrap her in a towel.
  • Holding your baby's head, gently cleanse around each eye with a cotton ball dampened with warm water. Cotton balls are good to use because they don't shed pieces of lint. Use a new cotton ball for each eye and always wipe from the inside corner of the eye, outward. If there is no crust (dried mucus), there is no need to wash the eye area. Do not wash the eye itself.
  • Using a soft washcloth, wipe around your baby's mouth, nose and whole face, working from the middle outward, using only plain water. Pay special attention to behind the ears, under the chin and creases in the neck. Remember: Never put anything into the ear canal or nose. Gently pat dry
  • Keeping your baby wrapped in a towel, put your arm under her back and your hand behind her head. With your free hand wet your baby's hair with the washcloth. Apply a small amount of gentle baby wash, such as JOHNSON'S® baby TOP-TO-TOE® baby wash, which is specially formulated to not sting her eyes, and gently massage over her whole head. Rinse your baby's hair with water until all the cleanser is removed. Lay your baby down and dry her head gently, and lift the hood of the towel over her head to keep her warm.
  • Keeping her head covered with the corner of the towel, unwrap your baby and remove her nappy. Wet and lather your hand or washcloth and begin to wash the rest of your baby's body. Wash the neck to her waist, including her arms and hands, and thoroughly rinse and pat dry. Cover her upper body with a towel to keep her warm and move down to her legs, feet and toes.
  • Before cleaning your baby's umbilical cord, you can put her shirt and nappy on to keep her warm. Remember to avoid covering the cord with the nappy, because the cord area should be kept dry and clean at all times. Clean around and in the base of the cord with a cotton ball. Do not be afraid to clean the cord; the quicker the base dries, the sooner the cord will fall off.
  • Moisturising your baby is an essential part of her skin care regime. Use gentle products such as JOHNSON’S® baby oil to protect your baby’s skin and keep it healthy.
  • Make sure your baby is fully dry before dressing. Then dress your baby and wrap her in a receiving blanket to keep her warm. Hold your baby close and enjoy your time together.
image_15

Making the Most of Bath Time

  • Have fun and celebrate your child’s accomplishments, such as squeezing the water from the sponge or floating a toy.
  • Explore and play games like patting the water back-and-forth to make a splash.
  • Cuddle up together after bath time and share a bonding moment.
  • Connect and engage with your baby. For example, when your baby makes sounds and gestures, such as indicating she would like you to read a book, respond with praise and the action she requested.
  • Sing to your baby or play a song and sing along!
image_15

Toddler Bath Time

  • Another way to make bath time mean more is to use it as a time for your little one to also learn and discover as she grows. Playing in the bath with your toddler and providing her with lots of props like jugs, cups and books boosts her learning and nurtures her bond with you.
  • Your toddler develops self-confidence when she can take care of herself and her ducky, and when she figures out how to pop the bubbles. Her thinking skills are boosted as she uses her imagination while playing pretend, and when she makes connections between what she sees in books and her own “real” life. She builds language skills and the muscles in her fingers and hands when she turns the pages of the book and learns new words as you read together.
image_15

Baby Hair Care & Styling

  • Make It Fun
  • Comb Hair When Wet
  • Get the Right Hair Cut
  • Protect Your Child’s Eyes
  • Protect Against Frizz and Static Cling
image_15

Baby Umbilical Cord Care

  • Don't be afraid to clean your baby's umbilical cord: the quicker the base dries, the sooner the cord will fall off. Be sure that you have washed your hands before handling the cord. If the umbilical cord becomes soiled with urine or faeces, you should clean the area when you change your baby’s nappy. To clean the cord safely, take a cotton swab, cotton square or cotton round and clean around the base of the cord with clean water.
  • Remember to avoid covering the cord with the nappy, because the cord area should be kept dry and clean at all times. If the nappy is too high, fold it down on your baby before securing. You can also buy special newborn nappies that have a space cut-out for the cord. The cord area should heal in about a week.

    • Warning Signs

  • is soft
  • has a strong odour
  • is streaked with red around the navel, or is discharging fluid
image_15

Your Baby’s Eyes, Ears, Nose and Nails

    Baby Ears

  • Focus on getting the outside clean. Even though the pharmacy holds lots of ear cleaning tools and formulas for the inside, only your doctor can tell you if they're necessary.
  • Be very careful when cleaning your baby's ears ‒ clean what you can see ‒ never put anything deep into your baby's ear canal or nose.

    • Baby Nose

  • You can use a moistened cotton round to gently clean any debris from around baby’s nose, being sure to wipe away from the nose. For irritation under or around the nose, you can use a skin protectant formulated for babies.
  • If your baby is congested, there are a few things you can do to provide gentle relief. Talk to your baby's doctor about using saline nasal drops or a rubber bulb syringe (to suction nostrils) to ease congestion.

    • Baby Eyes

  • Holding your baby's head, gently cleanse around each eye with a cotton round dampened with clean warm water. Use a new cotton round for each eye and always wipe from the inside corner of the eye outward.

    • Baby Nails

  • Cut your baby's nails regularly to prevent him from scratching himself and the spread of infection, as nails can harbour dirt and germs. Cut them right after a bath when they are softer. Use blunt scissors or baby nail clippers with a magnifying glass attached so small nails are easier to see, and follow the natural line of the finger, depressing the finger pad away from the nail so you can avoid cutting the skin of the finger.
image_15

How to Care for Toddler Teeth

  • Appeal to your toddler's sense of independence (only big boys and girls get to brush their own teeth), provide some tasty toothpaste and a small, soft toothbrush, and the task may be greeted with the same enthusiasm as a new toy.
  • Use a pea-size amount of toothpaste containing fluoride. Too much fluoride could cause permanent tooth stains
  • He may concentrate only on the front, so remind him to get the teeth hiding in the back
  • Show him how to rinse thoroughly with water, and then carefully brush his teeth yourself, as young children usually don't get into all of the cracks and crevices. By the time he's in second or third grade, he'll be able to brush his teeth on his own
image_15

Common Newborn Skin Conditions

  • Make It Fun
  • Comb Hair When Wet
  • Get the Right Hair Cut
  • Protect Your Child’s Eyes
  • Protect Against Frizz and Static Cling