7 Tips to keeping the baby’s bottom clean
You must try to make sure that your baby’s bottom is always clean.
Do not allow his stool or urine-soiled nappy to remain in contact with his skin for long. He would then get an annoying skin rash in the diaper area and may develop bladder infection.
It is also important that while cleaning the area, especially in a girl baby, the correct procedure is adopted, since doing it the wrong way would tend to spread the infection to both the vagina and the bladder.
The correct method to keeping the baby’s bottom clean
1.
After taking off the dirty nappy, wipe away the stool/urine from the baby’s bottom with the unsoiled portion of the nappy or moistened cotton wool, soft cloth or tissue paper.
2.
Now wash the bottom and genitals well with cotton wool and water. In boys, clean the whole area but do not pull back the foreskin over his penis. Do not try to separate the labia in a girl baby. While cleaning her, wipe from the vagina back towards the rectum to avoid spread of infection to the vagina or the urinary passage.
3.
After washing , dry the bottom thoroughly. You may apply a skin cream as advised by your doctor, if he tends to develop a nappy rash. It is better to avoid using baby powder as it tends to choke the sweat glands.
4.
Various types of nappies are now available, made of different fabrics and in different sizes. Fabric nappies work out to be cheaper in the long run as compared to disposable ones. These however, involve considerable labour as they need regular washing.
Better choose a fabric which is easily washable, which does not irritate, is soft to the baby’s skin and is also long lasting.
5.
To prevent wet or dirty nappies soiling clothes, furniture or bedding, you may put on plastic pants over his fabric nappy. You must however, keep a regular check to make sure that the baby does not remain in his wet and soiled nappies beneath his dry outer covering.
6.
Avoid the use of strong detergents and biological enzyme powder preparations for washing your baby’s nappy as these will irritate his tender skin.
7.
Wash the soiled plastic pants in warm water with a little washing-up liquid or soap. Too hot and too cold leave them to dry before further use.