Baby Skin Care Tips

Try these natural baby skin care essentials!

Oh, soft, beautiful, sweet-smelling baby skin. Isn’t it the most wonderful thing in the world? So pure and uncompromised by the sun and harmful toxins in the outside world. But, as perfect as it might seem, it is very delicate and needs to be specially cared for to prevent common irritations. So here are some easy baby skin care tips that can help.

Common Skin Irritations in Babies

Newborn babies are prone to many skin irritations, after all that delicate skin is still getting used to the outside world. Here are some of the things you might notice in the first few months after you bring your baby home.

• Baby Acne (pimple-like bumps)
• Cradle Cap (dry flaky skin in the hairline)
• Diaper Rash
• Eczema
• Heat Rash

So, what can you do if you do notice some of these irritations popping up on your baby’s skin? Well, luckily baby skin care is relatively simple; it just takes some time and attention. Here are four things you should be doing regularly.

4 Baby Skin Care Basics

Baby Bath Basics  

There’s no need to run a bath for your baby every night. Excessive bathing may dry out your babies skin. In fact, most babies only need to be bathed about 2-3 times a week. It’s best to use an infant tub (with a newborn sling for smaller babies) and fill it with warm water. To keep your baby from getting too cold, regularly pour warm water over their bodies while they are in the bath. Use a clean washcloth to gently wash the babies wash first, then wash the body and hair with a baby head-to-toe body wash like Baby Calendula Shampoo and Body Wash by Weleda.

Change Diapers Often

Diaper rash if very common in babies, but can be very painful, so you’ll want to pay extra attention to your baby’s skin care routine to help avoid it. Diaper rash happens when urine and fecal matter sits on a baby’s skin for too long. As the baby moves around, the diaper rubs up against the wet skin, creating painful chafing. You can easily tell if you baby is developing a diaper rash because the skin will look red and puffy. The sooner you address it the quicker it will heal.

Here are some things you can do to help diaper rash.

• Let the baby’s skin air-dry before putting on a new diaper.
• Rub the area with a specially formulated diaper cream, such as Diaper Balm by Motherlove.
• After cleansing the baby, you may also want to use an unscented, talc and grain-free baby powder such as this one from Ora’s Amazing Herbal.
• Change the baby’s diaper often, as soon it’s soiled.

Use Baby Skin Care Products

It’s important to only use baby skin care products on your baby’s delicate skin. Look for all-natural, fragrance free shampoos, soaps, and body lotions. It’s also important to protect your baby’s skin from the sun with baby sunscreen (after your baby is six months old). We recommend trying baby sunscreen, such as Baby Sunscreen Cream SPF 30 from Badger.

Dress Baby Appropriately

Baby’s need to be dressed in layers to avoid getting too hot or too cold. They can’t regulate their body temperature as well as we do, so we have to help them out a bit. As a general rule, add one extra layer to your baby, from what you are comfortable wearing. If you baby gets too hot, you may notice red bumps that indicate a diaper rash. Simply removing a layer and allowing them to cool down a bit should take care of it. You may also notice dry, flaky skin. Simply use a baby moisturizer to help lock in the moisture after bathing, such as Weleda’s Baby Calendula Body Cream.

Other Tips

When your baby has grown into a toddler, help maintain their healthy-looking skin with a well-balanced diet and children’s health supplements from NHC.com. If they experience an occasional tummy ache, turn to Tummy Ache 4 Kids by Hylands, a homeopathic formula that offer temporary relief for digestive discomfort.

What do you do to ensure your baby’s skin is properly cared for? We’d love to hear about your baby skin care and health routine. Tell is in the comments below!