Congratulations on your new baby. Now he or she has arrived, you are probably wondering what type of baby skin care products you should be buying. Or perhaps baby has not yet arrived but you are getting organised.
Your baby's skin is very delicate and needs to be handled with care. In the few couple of weeks you are probably best not using anything other than warm water and cotton wool. However, your baby may suffer with diaper rash so you might want to use some cream when changing his diaper. I would suggest that you use a hypo-allergenic cream specially formulated for newborns as it is less likely to cause a skin reaction.
The best care for nappy rash is to let the skin breath so try leaving baby without a diaper for about twenty minutes. This will get rid of most nappy rashes as will changing his diaper more often. You may want to put baby lying on a large towel though as an accident is very likely seeing they are not yet potty trained!
You may also want to consider using only organic baby skin care products. These are a little more expensive but are usually more gentle unless your child is allergic to one of the natural ingredients. Avoid perfumed products as although they smell lovely, they are very likely to upset the delicate skin.
One thing to bear in mind is that your baby is born with skin that wrinkles easily. This does not mean that they need to be covered in moisturiser. It will settle down completely naturally if left alone. If you have a family history of eczema, then your baby is more likely to have an allergic reaction so it is wise to use the appropriate products.
I know that budget can be an issue when you have a baby but I would suggest you stay away from the cheap own brand supermarket products. You don't need the most expensive skin care range for your offspring – the middle of the range selection will do fine. If money is an issue, remember that baby won't remember what you dressed him in so he doesn't need five new outfits a day. He may need to be changed five times but he won't protest if you use all in one outfits for the first year or so.
My son got severe cradle cap when he was about five months old. Don't be afraid if your child gets it as despite its appearance it is not dangerous to baby. What can be harmful is mothers who insist on picking off the brown crusts as this can easily cause an infection. Instead, gently warm a little olive oil and massage it into baby's head morning and evening. He may not smell the nicest but the cradle cap will lift off really easily when you gently rub the affected area with a towel.
Baby skin care products will keep your baby smiling and happy. The best sound in the world is a baby laughing – just you wait and see!
