Baby Care

Posts Tagged ‘diapers’

Now you can rarely meet young parents who, because of superstition, do not buy any items before the birth of a baby. Practice shows that it is better to buy everything in advance, than rush to the shops, pharmacies in search of the necessary.
So what you need to buy for your future crumbs? Before you make a list of things for a newborn you need to answer the following questions:
Where will your baby sleep: with you or separately?
If you are against co-sleeping, one of the first items on the checklist will be a cot. This contains the following:
Mattress;
linens – sheets, pillowcases and duvet cover. It is better to prepare three sets in case one is in the laundry, one – wearing, and the latter will remain on the safe side;
blankets – one shelter, the second wrap at home and on the walk;
large size oilskin;
pillow – newborn doesn’t need it. Instead, put a folded diaper. You can buy a special pillow for a stroller with an indentation for the head. In any case, you can use it not earlier than three months.

Do you plan to use diapers?

I think that this is one of the main important things for the baby. Even if you are opposed to diapers, you may need them in situations where they are simply indispensable. For example, you will not make it in time to wash soiled nappies. When my son was born, I had to change diapers at night every half an hour. After a sleepless week, I realized that the diaper at night is my salvation. We will not argue about the benefits and harms of diapers, let everyone decide for herself.
Someone has to wash 20-30 diapers a day, someone will be convenient to use disposable diapers for a walk, not to disguise the baby on the street.

If you choose the option without the use of diapers, there is a counter-question: Will you swaddle a newborn or just dress him/her in sliders?

Previously, children in compulsory were swaddled up to 2-3 months, but now many babies are dressed in shirts with the sliders. I think it is difficult to decide which option is better. Even if you do not want to swaddle the baby, you can put it under the child, when he/she lies on the changing table, in a stroller, on your bed or sofa.

At what time of year your baby is born?

In the cold season, the portfolio is slightly different (warm jackets, pants, hats).

Clothing:

1) diapers – On average (again, it all depends on the season, from that, will you wash them once or twice a day) you will need 10-15 warm diapers, 10-15 thin and a minimum 20 gauze diapers.
2) vests, shirts – 4 thin, 4 warm. The first one will be comfortable with the closed-sleeved vests for baby not to scratch itself. You might also like T-shirts. They should be fitted with clasp at the shoulder.
3) Romper – 4-6 thin and thick. It’s better to choose the model, fastened on the shoulders with two levels of buttons.
4) cap, hat – I bought 3 cap. When my son was born, I was surprised how quickly they became small. In the first month of each week I had to change the cap. So prepare 2-3 caps of several sizes. Depending on the time of year take warm or thin cap for a walk.
5) socks – a pair of warm and a pair of thin socks will be enough.
6) panties – In summer kids will feel comfortable wearing panties, putting them in gauze diapers. In general, newborns should not use clothing with elastic bands on the tummy, but the 2.3 month kids conveniently record gauze diaper with pants.
8), blouse, pants – thin for summer, warm for winter.
9) bib

Medicine chest:

1) Thermometer – for water.
2) Cotton wool, cotton sticks – to clean the nose and ears.
3) Baby wipes – they are convenient to use during a walk and a visit.
4) Febrifuge – will help not only in the event of illness, but after vaccination, if the temperature of newborns rises. It is better to use this medicine in the form of candles.
5) Medicine from colic, gas formation – Up to three months, babies are often plagued by gas, colic and cramps. Most moms use “Espumizan”, “smectic” or simply dill water.
6) Permanganic acid, hydrogen peroxide, – potassium permanganate is added to water for bathing, and peroxide is applied to navel of the newborn.
7) Baby oil – They are used during the massage.
Pipette

Other accessories:

1) Oilcloth – One big – in bed, a smaller one – in the stroller and changing table.
2) Bottle, brush – for washing.
3) Pacifier – And here opinions vary: someone flatly refuses to teach the crumbs to the nipple, someone successfully uses it to soothe a crying baby and put to bed. In any case, one nipple will not be difficult to buy.
4) Bathroom accessories – bath and towels. You can buy a small tub; you can bathe in a regular bath, with less water. From a small bath baby will grow quickly. But its advantages are that the child can swim in the children’s room, next to the changing table. It is better to have a large towel for swimming (120×120).
5) Baby soap – for bathing.

When choosing clothes try to buy the ones made of natural fabrics. Coveralls, t-shirts and blouses are better to be a little bit larger.

You can buy a changing table, and can turn the usual coffee table into a changing table, covering it with an old blanket and oilcloth.

Here is a sample list of things for a newborn. It can be changed depending on your viewpoints. Someone prefers T-shirts, some diapers and vest, someone will actively use children’s cosmetics, soap and baby oil. In any case, the main choice is yours. We wish you and your future baby health!

Human skin is a complex mechanism, which has many important functions. So taking care of its health and normal operation should be from the first days of life. The skin of a newborn is very different from adults’ and requires very special care.

General functions of the skin can be defined as follows: the barrier and protective, heat regulatory, receptor (tactile, temperature, superficial pain sensitivity). Multiple functions of the skin require some attention to the tools that are used to take care of it. And when it is the baby’s skin, then the important features of the skin come out:

soft, flabby, stratum corneum is thin, consists of 2-3 layers of cells (Vulnerable skin),

weak basement of membrane (epidermis loosely linked to the dermis),

impaired function of sweat and sebaceous glands,

skin is covered with a secret with the medium reaction to close neutral.

In accordance with these properties of skin you should select children’s cosmetics. Cosmetics for babies can be divided into several categories:

for daily hygiene,

bathing

for changing diapers,

to protect the skin from the sun.

Means for the daily care for children include lotion, cream and oils. Lotions are designed to cleanse and moisturize the skin. Creams, which composition may include glycerin, beeswax, mineral and castor oil, Panthenol, zinc oxide, vitamins A, D, E, C, natural plant extracts, oils, etc., can strengthen the protective function of the skin, they soften, moisturize the skin. Some creams have anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory action. They are recommended for use under the supervision of a physician. It is better to use oil after bathing. It creates a special protective film on the surface.

The process of bathing usually brings great pleasure to the child. The correct selection of cosmetics is very important. First you should use baby soap. It contains a minimal amount of alkali, which prevents excessive drying and irritation of the skin. You can use special gels for bathing. You can wash his/her hair with children’s shampoos. Their main advantage is that they do not irritate the mucous membrane of the eyes and bathing passes without tears.

The most common danger in the first months of child’s life is diaper dermatitis. Diaper dermatitis is inflammation of the skin associated with the use of nappies (diapers), the response to mechanical impact, pressure, maceration after prolonged contact with urine and feces, the remains of soap.

The main measure to prevent diaper dermatitis is the maintenance of the skin in the diaper dry and clean. It dependsnot only on the regularity and thoroughness of care, diaper quality, increasing of the time spent without a diaper, but, of course, the individual characteristics of the skin of the newborn. The main cosmetic product that is used when changing diapers is Barrier cream. It is well suited for treatment for prevention of diaper dermatitis. It may include antiseptic and disinfectant components, as well as non-active components, which have softening, protective and hydrating properties. If diaper dermatitis increases, consult a doctor immediately. Powders should be used only to remove excess moisture. Powders are made on the basis of the mineral talc, it absorbs moisture and reduces friction of the skin. However, the need to use baby powder occurs only because of violations of care or skin diseases. Therefore, powder or talcum powder should be in the children’s medicine box.

Baby’s skin is sensitive to changes because of temperature and the impact of the environment. Therefore, each time before going to walk, use face and hand baby creams that are effective in strong wind and frost. Do not forget about summer. Sunrays are not only warmth and joy, but also can damage the skin. Solar radiation can cause changes in the structure of the epidermis, in immune cells, etc. Therefore, children under three year are not recommended to stay in the open sun. Experts believe that even in the shade you should protect the baby’s skin with the help of special tools.

Specialist’s Opinion

Changes in the skin of the baby always cause some concerns among parents, especially if it is a newborn. It should be noted that the right skin care ensures the normal development of newborn skin of the child in the first year of life and creates the necessary conditions for the further development of his/her body.

Newborn’s skin itself has a number of fundamental differences from the skin of an adult. As we know, the skin consists of three parts: dermis, epidermis and basement membrane. But children’s skin is still very poorly formed; the skin is largely immature, poorly functioning sweat glands. Therefore, children’s skin care requires careful daily care. Moreover, if the skin is protected before the birth of eldest grease, then the time of the birth of this grease is rather a defect of care and need to be removed, because it can crack, become inflamed and interfere with the normal tissue respiration.

In fact, all the basic tools for skin care of children can be divided into three categories:

Children lotion or milk,

Children cream

Children oil oil.

It is important to note that each of them in any way does not replace the other. Children’s cosmetics are high-tech products, tailored to the sensitivity of baby skin.
In the morning baby’s skin should be processed with lotion. It degreases the skin and removes dirt.

Children cream is a major component of skin care of the child. They must be used at least 2-3 times a day. I note that the smaller the child, the more you should use cream.

Oil should be used once a day and after bathing. If possible, you should cover with oil the entire surface of the skin of the child to give elasticity. Baby oil is applied to dry skin. Therefore, I would not recommend adding the oil in the water while bathing, although in many western countries this practice is quite common.

Important component of care for a newborn is a skin barrier cream. This is a special formulation which is applied under a diaper for the prevention or treatment of diaper dermatitis.
Diaper dermatitis is a frequent and widespread phenomenon throughout the world, appears as a result of friction of clothing or linen feces or urine. It is a result of improper care. Barrier creams require constant use. At each change of diaper, the cream is applied with a thick layer, even if the skin looks healthy.

Means for bathing – shampoo and soap – have to be childish (specialized).

We can not forget about the “weather” cosmetics for your baby. It is urgent to protect the skin in a strong wind, cold. But when the air temperature is below 10°C it’s not allowed to treat baby’s skin with these means. Special summer sunscreen lotions and creams require constant application on the street, even if the child is in the shade.

I will also note that the recent practice of using the same barrier creams not only for its intended purpose (under the diaper), but also on the face, arms, chest of the child is very much widespread. There is nothing criminal, but it is better to use only there. This also applies to other children’s cosmetics.

Both babies and mothers gain many benefits from breastfeeding. Breast milk is easy to digest and contains antibodies that can protect infants from bacterial and viral infections. Research indicates that women who breastfeed may have lower rates of certain breast and ovarian cancers.

Breastfeeding is an important woman’s issue, human rights issue, health issue and feminist issue. Breastfeeding empowers women. Women who wish to breastfeed their babies but do not, because of inadequate support from family or health workers, constraints in the workplace, or misinformation, often feel guilty because of this failure at something they wanted to do.

Human breast milk is the most healthful form of milk for human babies. There are a few exceptions, such as when the mother is taking certain drugs or is infected with tuberculosis or HIV. Breastfeeding promotes health, helps to prevent disease and reduces health care and feeding costs. In both developing and developed countries, artificial feeding is associated with more deaths from diarrhea in infants. Experts agree that breastfeeding is beneficial, but may disagree about the length of breastfeeding that is most beneficial, and about the risks of using artificial formulas.

Feed your baby as often as he or she wants to be fed. This may be 8 to 12 times a day or more. How often your baby wants to feed may change over time as he or she goes through growth spurts. Growth spurts occur at about 2 and 6 weeks of age and again at about 3 and 6 months of age.

Let your baby nurse until he or she is satisfied. This may be for about 15 to 20 minutes at each breast. Try to have your baby nurse from both breasts at each feeding. The box below lists the signs to watch for so you’ll know your baby is getting enough milk. If you’re nursing fewer than 8 times a day, be especially aware of these signs.

Signs that your baby is getting enough milk

Acts satisfied after each feeding.

Gains weight constantly after the first 3 to 7 days after birth. Your baby may lose a little weight during the first week after being born.

Has about 6 to 8 wet diapers a day.

Has about 2 to 5 or more stools a day at first and then may have 2 or less a day. Stools will be runny at first.