Your little one depends on you for basic maintenance. Here's how to clean and care for your new baby from head to toe.

 

Scalp

Your baby may have a mild case of flaky, dry skin that looks like dandruff, or a more severe case marked by thick, oily, yellowish scaling or crusting patches. This is cradle cap, a harmless scalp condition common in newborns.

Cradle cap can appear anytime between two weeks and three months after birth and usually clears up on its own after several months. It's usually not a problem after about 6 or 7 months of age.

Cradle cap results when oil-producing sebaceous glands produce too much oil, which turns into oily patches and then dries and flakes off. Many experts think the extra hormones that a mother produces and passes to her child during childbirth cause the oil glands to act up. When the hormones in your baby's body level out after the early months, the condition will go away.

The best way to remove the scales is to rub mild vegetable or olive oil onto your baby's scalp a couple of times a week, let it sit for about 15 minutes, then gently comb out the flakes with a fine-toothed comb or brush them out with a soft brush. Then wash your child's hair with a gentle baby shampoo.

Talk with your baby's doctor if the cradle cap is severe or it spreads beyond your baby's scalp. The doctor may recommend a medicated shampoo or cortisone cream.

 

Skin

Babies and children can get dry skin just like adults do. In fact, because young skin is more delicate, it's more susceptible to becoming dry.

To keep your baby's skin supple, limit bath time to about ten minutes. Soap up sparingly with a gentle baby wash. Once you take your baby out of the bath, quickly and lightly dry him or her with a towel, then – if your baby needs it – apply moisturizer immediately. Applying the moisturizer within minutes of taking your baby out of the tub will seal in the water that's still in the skin.

As far as moisturizers go, the general rule is the thicker the better. If your baby's skin is still dry even with daily moisturizing, try switching from a lotion to a thicker cream or ointment. You might also want to consider moisturizing twice a day – once after bathing and once during the day.

Make sure your baby wears mittens in cold weather to keep his or her hands from becoming dry and chapped from the cold and the wind. In summer, take steps to protect him or her from sunburn.

If your baby has itchy red patches on his or her skin, it could be due to eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis. Sometimes even eczema will clear up with regular moisturizing, though, so you needn't rush to the doctor unless the patches don't get better or your baby seems itchy or uncomfortable.

In rare cases, dry skin can indicate a genetic condition called ichthyosis. Ichthyosis shows up as dry skin with scaling and, occasionally, redness. It's also generally accompanied by a thickening of the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet. If your doctor suspects that your baby has ichthyosis, he or she will probably refer you to a dermatologist for treatment.

If your baby has <http://www.babycenter.com/0_baby-acne_72.bc>acne<>, don't worry – this is common and may be the result of hormones babies receive at the end of pregnancy. Baby acne usually clears up within a few weeks, but it can linger for months. If it doesn't clear up within three months or you're concerned about it, talk with your baby's doctor.

In the meantime, don't put creams or oils on your baby's skin, because these can make the acne worse. Don't use over-the-counter acne medicines. And don't scrub. Baby acne isn't caused by dirt.

In fact, too much washing can further irritate your baby's skin, so don't overdo the cleansing. Simply wash your baby's face with mild baby soap and water once a day. Gently pat it dry.

Fingernails

Your baby's nails may be softer and more pliable than yours, but make no mistake, they're sharp. Newborns often end up scratching their own face, since they have no control over their flailing limbs. And your baby's fingernails grow so fast you may have to cut them as often as a few times a week (toenails require less frequent trimming).

The easiest way to trim a baby's fingernails may be to just peel (or bite) the ends off with your fingers. Your baby's nails are so soft that they will easily rip right along the tops of his or her fingers. And don't worry – you won't rip the whole nail off this way. You can also file them down with an emery board, if you have the patience.

Otherwise, you'll need to invest in a pair of baby scissors or clippers, and grab a partner. One of you can hold your baby to minimize wiggling while the other does the job. (You may want to try it while your baby is feeding or sleeping.) Press the finger pad away from the nail to avoid nicking the skin, and keep a firm hold on your child's hand as you clip.

 

Circumcised penis

All you need to do for a newly circumcised penis is keep the skin clean with soap and water as a part of normal bathing. For both circumcised and uncircumcised baby boys, it's best to avoid bubble baths, which can be drying and irritating to penile tissue.

For the first few days after a circumcision, the penis may look quite red, and you may notice a yellowish secretion. This is actually a good sign, indicating that the penis is healing normally. Though circumcision sites rarely get infected, signs of an infection include redness that persists, a swollen penis tip, and crusted yellow sores that contain fluid on the end of the penis. If you notice any of these, call your doctor immediately.

 

Uncircumcised penis

When cleaning or bathing an uncircumcised baby boy, don't try to retract the foreskin. You won't be able to for several months or even years – it takes this long for the foreskin to separate from the penis.

When the foreskin has separated and can be retracted safely (your doctor will tell you when), you'll need to retract it occasionally to clean the end of the penis underneath. Very gently and quickly, you wipe off the white, waxy substance known as smegma that appears on the head of the penis.

 

Vaginal area

All the vaginal area of a baby girl needs is a wipe with a moist clean cloth during diapering and bathing, taking care to wipe from front to back to avoid transferring bacteria from the anus to the vagina.

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