One of the best ways to keep your baby happy and healthy is to practice good hygiene. Beyond the obvious need for cleanliness, babies have certain areas that need special attention. Proper hygiene for these areas, such as the umbilical cord or circumcision, is very important to avoid infection. Below are basic guidelines for baby hygiene. For more information, talk to your health care professional.

How to give your baby a bath
Don’t over bathe baby—2 or 3 baths a week should be sufficient for the first year. Bathing too frequently can dry the skin. 

Until the navel area is fully healed, give your baby a sponge bath.

To sponge-bathe baby:

• Place baby on a well-padded surface (use a soft towel) in a warm room. Have a basin of warm water, a damp washcloth, and mild baby soap within easy reach.
• Keep one hand on baby at all times.
• Keep baby wrapped in a towel and expose only the area to be washed.
• First wash baby’s face without soap. Then use mildly soapy water for the rest of the body. Areas for special attention include under the arms, behind the ears, around the neck, the genital region and, finally, the diaper area.

Once your baby’s navel area has healed, you can put her directly into a sink, plastic tub, or bathinette.

• Never leave baby unsupervised in any depth of water.
• Make sure the tub is lined with a clean towel and filled with 5 cm of water that feels comfortably warm to the inside of your wrist.
• Make sure you have all your supplies at hand before undressing baby.
• Once you undress your baby, place her in the water immediately so that she doesn’t get chilly. Support her head with your hand and gently lower her in feet first.
• Use a soft cloth to wash baby’s face and hair, taking care to shield her eyes. Shampoo baby’s hair once or twice a week.
• Wash the rest of the body, working from the top down. Pour warm water over baby periodically to keep her warm.
• A baby towel complete with hood is a good way to keep your infant warm right out of the bath.

Skin care for babies

• Because your baby’s skin is sensitive, it’s a good idea to wash his clothes, bedding, and blankets before he uses them.
• Your baby’s skin doesn’t ordinarily need lotions or oils. If his skin is very dry, apply a small amount of lotion—formulated especially for babies—to the dry areas.  Baby oil isn’t recommended because it won’t penetrate or lubricate as well as lotion. If dryness continues, cut down to one bath a week to see if it helps.
• Do not use baby powder or talcum powder on the baby. If inhaled, powders can cause lung damage and breathing problems.

Nail care for babies

• Keep your baby’s fingernails trimmed to prevent baby from scratching himself. You may need to do this frequently since his nails grow so fast. Toenails grow more slowly and won’t need to be trimmed as often.
• A baby’s nails are soft and easy to cut. The best time to trim them is after a bath or when baby is sleeping.
• You can use baby-sized nail clippers or blunt-nosed scissors, or try a soft emery board.

Ear care for babies

• Since the ear cleans itself, you only need to wash the outer ear and the entrance to the ear canal, not inside.
• Don’t use a cotton swab in your baby’s ears; it could damage an eardrum. If wax seems to be building up, ask your doctor about it at your next visit.
• Irritability, fever, a tendency for baby to tug at her ear, and crying during feeding may signal an ear infection. Call your pediatrician immediately if you suspect baby has this problem.

Nose care for babies

• The inside of the nose is self-cleaning and doesn’t need special care.
• If your baby has a cold, you can use an infant nasal aspirator (a special rubber suction bulb) to remove the excess mucus. Squeeze the bulb at the end of the syringe first, then insert the pointed tip gently into baby’s nose, and slowly release the bulb. If the secretions are thick, your doctor may recommend that you liquefy them with saline nose drops.

Umbilical cord care

• Keep the stump of the umbilical cord clean and dry until it falls off, usually in a few weeks.
• Clean the cord at each diaper change to help it dry out and to prevent infection.
• Wipe around the cord with a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol and then squeezed.
• Keep baby’s diaper folded below the navel area to keep the cord from being soaked with urine.
• If you notice pus or redness at the base of the cord, or if baby cries when you touch it, call your pediatrician. This can signal an infection.

Circumcision care

• Your health care provider will advise you whether or not to keep a clean dressing on the area until it has fully healed.
• Keep the area as clean as possible by wiping gently with soap and water after diaper changes.
• Redness and a slight discharge for about a week indicate normal healing. Persistent redness, swelling, or crusted yellow sores with cloudy fluid are a sign that you should call your doctor.

Uncircumcised penis care

• For the first few months, simply clean your baby’s uncircumcised penis with soap and water.
• Watch your baby urinate occasionally to make sure that the hole in the foreskin is large enough to allow a normal stream of urine. If it’s no more than a trickle or your baby seems to be in pain while urinating, consult your doctor.
• Don’t try to retract the foreskin until your doctor tells you it is safe to do so. Initially, the foreskin is connected by tissue to the head of the penis. Separation won’t occur for months or years.
• After the foreskin separates, retract it occasionally to gently clean the end of the penis.

Diapers and diapering
Many factors need to be weighed when choosing between cloth and disposable diapers. Cloth diapers may be less expensive than disposable ones, but unless you use a diaper service, cloth diapers are more work for you.  

Both types of diapers have an impact on the environment. Disposable diapers impact from a waste disposal standpoint, while cloth diapers raise issues of energy usage and pollution. Disposable diapers offer some health-related advantages because they are better at preventing diaper rash and leakage of urine and stool.

Whichever you choose, keep in mind that most newborns use about 10 diapers a day. 

Before you start to change your baby, make sure you have everything you will need. Always take your baby with you if you have to step away from the changing table—even if it’s just for a second. Babies can quickly roll over, possibly causing serious injury. 

Here’s what you’ll need to change your baby:

• A clean diaper and fasteners (if you are using cloth diapers)
• Commercial diaper wipes; or cotton balls, a washcloth, and a small basin with lukewarm water
• Diaper rash ointment or petroleum jelly (if baby has a rash)

Here are the basics of how to proceed:

• Remove the dirty diaper. Use the wipes or the cotton balls/washcloth with water to wipe your baby clean. Be sure to wipe from front to back on baby girls.
• Use the damp washcloth to wipe baby’s bottom.
• Use the ointment or petroleum jelly if needed.
• Put on and fasten the diapers.

To reduce the risk of diaper rash:

• Change the diaper as soon as possible after a bowel movement and clean baby’s bottom carefully.
• Change wet diapers often to reduce the amount of time baby’s skin is exposed to moisture.
• Expose baby’s bottom to air whenever possible. Make sure that air can circulate.