Baby's Health and Hygiene in the First Six Months

​When your new baby arrives, you'll have lots of questions and some of the most important will be on health and hygiene.

Your pediatrician will talk to you about the importance of vaccinations, keeping baby healthy by keeping yourself and other family members healthy and how to protect baby during cold and flu seasons.

Here are some recommendations for keeping your baby clean and healthy.
 
Bathing Baby

• Baby's first bath will be about 24 hours after birth. This will happen in the hospital before you leave.
• At home, give baby a bath every couple of days, unless you're dealing with a blowout diaper and then you likely will want to do a bath that day.
• Sponge baths are best until the baby's umbilical cord falls off, which usually happens in the first two weeks. After that, baths in a warm tub of water are fine.
• Start from the head and work down from there, keeping the dirty water away from baby's mouth and eyes.
• When cleaning around their eyes, ears and nose, wrap a soft washcloth around your finger and use a gentle motion, starting at their eyes.
• Use a mild soap made for babies.
• In the early days, you can use a larger towel in the bath to wrap baby up and just expose the part you are washing so baby doesn't get too cold.
• Baby's generally love bath time, so leave plenty of time to have fun bonding with your baby.

 
Umbilical Cord Care

Parents always have questions about how to care for the umbilical cord. It usually falls off around ten to 14 days after birth. The important thing is to leave it alone and give it time to dry up and fall off by itself, like a scab. Don't pick at it or try to speed up the process. If it oozes a bit after falling off, again, leave it alone for a day or two and it should stop. If not, your pediatrician can treat it at the clinic.
 
Diaper Rash and Cradle Cap​

• Flaky yellow scales on the scalp are called cradle cap. You don't have to treat it, though you can use baby oil and a soft bristled brush during bath time to soften and remove the scales.
• Diaper rashes are common in babies. Frequent diaper changes and cleaning are the best prevention. Zinc oxide is the most common treatment and protectant if you notice some redness to the skin. Petroleum jelly (like Vaseline or Aquaphor) are also commonly used.

 
Vaccinations
 
Vaccines keep your baby safe and healthy. Your pediatrician will go into more detail with you, but the one to expect right away while in the hospital is hepatitis B. Other vaccines given early on occur at ages two, four and six months. These will include vaccines for pneumonia, rotavirus (a diarrheal illnesses common in daycares), polio, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough) and hemophilus (another bacteria that can cause respiratory illness). Influenza, RSV and COVID-19 vaccines are also available seasonally and recommended. These are all important for protecting your baby from serious illnesses and helping prevent hospitalization.
 
Other Important Health and Hygiene Tips

• Fever often indicates illness in babies. It's okay to use a forehead or ear thermometer if baby feels a bit warm, but if the temperature is elevated, use a rectal thermometer for confirmation and accuracy.
• During the first month, sterilize bottles, pacifiers, breast pump parts, etc., by boiling them, or using sterilization products that are on the market.
• Teething normally starts at about six months. Once they come in, begin brushing baby's teeth with a soft-bristled brush and a smear of fluoridated toothpaste.