1 Month 2 Months 3 Months 4 Months 5 Months 6 Months 7 Months 8 Months 9 Months Birth 1 Month 2 Months 3 Months 4 Months 5 Months 6 Months 7 Months 8 Months 9 Months 10 Months 11 Months 12 Months 13 thru 18 Months 19 thru 24 Months

Your Baby’s Skin: Handle With Care

Nothing is as soft and silky as a baby’s skin, but it can also be very sensitive, especially for the first few months. Soaps, detergents, perfumes, sun exposure, frequent baths and the chemicals in new clothes can all cause irritation and dryness. Reduce your baby’s risk with these simple precautions:

  • Limit bathing to once every few days, especially in the early months. Your baby’s skin can burn easily, so make sure the water is not too hot. As an extra precaution, turn down your hot water heater to no higher than 120 degrees Fahrenheit.1
  • Use only mild baby shampoo. Lotions, oils and powders are not usually necessary, but if you use them, choose those formulated especially for babies.
  • Keep your baby out of direct sunlight until he’s at least six months old.2 After that, protect him with a hat, sunglasses, clothing and sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher that blocks both UVA and UVB rays. Avoid putting sunscreen on his fingers in case he rubs his eyes.3
  • Wash your baby’s new clothes, bedding and blankets in hypoallergenic or baby detergent before he uses them and double rinse to remove irritating soap or detergent residue. For the first few months, launder your baby’s clothes separately.4
  • Woolen clothing can be itchy, so layer a lightweight cotton or synthetic item under it to avoid direct contact with your baby’s skin.
  • Most bumps and rashes are harmless and will go away on their own. One of the most common is eczema, which usually responds to cold compresses, mild moisturizers and clothing and bedding of smooth, natural fabrics such as cotton. If it doesn’t get better, you may want to talk to your doctor or a pediatric dermatologist about treatment options.5
  • Just about every baby develops diaper rash at some time, but it’s more common between eight and 10 months of age. The best treatment is to keep your baby's skin as clean and dry as possible and use a barrier with petroleum jelly or zinc oxide ointment during each diaper change.6

Sources:
1 “Bathing Your Baby,” by Alan Greene, MD, FAAP, www.drgreene.org, reviewed May 2005
2 “Infant Skin Care,” Yale New Haven Health System. www.ynhh.org, revised May 30, 2007
3 “Baby Skin Care,” www.parenting.ivillage.com, accessed January 3, 2008
4 Caring for Your Baby and Young Child, by the American Academy of Pediatrics, 1998
5 “Eczema,” www.babycenter.com, reviewed September 2007
6 “Diaper Rash,” www.mayoclinic.com, November 2, 2006

Consult your physician or dental professional if using another fluoridated product.

Helpful Tips
for Parents

Ponder the Pacifier

Whether or not to use pacifiers is an age-old debate, but the American Academy of Pediatrics gives it the thumbs up through the first year of life. Sucking is comforting, familiar and calming to babies and a pacifier can be the ideal way to provide contentment between feedings.
More

Drive Time

You’re always careful to protect your baby from the sun’s harmful rays with sunscreen, clothing and a hat when he’s outdoors. But did you know he also needs protection when he rides in the car for an extended period? The glass in car windows blocks some but not all ultraviolet rays that can cause sunburn, so if possible, move his car seat out of direct sunlight and apply broad spectrum children’s sunscreen to his exposed skin.

Hand in Hand

Are you wondering whether your baby will be right-handed or left-handed? Be patient; it may be months or years before you know for sure. Most babies start showing a preference for reaching for things with their right hands between six and nine months, but it’s not until they’re 18 months or older that they start using their preferred hand more consistently. By age three or four, their handedness should be fairly evident. If it’s not, you may want to talk to your pediatrician.

Source: “How Handedness Develops in Infants,” by Robert Needlman, M.D., F.A.A.P., www.drspock.com, June 10, 2001