How to wash a newborn boy under the tap. How to properly wash and wash a newborn boy under the tap: photos and videos about the intimate hygiene of a baby up to a year. What to do so that children do not get sick
An important condition for maintaining health and a proper standard of living is the observance of hygiene rules. She studies the influence of factors environment per person, aims not just to preserve, but to strengthen health. It includes a whole range of procedures.
The peculiarity of hygiene for children and adolescents is that their body is at the stage of growth. Everything that is formed now has consequences in later life. This age category is considered separately.
The need for self-care lies in the fact that we live in society. It is easier to make new contacts with people and build communication if a person looks pleasant and inviting to himself.
The personal hygiene of the child provides the foundations of education. He acquires skills good manners becomes aware of what behavior is acceptable and what is not. Forms ideas about the outside world, the structure of society. Such basic knowledge will carry over into adulthood.
Hygiene of children and adolescents is divided into:
- children's;
- preschool;
- school;
- teenage.
Children imitate adult behavior patterns. It is useless to try to teach something if you behave in the exact opposite way. At the right example, the child will do everything himself, and with positive reinforcement, habits will clearly be deposited on the subconscious and remain for life.
Hygiene for children under 3 years old
Until the moment when the child has begun to walk and talk, the responsibility for his cleanliness and health lies with the parents.
Bathing should be carried out daily, preferably in the evening. This is due to the fact that children's skin does not yet have a protective barrier, it is exposed to bacteria. It needs to be cleaned constantly. If this is not done, allergic reactions may begin, and in general there will be a weaker immunity. The temperature of the water and the duration of the bath are important. You can not raise it to 38 degrees - it is too hot, it will cause fever and painful conditions in the child, the heartbeat and breathing will become more frequent.
Wash your baby after every trip to the toilet. It is safer and more economical to do this under running water, and not with napkins. It is wrong to hold the child over the sink with one hand, as is customary. The fact is that the child is so anus to the top, and the water from the tap first falls on it, and only then flows down to the genitals. In this position, there is a risk of infection on the genitals. We will consider the correct washing of boys and girls below.
Eye, sinus and ear care
The eyes are gently wiped with a cotton pad dipped in warm water. You don’t need to rub them hard, go over the same place several times: 1-2 movements will be enough to clean the eyelid. Also, do not wipe your eyes with any solutions. Any liquid other than water can cause mucosal suppuration and swelling.
The nose needs special care, since the sinuses are still small, they clog very easily and quickly. You should not climb there with a cotton swab: you can damage the passages. It would be more rational to do this with a special suction, which will painlessly and quickly remove unnecessary things from your child's nose. It is advisable to use it every other day or every day. With poor nasal cleansing, the child will not be able to breathe normally, and this is very dangerous.
But the ears can be cleaned with an ear stick, but carefully, you don’t need to go deep and press hard: just remove the accumulated sulfur and dust from the outside.
Trim your nails once a week manicure scissors. Frequent procedures will be painful, and with a more rare trimming, the nails have time to grow, which becomes dangerous for the child: he can injure himself.
The role of oxygen in children's hygiene
Separately, we can highlight the importance of fresh air. The room where the child is located should be ventilated several times a day. Oxygen circulation reduces the risk of the virus entering the apartment, improves immunity and nourishes the body with the necessary substances for proper development.
Once a day with a child you need to go outside. From strong wrapping, he can sweat and catch a cold. Walks in the fresh air act as an easy hardening, and have a positive effect on nervous system baby. Walks should be on foot, the child can at this moment both be in a stroller and walk side by side, depending on age. They should not be made very long: it can supercool the child. Walking on the street should be beneficial: at these moments, the baby learns the world around him, increases his knowledge about colors, shapes, animals and plants.
Hygiene of children from 3 to 5 years
When a child is already beginning to become aware of himself and the world around him, it makes sense to explain to him what the rules of self-care are. Children's hygiene begins with a conversation. The kid needs to be told about the importance of daily hygiene procedures.
The child must be able to brush their teeth. There are special children's toothbrushes. They are softer and adapted specifically to children's small hand and mouth. This will make sure that the baby does not get hurt. Do not allow the child to take adult toothpaste: it can irritate the mucous membrane too much. Better buy special paste for kids, them now huge selection. They are safe to swallow and have a high calcium content for healthy teeth. You need to show your baby the correct sequence of brushing your teeth. Teach him to do this carefully, but without fanaticism, so as not to injure the gums. You can show a cartoon on this topic so that he can better remember how this is done. For several days in a row, it is advisable to brush your teeth together, for clarity and help in case of questions.
It is important to allocate a separate brush, towel, comb for the child. Explain that these are his personal things, and no one should use them. Similarly, prohibit taking other people's belongings.
The child needs to wash his face in the mornings and evenings. No special tools are needed: plain warm water is enough. After that, the face should be blotted with a clean towel intended only for the face. No need to rub it hard, just apply it and it will absorb all the excess liquid by itself.
Proper hand washing
Demonstrate how to properly wash your hands. It will be good if you print out and hang an instruction picture near the sink, which describes the correct soaping technique step by step. Even adults now rarely pay due attention to this process. Wash hands for 20-30 seconds Special attention give the area near the nails. You can massage your hands well - this will positively affect the work of the body as a whole, and especially gastrointestinal tract. The kid must understand why it is necessary to wash hands before eating, after the street, going to the toilet and contact with pets.
If there are several children in the family, the situation with instilling good habits becomes much easier, because youngest child he personally sees how hygiene is observed by older brothers and sisters, who, together with their parents, remind them of the importance of these procedures.
Intimate hygiene rules for girls
At an early age, parents show how to properly care for the genitals. By the age of 5 years, the child may well carry out these procedures himself, sometimes under supervision. In this regard, the actions of girls and boys are different.
The main thing when washing girls is to follow the direction of movement. The correct movement will be from front to back. This minimizes the risk of bacteria getting from the anus to the mucous membrane and the formation of inflammation.
Do not use soap or special intimate gels: they disrupt the acid-base balance, which is fraught with various rashes, itching, and vaginitis. Normal running water is best, which will cope with delicate cleansing. Explain to the girl that it is imperative to wash yourself at least once a day, as well as change your underwear. Periodically, you can lubricate the skin with mucous oil, but this must be done carefully, and in no case should you touch the inner lining of the vagina.
It is necessary to buy children's panties from natural fabrics, for example, cotton. Underwear should not interfere with movement, and air must be provided to the skin. Allocate a separate towel for intimate purposes, it is not allowed to use it by someone else.
After each visit to the toilet, you need to blot the genitals with paper. Before puberty, the mucosa in this place is especially sensitive, and the secretions remaining on it can cause inflammation.
Intimate hygiene rules for boys
When washing the boy, it is not necessary to observe the direction of movements. Pulling the foreskin is not worth it: this leads to microtrauma. The head will open on its own by the age of five. After opening it, you need to regularly and thoroughly rinse the places under it in order to remove excess smegma. If this is not done, it accumulates in excess and begins to become inflamed, swollen and even fester.
Don't need to use special means normal water will do. If the child understands the importance of such procedures, he will not forget about them, and you will not have to supervise him. After urinating, boys should soak excess moisture with paper to avoid inflammation.
Hygiene of children from 5 to 7 years
At preschool age, the daily routine of the child is regulated. It is important to instill in the future student the correct hours of sleep and wakefulness, so that in the future it will be easier for him to wake up early. It is worth making it a rule to go to bed early and get up the same.
At this age, you can offer the child hardening. This benefits the immune system, the central nervous system, regulates the proper functioning of hormones and disciplines. Do not immediately pour ice water over the child, it is better to finish the procedure with cooler water after taking a bath or shower, gradually lowering the degree. Or offer the child a rubdown with a cold towel - this is a softer and gentler option for hardening.
It is important to ensure that the child has enough physical activity during the day. Thanks to this, he will not experience overexcitation in the evening. His musculoskeletal system will be able to develop properly, in general, the level of strength and endurance will increase.
You can try to enroll your child in a special section, of which there are many now. Girls are more likely to be interested in dancing or gymnastics, while boys are more interested in football, hockey or karate.
Hygiene of the school period
With the beginning of your studies, begin to take special care of your teenager's vision. It is better to show in practice how gymnastics for the eyes is done - this will prevent eye fatigue during classes at school and at home, reduce the risk of dry eyes, myopia and hyperopia. Explain how long you need to take breaks from work.
Don't forget about correct posture behind the workplace - the spine is straight, in order to avoid scoliosis. The wrong position of the back entails serious problems: in the future there will be an asymmetric figure, girls will not be able to develop beautiful breasts correctly, boys will not grow properly muscle mass. With age, pain in the lower back and neck will begin, you will have to wear a leveling corset, which is quite inconvenient. Therefore, it is better to prevent the disease than to get rid of it later.
The correct posture at the table is legs at an angle of 90 degrees, and a fist can easily be placed between the stomach and the edge of the table. Avoid tilting your head too much towards notebooks or textbooks. Swinging on a chair, sitting cross-legged or tucking your legs under you are also unacceptable: this compresses blood vessels, blood does not circulate properly, limbs may become numb, various kinds of leakage and swelling may begin. When writing, the tip of the pen should look at the shoulder, which allows the hand to get tired less and at the same time puts a beautiful handwriting.
By the time you send your child to first grade, he should clearly know that he needs to take care of himself and his appearance, to have an idea of how neat clothes should look. A child at this age is already aware that one should not walk around with a dirty head or not take a shower for a long time.
It is important to teach him to keep his nails clean and tidy. In this matter, he will most likely need your help, but he himself can assess the condition of his hands. It is under the nails that microbes, eggs of worms gather, which you cannot get rid of with ordinary washing, since they are hidden behind the nail plate.
Features of teenage hygiene
AT adolescence hygiene becomes more difficult due to physiological changes. There is a restructuring of hormones, so daily procedures are indispensable.
Together with your child, choose the right, safe deodorant, as teenagers tend to sweat more. It must be remembered that all deodorants clog the glands, which prevents the full release of waste fluids, this can cause lymphatic inflammation and even cancer. It is better if you pick up a gentle environmental deodorant that will simply eliminate the smell of sweat.
The beginning of hair growth on the pubis and in the armpits does not improve the situation: the bacteria multiply on them even more, and the smell is almost always present. If necessary, notify the child about the methods of removing unwanted hair, you can give a small guide to depilation. It is better if the teenager does this himself, and in case of problems, he will turn to you for advice. Inform about skin care before and after depilation, and the features of this procedure.
A teenager needs to eat right, observe the hygiene of food and drink. Wash vegetables and fruits, drink only purified water. At balanced diet increases energy, activity and mood. It is important to provide the body with a sufficient amount of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Fast food must be completely abandoned, it does not contain any macronutrients and micronutrients. Also, excess sugar and salt is not good for health. Store-bought sodas and packaged juices are best replaced with freshly squeezed ones. Periodically it is important to drink a course of vitamins: this will help to avoid beriberi and spring-autumn blues.
Alcohol and tobacco
The presence in the life of a growing organism of such toxic drugs as alcohol and tobacco is unacceptable. They call oxygen starvation, the death of brain cells, disrupt the functioning of hormones and the nervous system. Alcohol in the female body causes total harm: it dissolves the shell of the eggs given at birth. In the future, they are not restored and new ones are not synthesized. The more alcohol there was in life, the greater the likelihood of fertilization in the future of precisely the disturbed egg, which leads to the development of mutations, ugliness and simply physically weak offspring.
Sleep and rest
It is important to monitor sleep and rest. You need to sleep at least 8-9 hours a day: this will allow the body to recuperate and ensure the proper functioning of the internal organs. Sleep in a well-ventilated area. It is better to cover yourself with a warm blanket, but open the window in cold weather, than to stay overnight in a stuffy room.
To prevent hypodynamia, you need to walk every day, at least 10 kilometers: this nourishes the cells with oxygen and gives the muscles the opportunity to develop properly.
It is important to leave time for rest and hobbies in your daily routine: you cannot fully load yourself with studies and additional circles, which leads to congestion, increased stress levels and, in the future, to chronic fatigue syndrome. Even between lessons you need to take breaks. It is better if you walk a little, chat with family and friends. A bad option would be to play computer games and watching TV.
Acne is a common occurrence in childhood. Proper care Facial skin care and attention to changes in the body can reduce the risk of acne.
If a teenager observes the rules of personal hygiene, but he develops rashes, then the activity of sex hormones has begun. Help improve the situation proper nutrition and problem skin care. You can purchase a cleanser to combat excessive sebum production at a pharmacy or specialty store. An antibacterial lotion will help. It is applied twice a day: morning and evening. It dries up rashes, evens out skin color, and helps regulate skin processes.
When rashes appear quickly and in large quantities, you need to visit a dermatologist. He will take scrapings, check them for allergies, skin mites: this is common cause unexpected breakouts. May refer you for a hormone test to check if it is working properly thyroid gland. In severe cases, hormonal tablets, antibiotics or ointments based on them are prescribed.
Going to the gynecologist
The girl needs to go to the gynecologist. The doctor will be able to check whether the development is proceeding correctly. Take a smear for analysis of microflora. A pediatric gynecologist will check the maturation and growth of the breast, talk about menstruation, and help you understand the choice of hygiene products. During critical days, remember that it is better to refrain from swimming in the pool because of the risk of infection, from taking a bath, visiting a bathhouse, as an increase in temperature will cause increased bleeding.
Tampons and pads are changed regularly: they accumulate pathogenic bacteria that cause inflammation and irritation. In ordinary life, it is not advised to use even panty liners: they are also hotbeds of infection. It's all about a humid environment, which has a very beneficial effect on the development of this type of bacteria, and in its absence, they die without starting to multiply.
If your period is too painful, your doctor may prescribe pain medication, but simple activity restriction, proper nutrition, and getting plenty of sleep usually help. For abdominal pain, lie down and apply a warm heating pad.
The intimate hygiene of teenage girls does not differ from that of women, only with the onset of menstruation, the girl should increase the number of daily washings and make sure that her discharge is not plentiful or long: in such cases it is better to see a specialist.
Such a thing as a thong is undesirable: they squeeze the genitals and spread the infection from the anus to the genitals, cause irritation, itching and redness, and also pinch the lymphatic channels, which can provoke an attack.
The intimate hygiene of teenage boys is similar to that of girls, only their hair begins to grow on their faces as well. It is important that dad shows how to shave properly using a special cream and apply lotion. A teenager should be warned about such things as nocturnal emissions, telling them that this is normal. It is better if he turns out to be informationally prepared for the first erection, so that what he sees does not frighten him. In general, the rules remain the same: daily shower, change of linen, mandatory morning and evening rituals.
sex education
It will be right if this topic is covered by parents in home environment. The most important thing to inform a boy or girl is protection. Before having sex, teens should learn about sexually transmitted diseases and ways to prevent getting infections. The boy needs to be told about the use of condoms, and the girl may want to consult a gynecologist about starting hormonal contraceptives.
One of the topical issues in the first weeks and months of a child's life is related to the hygiene of a toddler. The rules for conducting water procedures really need to be given enough attention, especially since there are differences in caring for the genitals of girls and boys. Parents need to know how to properly wash a newborn boy. So, let's consider some of the subtleties of caring for future successors of the genus, given the opinion of the famous pediatrician Komarovsky.
Features of the structure of the genital organ of a boy in the first years of life
In fact, genital hygiene plays a fundamental role in a boy's reproductive health.
Proper hygiene of the boy is the key to his future male health
The structure of the genital organs of the little one is such that the head of the penis is covered with a narrowed foreskin even in the womb. After birth, this feature is called physiological phimosis. Under the fold are the sebaceous glands that produce smegma - a special secret that has a greasy texture. And if hygiene is not observed, then bacteria can develop in this environment, which, in turn, threatens with inflammation of the bladder and urethra.
The process of development of the foreskin consists of passing through 5 stages
As a rule, in 90% of babies, physiological phimosis disappears by the age of 3–5 years. True, sometimes this process is delayed up to 12-15 years. Such a long time frame makes parents worry: is everything okay with their son. The answer is: there is no reason to worry if you properly care for the boy's penis from birth.
After the head of the penis opens, the production of smegma will become more intense. In this regard, it will be necessary to wash the area under the foreskin. Smegma is a good habitat for microbes, and lack of proper hygiene can lead to such unpleasant consequences as balanoposthitis - a bacterial inflammation of the head and foreskin.
Rules for the care of the penis
In fact, there are not so many of these rules:
- wash and bathe regularly;
- for washing newborns, use only water, without any detergents;
- for infants, use soap, but even baby soap no more than 2 times a day;
- do not wash with gels and shampoos for adults;
- monitor the cleanliness of underwear (diaper) - wash only in special powders for children's clothes and do not use diapers with fragrances;
- do not try to open the foreskin, otherwise microcracks may appear on it - a favorable environment for the reproduction of harmful bacteria.
Water is the most important component of hygiene
How to wash a newborn or infant boy - stages
Conduct hygiene procedures needed after every bowel movement. This is the law.
Before carrying out any procedures related to touching the skin of a child, you must wash your hands.
A clean, dry baby, who is not bothered by anything, will sleep sweetly, which means that he will develop and grow properly
But after urination, it is advisable to wipe the genitals with baby wipes, and then dry with a soft towel. But this is the case if the baby walks in shorts. If the baby is in a diaper, then it is impossible to control when he urinated. This, by the way, is another argument of diaper antagonists.
FROM three years you can start teaching the boy to wash himself in the shower.
Considering that newborns often poop (up to 12 times a day), you will have to wash your hero often. You can do this in the bathroom, directing the water with your hand, or in the sink, under running water - it all depends on what conditions you are in. For example, in a maternity hospital, most likely it will be a sink. Having clarified the question “how often”, we turn to the most difficult and exciting: “how”.
How to prepare a baby for washing
This item includes only 2 points: the release of a dirty diaper and the regulation of water. Let's go into details:
It is interesting. Check how hot water You can do it without a thermometer. It is enough for mom to dip her elbow into the water: if it is hot, then the little one will be uncomfortable, and if the water is pleasant, then it will be the same for the boy’s skin.
How to properly hold a newborn baby
It is important to take the little one in your arms correctly. This can be done in 2 ways.
The first option is on the back. In this case, the baby's head rests on the mother's elbow, and the body lies on the forearm. To fix the child, an adult clasps the area of \u200b\u200bhis thigh with his hand.
When positioned on the back, it is important to properly grasp the hip of the baby
The second option is on the tummy. For this position, you need to lay the baby on the forearm so that his head is slightly higher than his mother's palm. For fixation, an adult wraps his thumb and forefinger around the shoulder area.
When positioned on the tummy, the baby's head should be slightly higher than the palm of an adult
How to wash and dry baby's genitals
- We bring the baby to a stream of water.
- We wash our free hand with soap.
- We wash the anus first.
- Then wash the scrotum and penis.
- Dry the skin with a soft towel with wet movements.
The baby's skin is very delicate, so you can not rub it with a towel, just get wet
- If possible, let the baby lie naked for 5–10 minutes - air baths are very useful.
- If the skin requires, then apply powder or cream. To soften, a special baby cream is used, and if there is diaper rash, powder will help. There is no need to combine these two.
Use creams and powders as needed
- We put cotton panties or a fresh diaper on the boy.
How to wash a newborn boy under a tap - video
How to care for the foreskin
The amount of smegma secreted depends on your son's hormonal characteristics, so secretion accumulations can be almost imperceptible, or they can be quite plentiful. These are purely individual moments. But if it became necessary to remove the discharge from the foreskin, then there are 2 ways:
- Wet a cotton pad with warm sterilized olive oil (can be refined sunflower) oil, slightly shift the skin and treat the delicate area. With this method, it is important to ensure that there are no fibers from cotton wool left on the head. If you move the foreskin too far, then it can pinch the head - this is how paraphimosis occurs, requiring an immediate surgical solution to the problem.
- The essence of the second method of removing secretions is treatment with a weak solution of potassium permanganate (furacilin or ectericide). We draw 10 ml of the solution into a syringe without a needle, pull the skin up and, inserting the syringe into the resulting gap, direct the jet under pressure. After this treatment, you can put a couple of drops of sterilized vegetable oil on the foreskin.
When to See a Doctor: Common Problems
The most important thing that parents should do is to carefully monitor the health of the baby and, if necessary, consult a doctor. If we talk about the health of the boy's genitals, then such observation is the key to his happy fatherhood. So there can be no small things.
Digression on the physiology of boys
The external sex organs in boys are the penis and scrotum. The penis is covered with thin skin that can easily move. The skin at the base of the head forms a fold called the foreskin. The scrotum is a musculocutaneous organ that contains the testes, appendages, and the beginning of the spermatic cord. The temperature in the scrotum is almost always constant and is 34-34.5 ° C.
When a boy is in the womb, the head of his penis is covered by the foreskin during development. The same situation persists at birth. This is called physiological phimosis of the newborn. There is no need to worry about a completely closed head. The penis of newborn boys is not fully formed and develops until puberty, so this will pass with time.
Between the head and the foreskin are cells that literally glue them together. Gradually they will die and come out. Outwardly, it looks like white grains, and is called smegma. The opening of the head can occur in the neonatal period (extremely rare), at the age of up to 1 year, up to 2 years, up to 5-7 years and even up to 15-17 years.
The question of how to properly wash a boy often has the following answer: “Wash as convenient as it is, but girls are washed strictly from front to back.” This is due to the fact that in future men, the genitals are closed and it is much more difficult for infections to penetrate them than in girls. But the intimate hygiene of boys is just as important and has many rules. It is impossible to treat her with disdain, because someday the baby will grow up and become a dad. In order for the son to grow up healthy, you need to properly care for his “special” places.
In short, the hygiene of boys includes the following rules:
- Daily intimate hygiene;
- Maintaining the optimal temperature of the genitals (that is, not overheating).
No manipulations, including pulling the foreskin, are necessary. If we talk in more detail about each of the points, it can be noted that the daily hygiene of newborn boys is based on special rules:
- wash the boy with clean water at each diaper change.
- Soap is used only when heavily soiled as a result of defecation.
- when using soap, it must be thoroughly washed off so that it does not remain in the folds of the foreskin. Otherwise, skin irritation or cosmetic burns may occur.
- sexual hygiene of boys should be carried out carefully. When washing, you should keep your fingers at the base of the penis, do not touch the delicate skin in the area of \u200b\u200bthe head, and even more so pull it.
- the baby should have their own soap (certainly baby, without cosmetic fragrances), a towel and a sponge.
- when wiping the skin, you do not need to stretch it. It is enough to blot it with a towel that absorbs moisture well.
- the boy's clean skin is treated with baby cream or oil. At the same time, it should be applied only to the scrotum, around the penis, anus and in the inguinal folds.
- Don't use baby powder and oil at the same time.
To avoid overheating and other troubles, the boy's intimate hygiene includes right choice linen and clothes. Newborn boys and children under 1 year of age do not need to be wrapped up and kept in disposable diapers at all times, despite advertising assurances that they "breathe and do not irritate delicate skin." Give your baby air baths for 10-15 minutes as often as possible. Underwear for a boy from 2 years old should be chosen from natural materials and from well-known manufacturers.
Boys by the age of 2 are usually already wearing panties. They should be the size of the baby, do not reap anywhere and do not rub. AT summer time years, clothes and underwear for a boy should protect him from dirt and dust getting into the genital area. In the cold season, children, mostly boys, move a lot and can overheat. Keep this in mind when choosing clothes.
Push back, delay or leave alone?
This is a question that the intimate hygiene of boys under 1 year of age does not provide a direct answer to. Perhaps that is why he is so worried about the mothers of sons. As mentioned above, the foreskin at birth is “glued” to the head of the penis by means of special cells. Therefore, most pediatricians advise to leave her alone, unless the boy has pain, difficulty urinating, or other complaints. They claim that smegma is not dangerous and will come out on its own before the age of 1 year, 2 years, 5 years or later. However, what came out should be washed off with clean water.
Another opinion on how the personal hygiene of newborn boys under the age of 1 year should be organized states that the skin on the penis needs to be moved slightly in order to get rid of phimosis faster. It is advised to do this after an evening bath, when the skin is steamed. It is necessary to gently pull the foreskin and wash off the contamination in the folds with a stream of water. You can't wash your head.
The unequivocal opinion of all doctors on this issue is that you can’t get into the folds of the foreskin with cotton swabs and clean out what has accumulated there. Moreover, you do not need to do it with your own fingers. Remember: genital hygiene in boys is a delicate matter that requires careful handling and constant care.
Whatever age your son is - a newborn, 2 years old or a schoolboy - teach the boy how to properly care for himself. Very soon, mom will no longer be able to take a direct part in this. Personal hygiene should become a healthy habit for life. This will save the boy from many health problems. Grow healthy!
The appearance of a long-awaited baby in the family always brings great joy. But in addition to immeasurable happiness, a series of troubles begins in the life of parents: feed the child, bathe, take a walk, etc. Of course, experienced mothers who already have children know how to perform all these tasks correctly. And for those who first became the parent of a son, we will tell you how to wash a newborn boy.
Standard hygiene of the child is carried out regardless of the sex of the baby, including the following actions:
- Washing the baby's face with a cotton swab dipped in clean boiled water.
- Wipe the eyes with a damp cloth from the outer corner to the inner.
- Cleansing the nose from dried crusts of mucus.
- Caring for the external auricle with a cotton swab.
- Cleansing the navel with a solution of chlorophyllipt.
- Trim nails as they grow.
- Washing the baby after each bowel movement. In this case, you can use baby wipes or a soft cloth soaked in water.
- Treatment of the folds of the inguinal region with powder or oil.
- Daily bathing of the baby in the bath.
What is needed to wash a newborn boy?
First of all, you need to purchase a good bath for the baby, as well as special head holders so that the baby does not inadvertently swallow water. In the bath, you can add pharmaceutical herbs for bathing the baby: string, needles, etc. They will "work" as antiseptics, healing the umbilical wound and preventing irritation of the baby's delicate skin. From redness and diaper rash in children, you can buy Bepanten or Boro-plus ointment at the pharmacy. You will also need a soft towel, preferably with a cap pocket for the baby's head. Baby soap for newborns is not required.
Every mother of a newborn son should know that the daily bathing of her baby must necessarily include the care of the foreskin, penis and scrotum of the baby. Wash the child's genitals and scrotum with clean water without soap and other cosmetics. This procedure should be performed at each diaper change and in the process of bathing the baby. Also, do not forget that after washing the genitals, it is necessary to treat the inguinal folds with baby powder or oil. Periodically let the baby take a break from diapers by taking air baths.
We bathe the baby
It is better to make the first baths by immersing the child with a diaper in water so that he can more easily endure a sharp change in sensations. The room where the water procedure will be carried out must be warmed up. The optimum water temperature for swimming is 37 degrees. At the same time, the child should not be in the water for a long time. Ten minutes will be enough.
At the first and second baths of the child, ask for an assistant to join you - dad, grandmother or grandfather of the crumbs. The fact is that a wet newborn is very slippery, so it is quite difficult for one person to hold and wash it at the same time.
After immersing the child in water, wash his body, genitals, wash his head, and then remove the baby from the bath. The first bath should last no more than 5 minutes. Gradually, the time of water procedures can be increased.
What should not be done when bathing a newborn boy?
Do not try to forcefully pull the foreskin of the baby and open the head of the penis. Remember that in newborn boys, the frenulum and head grow together in a natural way. The foreskin will move gradually, so the full opening of the head of the penis will not happen soon.
It is strictly forbidden to use soap on the foreskin of a newborn, as it can cause irritation and redness of the baby's delicate skin. Also, you can not climb with cotton swabs under the foreskin of the baby in order to clean it from infant smegma.
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How to properly bathe a newborn baby (boy or girl)
Let's talk about how to properly bathe a newborn baby. A lot has already been written about this, but for new parents, bathing almost always becomes a problem due to concerns about whether they do it all. Don't panic, we'll figure it out together.
With the advent of a baby in the house of parents, not only joys are added to life, but also worries. Bathing is one of the main responsibilities of caring for an infant. Parents are especially worried at the first bathing of a newborn, and then the fears do not completely disappear. Familiar situation? To get rid of fears, it is necessary to study the algorithm for bathing the baby in advance, then in practice there will be no problems. It is also important to decide where you will bathe your baby - in a large "adult" bath or in a small baby bath. You need to purchase a thermometer to measure the temperature of the water and hygiene items.
How to properly bathe a newborn baby
To start bathing your newborn baby, you need to determine the optimal water temperature. This plays a key role, since it depends on the temperature whether the child will be comfortable during the procedure. It is recommended to pay special attention to this issue when the baby first meets water: if he experiences discomfort, then the procedure may cause unpleasant associations, and each bath will turn into a real test for both the baby and the parents. The optimum temperature is considered to be from 26 to 37 degrees. The first bathing should begin with the utmost warm water(within the framework of pediatric recommendations), and then further lower the temperature.
Parents often ask the question of how much to bathe a baby: a newborn child should not be kept in the water for too long, three minutes is enough. Otherwise, the baby may freeze as the water temperature drops. As the newborn grows, the duration of the procedure also increases.
The rules for bathing are quite simple: it is not recommended to immerse a newborn in ordinary running water until the umbilical wound has healed. You can use boiled, distilled water. Various herbal decoctions can be used to disinfect water. A newborn baby needs to be bathed very carefully, as inept movements can harm him. Do not use children's cosmetics that contain fragrances: this can cause allergies. You can wash your baby with regular baby soap. You can not rub the baby's skin, it is still very delicate, and it can be damaged.
How to properly bathe a newborn with various pathologies can only be said by a doctor, a baby with physiological and developmental characteristics has its own needs. It is also necessary to check with the pediatrician about bathing every time the newborn is sick.
How to hold a newborn while bathing
How should a newborn be held while bathing? The safety and comfort of the baby depends on how confident your actions are, and confidence can only appear when you know that you are doing everything right. While bathing, it is important to support the baby's head. Place the baby's head on your arm, the arm should be bent at the elbow, and with it you will hold the baby by the shoulder, which is farther from you. If you are right-handed, then the back of the baby's head should be on the left hand and vice versa. With your free hand, you need to scoop up water and water the baby.
A newborn should be washed in the following sequence: neck, chest, abdomen, limbs, back, head. For many parents, the biggest difficulty is washing the head of a newborn: it needs to be folded back a little, while, of course, holding it with your palm. After you lather your head, you need to wash off the foam, for this you need to pour water from the baby's face to the back of the head. When bathing, you need to pay attention to the groin and folds. At the end of the procedure, you need to rinse the child with water from a jug.
After bathing, the baby should be put on a preheated towel. It is not necessary to rub the baby: it is enough to cover it with the free edge of the towel and pat it lightly. First you need to dry the head, and then the body.
How long does it take to bathe a newborn
The second most common question after the question of how to bathe a newborn child is the question - how long can you keep the baby in the water. The first time the procedure should not take more than five minutes. Three minutes will be enough to get acquainted with the water. The main thing is that the child does not overcool and is not afraid. In the future, it is recommended to bathe the newborn for 10 minutes, but the increase in the procedure time should be gradual. Growing up, the child will learn the benefits of bathing, and if at first the parents did everything right, then spending time in the bathroom will become a favorite pastime of the baby closer to two years. The older the child gets, the more time pediatricians recommend spending in the water. Bathing contributes to the development of the baby, increases his immunity.
Rules for bathing a newborn girl
Caring for a girl has its own specifics. Bathing your newborn girl should be directly related to other important hygiene procedures, in particular washing. In newborn girls, mucus is secreted from the vagina in the first months of life. This can cause the labia to stick together regularly. The importance of hygiene procedures in this case increases. To avoid inflammation, you need to regularly remove mucus. When carrying out the procedure, it is important to be extremely careful. The labia should be parted and the mucous secretions washed off with a stream of warm water.
When washing, movements should be carried out from front to back. If the procedure is carried out incorrectly, then stool particles can enter the genitals and cause inflammation.
After washing the genitals of the girl, you need to gently blot them with a towel. It must be soft and must be clean. It is recommended to spread the skin around the genitals with softening baby oil or sprinkle with talcum powder. This will help avoid chafing. If washing will be followed directly by bathing, then these manipulations should be carried out later.
Otherwise, the answer to the question of how to properly bathe a newborn is no different from the general recommendations, the girl needs to be lowered into water at the optimum temperature, the duration of the procedure depends on the age of the child. When bathing, do not overdo it with soap. If you wash the girl several times a day, then use soap only when bathing. The frequent action of alkali on the baby's genitals can cause irritation. Before using herbs to bathe a girl, consult a pediatrician. He will tell you which decoctions are suitable. Many herbs have a drying effect, which can adversely affect your daughter's mucosa.
Rules for bathing a newborn boy
Let's figure out how to properly bathe a newborn boy. If a general recommendations for boys and girls are the same, that is, the rules are based on gender. The main difficulty in bathing boys is proper washing. However, it is easier for the mothers of boys in this regard than for the mothers of girls, since the boy can be washed in any direction. The only rule is that boys should not be washed after defecation in a basin. If you ignore this recommendation, then due to the ingestion of undigested food and enzymes in the inguinal region, irritation and inflammation may occur. You need to wash the baby only under running water. At the end of the procedure, dry the skin thoroughly. The inguinal folds can be lubricated with a special hygienic oil, while the scrotum and penis do not need to be lubricated.
A newborn boy has smegmas, so bathing should solve the problem of their removal. Smegmas appear as a result of the accumulation of a secret in the foreskin. If they are not removed in time, they can provoke inflammatory processes on the head. When removing smegmas, it is impossible to soap the head of the penis, and even more so to penetrate under the foreskin. To do this, before bathing, you need to carry out the removal with tampons, and then lower the baby into the bathroom with herbal infusions that have a disinfectant effect.
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Caring for a newborn boy: how to properly wash?
Finally, 9 months of waiting ended, and the mother took the baby in her arms. And almost immediately I ran into a problem: how to wash a newborn boy? After all, hygiene occupies an important place in the care of a baby. You will have to learn to perform the basic procedures already in the first days of the baby's life, taking into account the peculiarities of physiology.
Procedure for washing a child
A child of any gender should be washed regularly. Not only during the evening bath, but also after a bowel movement - at first it can be very frequent - and every diaper change. That is, at least once every three hours. Such a measure will not allow the formation of a favorable environment for bacteria. This is true for caring for a baby both in a month and after a year.
It is important for parents to know how to wash a newborn boy. You need to start the procedure by removing the used diaper. After that, you can wipe the skin of the crumbs with a damp cloth to remove the remnants of feces. Just make sure that they do not cause irritation in the child.
Wash your baby under running water. You can not do this in the pelvis: this can provoke the development of infection. The water temperature should be adjusted to 37-38 degrees so as not to burn the baby. It is convenient to check it with your elbow: the skin on it is more sensitive than on the hand. If you are comfortable, then you can safely substitute crumbs under the stream.
The peculiarity of the structure of the genital organs of boys allows them to be washed in any position that is convenient for parents. Those who are interested in how to wash a newborn boy should remember two main ones.
- On the back. The head of the baby rests on the elbow bend, and he himself is located on the forearm. You need to support it with the hand near the thigh.
- On the stomach. The baby should be arranged on the forearm so that his chest is slightly above the palm of his hand. It is supported by fingers near the shoulder.
Poses are used for very small peanuts in the first days of life, a month and a little later, while they can be kept. After the baby is comfortable lying down, you can proceed directly to the washing procedure. The penis should be washed first, then the scrotum, and finished by cleansing the area around the anus. Soap when caring for the genitals of a child should be used only for severe pollution, when clean water can not cope. It dries delicate skin, depriving it of a protective film. The tool should be individual, not intended for the whole family. Use unscented baby soap.
No need to use a washcloth. It can damage the baby's skin.
Drying and air baths
Now the chest is clean. It should be wiped with a soft towel with gentle blotting movements. If necessary, apply a product that will dry or moisturize the skin. The choice depends on the characteristics of the baby. If diaper rash often appears, then powder is needed, with noticeable dryness, cream or oil is used on the folds. But you can’t apply powder and oil at the same time: they form lumps that can injure the skin.
The hygiene of a newborn boy includes air baths. After bathing, do not rush to put on a baby diaper. This ventilation will allow the skin to dry completely, reducing the risk of diaper rash and the spread of infections. In the first days of life, such a procedure will contribute to the speedy healing of the navel.
Features of the genital organs of boys
Proper care of a boy's genitals is extremely important. However, there are some nuances. The foreskin on the penis of infants closes tightly over the head. Under it, a special lubricant, smegma, is produced, which has an antibacterial property. This feature does protective function: neither bacteria nor any objects will penetrate inside, which helps to protect against infection. Such narrowing of the foreskin is called phimosis, and for babies it is absolutely normal. In a month, the head is not shown at all, but separation gradually occurs.
It is not necessary to rub the delicate skin of the baby with a washcloth, even if the pollution is strong. It is better to apply a little oil on a cotton pad and apply it to the desired place.
In the process of separation, some part of the cells of the head and foreskin dies and, together with smegma, gradually comes out. It does not look very neat, like whitish clots that come out during urination. There is no need to be afraid of them, and try to get them in some way, too, so as not to harm.
The process of separation of the foreskin and head occurs in each baby at its own time. A small percentage of phimosis is gone for a month, for someone it remains even at three years. According to studies, this is a normal state right up to puberty, and under the influence of hormones, the final separation occurs.
Should the foreskin be retracted?
This feature of development must be taken into account when the question arises of how to properly wash a newborn boy in the first days of life, before and after a year. Care for the genitals should be carefully. Conservative doctors advise moving the foreskin to speed up the removal of phimosis and ensure that the smegma is thoroughly washed off. It is blotted with a swab dipped in oil. Soap cannot be used.
But modern doctors are increasingly inclined to believe that this should not be done either in the first days of life, or in one month, or after a year. Separation should occur naturally. Interference with this process can lead to infection and injury, sometimes very serious. The hygiene of a newborn boy is certainly important, but for cleanliness, it is enough to wash with soapy water. outer part penis.
What all doctors forbid is trying to get smegma with cotton swabs or with your fingers. You should not do it on your own if you notice signs of discomfort in the baby: it is difficult or painful for him to write, inflammation is visible on the penis. In this case, you need to contact a specialist and follow his recommendations in the future.
bathing baby
Not only the genitals need care, so you should know how to properly bathe a newborn boy. In the first days of life, until the navel heals, it is better to use boiled water. Up to a year you need to bathe the baby every day. The main purpose of this procedure is to give the skin the opportunity to breathe, freeing it from the waste products of the sebaceous and sweat glands. In the future, it can be done less frequently. But if this is part of the laying ritual, then you can continue in the same way.
Caring for a newborn boy does not involve daily use of soap. It is enough to wash your baby once a week. For example, arrange a "bath day" every Sunday. Once or twice a week it is worth adding decoctions of string or chamomile. This is especially true for children in the first days of life. Herbs have a soothing effect on the skin and promote rapid healing of the navel.
Hygiene of newborn boys is important both in the first days of life, and in a month, and after a year. You need to take care of the baby regularly, wash it properly, remembering the characteristics of his body. A careful approach to business will help maintain the health of the child.
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How to bathe and wash a newborn baby?
Bathing for newborns is a very important hygiene procedure. However, it should be understood that bathing and washing are two different things. If the baby is washed away after each stool (about 10 times a day), then bathing a newborn (washing his entire body completely) costs only once a day.
The process of bathing is invaluable for a baby, since water is akin to the environment in which he was 9 months before birth. Moreover, bathing contributes to the development of the vestibular apparatus and muscles of the child, as well as relaxation - it perfectly calms his nervous system.
How long does the bathing procedure take?
This daily procedure takes very little time - within ten minutes (with a gradual increase in duration). However, it cannot be neglected, since it is bathing that allows you to avoid the formation of diaper rash on the child's body.
What does she need?
To bathe your baby you will need:
- thermometer,
- soft sponge (or a piece of cloth or cotton wool),
- terry towel,
- diaper.
When to start?
The first time newborns are bathed (if there are no complications) the day after discharge from the hospital.
However, some pediatricians believe that it is better to simply wipe the first 2 weeks of newborns with a soft, damp diaper to avoid inflammation of the umbilical wound.
Or bathe by placing the baby in the bath wrapped in a diaper (to create conditions similar to those in the mother's womb), alternately pulling out the arms and legs for washing. This will prevent your baby from freezing while bathing.
What is the best time to bathe a baby?
The time for washing is usually chosen in the evening to prepare the child for bed. It is very important that both mother and baby are in a calm mood. Otherwise, it is better to bathe later.
What water to bathe the baby in?
It is recommended to bathe the baby in boiled water (it is necessary to boil water for at least the first couple of weeks) with the addition of potassium permanganate (just a drop, until a faint pinkish tint is obtained, since its excessive addition dries the baby's skin).
You should first disinfect the bath with a cleaning agent (soda, laundry soap) or a special antiseptic that is safe for children.
How to choose the optimal water temperature?
The ideal water temperature for bathing a baby is 37-39 degrees, and the air temperature is 20-24. Air baths are also useful for the baby: before washing, you can let him lie naked for 3-5 minutes without clothes.
After bathing in the bath, air procedures cannot be arranged, since the child’s not completely dried skin creates a serious risk of a cold. For the same reason, all vents, especially in winter time better to close.
It is allowed to reduce the water temperature by 1 degree over time, gradually reaching 33-30 degrees and lower (useful for hardening a newborn).
Tempering plays a very important role in shaping the good health of the baby, so start it gradually, without sudden temperature fluctuations, without causing discomfort to the child.
Remember, the child must be active in the water: if he is lethargic and yawns, then the water is too warm. Also keep in mind that during bathing the water has time to cool by 1-3 degrees.
Also, keep in mind that the door to the bathroom during the procedure must be open for free air flow (there should be no draft).
Do I need to add something to the water and use soap?
If the baby's skin is healthy, it is better to bathe in clean water. In the presence of diaper rash and other inflammations on the skin, sea salt, a decoction of chamomile, string or elecampane are added to the water (in the absence of an allergy to these herbs).
The use of shampoo and soap during washing should be limited, as they greatly dry the skin, it will be enough to use one or the other once a week (remember that only those detergents that are allowed for children!).
Procedure for bathing a baby
- We fill the bath with water of the desired temperature (after boiling and cooling it).
- We immerse the baby gradually, starting from the feet, allowing him to get comfortable (the first time, as mentioned above, you can bathe him right in the diaper).
- If the child cried a little during the first bath, this is the norm, it's okay, the main thing is that next time he gets used to it and feels calm.
- It is more convenient to use a hammock or other holders, but if parents have chosen to swim traditional way, then it is better to hold the baby by the head with the left hand so that the little finger is under the neck, and the other fingers are under the back of the head.
- You can immerse the baby almost completely, but make sure that water does not get into the nose and mouth.
- First you should wash the neck, then the arms, legs, torso, pay special attention to the folds and genitals, but do not overdo it. I wash my head last, pouring water from the ladle onto the hairs from behind.
- You need to water from the bucket from top to bottom, the water temperature should be about a degree lower than in the bath.
- It is not necessary to finish bathing after 5-10 minutes. If the child is calm and likes to be in the water, then the procedure can be extended to half an hour or more.
- For convenience, you can use an inflatable circle for the neck: it will allow the baby not to choke and make it easier for parents to keep track of the bath. With a circle, children quickly gain activity in the water.
- After pulling the baby out of the water, wrap him with the prepared dry diaper over his head and let the water soak in (no need to rub!). Then cover the baby with a towel, and you can leave the bathroom.
What to do with bathing if the baby is sick?
A factor preventing bathing is a severe malaise of the baby and a state of prolonged crying. You have to wait until he gets better.
At a slight elevated temperature, it is possible to wash a child, but with water that is 1-2 degrees lower than his body temperature (in this case, it is important that clogged pores are cleaned, sweat secretions are washed off). Slightly cool water will help normalize the temperature of the baby.
What to do if the baby is afraid of water?
It also happens that children are afraid of water. This may be a sign that they were bathed incorrectly, in which case you need to analyze and correct your mistakes.
Changing bathing conditions
If you followed all the rules of bathing, try changing the conditions:
- mode (if you bathed before eating, then try to do it after eating or instead of the evening, bathe him in the morning);
- water temperature (make it warmer);
- bathe the baby with mom (mother must be pre-washed).
It is important to know that the so-called "whims" of the baby are directly related to his physiology, here you just need to listen and understand which bathing regimen will be most convenient for him.
The right attitude and the presence of toys
Young mothers also need to remember that mood plays a big role: if your hands are shaking, the child will also experience anxiety, and this phobia can remain with the baby for life.
Also, while swimming, you can carry out water exercises. This is a very useful activity that children love. And when the baby becomes active, you can give him rubber floating toys.
Over time, when all procedures are systematized, the child will again flop in the water with pleasure, learn to stay afloat without the help of adults.
"No" to unnecessary experiments
As for diving: inexperienced parents should not experiment with this, because the child can choke and he will forever have a fear of water. Yes, there are such practices when a baby swims under water, but before you start doing this, you need to take special courses or trainings.
Bathtubs for bathing: what are they?
Plastic
In such a bath, it is quite possible to bathe a one-year-old child, as it is quite comfortable and spacious. Often a slide for swimming, compartments for soap and washcloths is built into them.
Models without a slide are less convenient, because the mother will have to bathe and at the same time support the newborn's head with her hand.
Anatomical
In them, the baby occupies a comfortable semi-sitting-reclining position, fixed, which allows the mother to free both hands to wash the child.
However, such models have anatomical protrusions, which over time become a hindrance to a mobile baby.
Inflatable
They are convenient for storage and transportation, and prevent the child from getting injured while swimming. These bathtubs come in all sorts of colors and are very comfortable for children.
The disadvantage of such baths is the presence of folds that are difficult to clean. Moreover, over time, harmful microbes accumulate in them, exuding bad smell. For these reasons, most mothers use inflatable tubs only as a spare or "country" option.
Also in our time, a great many baths with various additional features, such as: built-in thermometer, scales, rubber mat, anti-slip coating, thermoplastic inserts (change color depending on water temperature), drain holes and other devices.
But, is there any point in such a bath if you can bathe the baby in a common bath? You decide!
Should I use a baby bath?
Advantages of a special bath for newborns
- in a small container, the baby is easier to control;
- requires less water to boil;
- convenient for moving and if the house does not have a real bath, but, for example, only a shower;
- you can add potassium permanganate, a decoction of a string and other decoctions of herbs, without fear of thereby spoiling the enamel of the bath (plastic is easily washed).
Flaws
- in such a bath, the water cools faster than in a large one, so you need to constantly monitor the temperature of the water so that the baby is comfortable;
- in a large bath, the child has more space to move.
Why do we need slides and hammocks for swimming?
Slides for bathing are attached to the bath (or built into it), and allow you to bathe the child for longer. However, they are very limited in terms of use, since such a slide can be large for a newborn, and at 5-6 months the baby begins to sit down and move actively, so the slide only interferes.
Therefore, most mothers believe that a swimming slide is not the most practical device.
There are also bathing hammocks that allow mom not to be afraid that the baby will slip out. The hammock is attached to any bath, it can be removed and washed.
How to properly wash babies?
The delicate body of the baby requires compliance with the rules of hygiene and precautions. For boys and girls, there are differences in the features of washing. At the same time, it is extremely important to carefully consider the implementation of this procedure in both cases.
How often should this be done?
The frequency of cleaning depends on how many times the baby poops (or at each diaper change).
What is required for washing?
For the procedure you will need:
- cotton pads,
- baby oil,
- fresh diaper,
- soft large towel
Preparatory stage - removing the diaper
Before the procedure, you need to remove the diaper from the baby and gently wipe the stool with a damp cloth.
Do not use wet wipes too often and forcefully wipe off adhering fragments of feces from the buttocks, it is better to moisten a cotton pad with baby lotion or oil and lightly swipe over the uncleaned skin area - everything will be washed off quickly and easily.
How to wash the baby under the tap?
When washing, the baby is placed with his back on the mother's left arm so that his head rests on the elbow bend, and the body lies along the arm. With your fingers you need to support the baby's thigh, and with the other hand - his ass. This is the safest and most comfortable position.
Hand movements during washing and the direction of the water jet - strictly in the direction from the genitals to anus(to prevent bacteria from entering the genitals from the intestines). It is desirable to wash with tap water, the temperature of which is approximately equal to the temperature of the newborn.
After finishing the procedure, it is necessary to dry (wet) the skin of the child with a diaper or a terry towel.
Features of washing the boy
- washing the penis and scrotum (important!) you can not open the head of the penis, you just need to lightly massage it;
- if it is not possible to wash the boy with tap water, you should use cotton pads moistened with baby lotion or boiled water: first you need to wipe the penis, then the testicles and skin folds in the perineum, and then the ass.
Features of washing away a girl
- if a primordial lubricant is found in the area of the labia, it is necessary to wash it off;
- you need to wash the girl very gently, but carefully, because due to careless care, fusion of the labia may occur and other gynecological problems may arise.
Do I need to use additional diaper products?
If the baby's skin is healthy and without irritation, it is not recommended to use powder, oils, creams and other means under the diaper - they are used only in case of irritation and diaper rash.
Also, do not abuse soap when washing, as it dries the skin, and the skin of the crumbs needs to breathe freely.
Be aware that while combining baby cream and powder, lumps form in the diaper that rub and irritate the delicate skin of the baby, so avoid making such mistakes.
In addition, remember that all products used under the diaper (if you do use them) must be intended for children. Never use cosmetics for adults, no matter how expensive and high-quality it is!
If a child has redness in the genital area, consult a doctor immediately, do not take any measures yourself.
For parents, the difference between boys and girls is not only that they have to raise the boy as a true gentleman, but the girl as a real lady. Among the many problems parents have to solve are very specific ones: there are differences in the hygiene of babies depending on gender. Experts believe that boys and girls could avoid many health problems in the future if they follow the rules of sexual hygiene from the first days after birth.
Dear parents, the reproductive health of your son or daughter will largely depend on how you reacted to the sexual hygiene of the crumbs during infancy. Therefore, let's figure it out together what are the rules for caring for the "delicate" places of the baby, how to properly carry out hygiene procedures, what is considered the norm, and in which case you need to see a doctor, and, of course, it would not be bad to figure it out without shame and embarrassment in medical terms, concerning this area.
In this post, let's talk about males.
little men
Men and women are wired differently. Young mothers, caring for the genitals of their sons, often doubt whether they are doing everything right. And even more often it happens that they are embarrassed to ask the doctor. Meanwhile, urologists believe that adult male problems are largely associated with errors in the care of boys in infancy and early childhood (up to three years).
In a sense, the mothers of boys are a little more fortunate: boys have a huge advantage over girls - most male problems can be detected during a routine examination, without additional research. Of course, it is not your business to make a diagnosis, but you can draw the doctor's attention to something that seems not entirely clear to you.
A bit of anatomy
Having an idea of the normal structure of the male genital organs (and if not, look in the popular medical encyclopedia), you can check for yourself whether everything is in place with your son and whether everything is correct.
This is how it should be. Both testicles are in the scrotum, they are mobile; urination occurs through an opening (outer opening of the urethra), which opens precisely on the head of the penis; the foreskin (the skin covering the head of the penis) is movable and can be taken away from the head, i.e. the head of the penis is exposed.
In boys, there is a so-called cremaster reflex (from the word "cremaster" - this is a muscle that raises the testicle) - with nervous excitement, tension, crying, when undressing or washing (from temperature changes), just when you touch the scrotum, the testicles are pulled up, t i.e. temporarily "hide" in the inguinal canal, and the illusion of their absence in the scrotum is created. To the touch, an empty scrotum is easy to determine. This is completely normal. When the conditions comfortable for the baby are resumed, the testicles will descend on their own, nothing needs to be done specifically.
But sometimes mothers of boys face certain problems that require the intervention of doctors. What are they?
cryptorchidism
A boy's testicles should be in the scrotum. Cryptorchidism is a condition in which the testicles are absent from the scrotum at the time of birth. During the development of the fetus, the testicles are first laid in the abdominal cavity, and then descend through the inguinal canal into the scrotum. If this process is disturbed, then one or both testicles in the infant are not found in the scrotum (do not confuse with the cremaster reflex). When the surgeon confirmed that the cryptorchidism is true, the baby is sent to a urologist who observes the child. The boy is given an ultrasound to make sure that there is a testicle in the body (either in the inguinal canal or in the abdominal cavity).
If the testicle has not descended into the scrotum by 1 - 1.5 years, an operation is prescribed to lower the testicle, since the temperature in the abdominal cavity is very high for normal sperm production in the future. If cryptorchidism is bilateral, then in addition to the operation, consultation and treatment with an endocrinologist is necessary.
Varicose veins of the spermatic cord
This condition is rare. In this case, in addition to the testicles, soft tissues are also felt in the scrotum, the baby will need surgery.
The opening of the urethra is not located on the glans penis
See where the urethral opening opens when the child urinates. Sometimes it is not located in its normal place (top of the head), but is displaced and located on the upper surface of the penis - this is epispadias, or on the lower surface - this is hypospadias. In these cases, surgery is not always necessary, although, without causing pain to the baby, such a pathology can cause difficulties during sexual activity. It happens that the external opening of the urethra is located on the scrotum or in the perineum. In this case, you will need the help of a pediatric surgeon to carry out plastic surgery. The timing of its implementation depends on the degree of violation of urination.
PHYMOSIS
Most boys are born with an elongated foreskin or with a narrowing of the opening in the foreskin itself, as a result of which the glans penis is not exposed - this is the so-called physiological phimosis - a completely harmless phenomenon, it is acceptable for babies, and mothers of boys in the first year of life should experience about this is not worth it. Physiological phimosis disappears, the penis turns red and swells, the body temperature rises. How to help the baby in this case independently by 3-5 years. And what to do before this age? Do I need to pull back the foreskin when washing? Urologists do not recommend doing this, because in case of unsuccessful attempts to push the foreskin back, paraphimosis can occur - this is a condition when the head of the penis is infringed in a narrow ring of the shifted foreskin, with prolonged squeezing, necrosis of the head can occur, so paraphimosis requires emergency surgical care.
Let's look at this problem from the other side. On the inner surface of the foreskin there are sebaceous glands, the secret of which (smegma) accumulates in the preputial sac (this is a small space between the head and the foreskin). If the opening of the head is impossible (and hence the hygiene of the penis is not carried out), the foreskin is first glued to the head, and then synechia (adhesions) form between them. How older child, the rougher the synechia, which means that their separation will be more painful - this procedure is called circumcision, and it is performed by a pediatric surgeon in a clinic, he can also recommend the most favorable age for the procedure. In any case, circling is a huge stress for the boy, both physical (there is a lot of nerve endings in the area of the glans penis, so the separation of synechia is usually painful) and psychological (if the boy is already 3-4 years old, then emotional trauma can stay for many years).
In addition, if the glans penis does not open either due to phimosis or due to already formed synechia, secretions continue to accumulate in the preputial sac, which sooner or later leads to the development of inflammation. Inflammation of the foreskin and head is called balanoposthitis, and this is a serious problem, since urination becomes painful (and sometimes completely impossible), the area of \u200b\u200bthe head of the genital? First you need to call a doctor, you may need hospitalization in a hospital. Every 1.5 - 2 hours you need to do warm baths with a solution of furacilin or potassium permanganate, increase the volume of fluid consumed, perhaps the doctor will prescribe antibiotic treatment. During this period, it is better for the baby to urinate while sitting in a warm bath - this is less painful.
Boy's sexual hygiene
What should parents of babies do, taking into account the various opinions of children's specialists? As always, you need to find a middle ground.
Pediatric surgeons advise parents, usually at the end of bathing the baby, non-violently, carefully, as far as possible at the moment, move the foreskin, trying to open the head. With each bath, the foreskin will move a little further. It is completely painless for the baby when the head is opened in water and without special efforts. In the event that the head opens half way, and even more so when it opens completely, it must be washed and the foreskin must be returned to its place, covering the head.
Washing technique
It is advisable to wash the baby after each urination (if this is not possible or the baby urinates a little, you can use baby wipes) and be sure to after each act of defecation, since the feces contain lactic acid bacteria and enzymes that cause irritation of the delicate skin in the perineal area.
When washing over the sink, place the baby on your left palm, fix the child’s shoulder with the thumb of your left hand (the boy can be placed with his back up), and right hand wash under running water, but move your hand from front to back so that the intestinal microflora does not get on the genitals (although in boys the external opening of the urethra is hidden on the glans penis and covered by the foreskin, unlike girls). The water temperature should be 37 degrees, it is better for new mothers to check it with a thermometer, and experienced mothers control the water temperature with the inner surface of their wrist. In no case should you make intense rubbing movements, especially in the genital area.
It is enough to wash the baby with ordinary running water, use soap only with pronounced contamination of the buttocks and genitals with feces. Never use adult products (shower gels or shampoos) for baby hygiene, as baby skin is much thinner and more permeable to various substances that can cause an allergic reaction.
After washing, the skin of the perineum and genitals should be dried with a clean diaper or towel only with blotting movements.
After each wash, you do not need to apply moisturizers or any other means, if your baby has normal skin, use them only as needed so as not to disturb the natural oil balance of the baby's skin.
If your baby has dry, flaky skin, you can use special diaper oils. If the baby has skin prone to diaper rash (perhaps these are manifestations of atopic dermatitis), then it is better to use diaper creams, after consulting with the pediatrician. Powder can only be applied to the natural folds of the skin. In no case do not use the powder on those areas of the skin that have already been treated with oil or cream, otherwise lumps will form that injure the baby's skin. In boys, skin care products are applied around the penis, on the scrotum, on the perineum, around the anus, and on the buttocks.
The baby must have his own soap, washcloth and towel. Children's clothes should be washed separately from adults. Now you know that the main thing for a future man is regular and attentive care (only at first glance it seems that he is full of various wisdom, over time, all parents gain skill and confidence).
Follow the rules of sexual hygiene, and the excellent reproductive health of your little son, the successor of your family, will return a hundredfold.
comrade Karikh, pediatrician of the State Center for Medical and Clinical Hospitals.