Oh My Sweet Baby!
Skin care basics for newborns to tweens
by Debra Myers
The question I’m asked most is, “what wash or shampoo do I use on my baby?” Of course, there isn’t a one sentence answer, but here are the basics. First, newborns up to about 6 weeks old do not need to be washed or shampooed. Their skin is still adjusting to being out of the womb where they have lived in a watery liquid for nine months. Very simply, bathe your newborn with tepid temperature water. Be mindful that their private parts need to be clean and dry, but, again, if a baby has soiled their diaper, use a wet nap or something similar to clean the soiled area and then dry.
After about six weeks, you can move into a body/hair wash. Pay attention to ingredients since harmful and harsh detergents can irritate baby’s gentle skin and fine hair. Stay away from sulfates, parabens and fragrances. If you have girls, this is particularly important as sulfates and fragrance can lead to urinary tract infections in sensitive young girls. Fragrances are huge irritates to skin, in general, so alternatively look for products that scent with organic essential oils. I recommend Cocoon Baby, California Baby and Erbaviva. These products can be used well into their lives, and I highly recommend using these gentle non-estrogenic contributing products until 9- 10 years of age. This will also help with eczema as sulfates and fragrance irritate eczematous skin.
As your child starts approaching those teenage years, he or she will become enamored with fragrance, in general. This is true of both sexes. If your child wants something that smells like Strawberry Bubble Gum be mindful that this is not, nor can it be, a natural scent. Fragrances contain harsh chemicals, but most people are drawn to them. If this is the case with your child, look at the ingredients. As I mentioned above, you’ll want to stay away from sulfates and parabens, and if fragrances are present, look for them to be one of the last three or four ingredients. This means that the fragrance load is lower, and, although this is not perfect, it is better than fragrance in the top five. I love Enfusia Organic Blends for Body, Hugo Naturals, and Pangea Organics.
Do take the time to encourage your child (boy or girl) to apply lotion after every bath. This helps protect the skin and lock in moisture. This is particularly important for children with sensitive skin or eczematous skin. If needed, you may add a few drops of bath oil to your child’s bath water if they are very dry. In the evening, you may also mix a few drops of bath or massage oil in with their lotion for added moisture and protection prior to bed. Linens can wick moisture away from the skin while sleeping, so this is some added protection. Look for lotions without wax, if possible, but if they do contain wax, make sure it’s bees wax versus other types of synthetics. Brands I love are Cocoon Baby, Weleda and Little Twig.
As parents, we do all we can to protect our kids, however, we often overlook the items in our shower or at the sink. Over time, the chemicals in these products do lead to the accumulation or what is referred to as “the body burden,” and, so, any small steps we can take as parents to start our kids down the right path, the better their overall skin health will be.