It is important to "clean" your baby every day.

You can give your baby a bath at any time of the day, even though it’s best not to do so after a meal. Try to pick out a quiet time in the day, being flexible with changing circumstances. A bath in the evening is definitely also a good idea.  The warm water will cause your baby to relax and as a result sleep better at night.

Babies feel most comfortable in water that is about 37 °C.  Bathwater that is too warm can lead to itchiness. The elbow test is very effective since the skin on that part of the body is very sensitive. Special bath thermometers can also be purchased to get the temperature right.

Hold your baby firmly under the armpits, so that their head rests on your forearms and you have a good hold on them.

In order to avoid your little one catching a cold, make sure to immediately dry your baby after giving a bath.  It’s best to do this by gently patting them down with a soft bath towel. Make sure to dry in between their folds of skin too.

Do not allow your baby to stay in the bath for too long (max. 5 minutes), as this will reduce the chance of skin dryness.

1. Wash your hands before treating your baby’s skin.

Turning it into a game is a good idea, for both of you. Make sure to have your baby’s favourite stuffed animal or toy within reach.

Babies sweat, and that can sometimes cause crust to form on the forehead and scalp. So it’s a good idea to wash your baby’s head a few times a week, despite that your child probably doesn’t have much hair. Starting from 4 to 5 weeks old, you can use a shampoo that doesn’t sting their eyes.

Wet the baby’s hair using a washcloth and then gently massage a little shampoo into the hair.

It’s certainly not necessary to clean them every day. Ear wax has a cleansing function and naturally removes debris from the ear passages. Trying to clean the ear passages yourself will increase the risk of infections.

Carefully clean your baby’s nose with a piece of cotton soaked in water or physiological solution. This will allow you to remove the dried matter in the nose. Your baby will “blow” their nose on their own by sneezing every now and then. Never use a cotton bud (on a rod e.g. Q-tips).

It’s not necessary to do so every day. If you notice that your baby’s eyelashes are sticking together or if there is fluid production, it’s a good time to clean the eyes.

For the first few days after birth, the umbilical cord clamp that closes the baby’s umbilical stump has to stay in place. The umbilical stump usually falls off within 15 days after birth. The navel is the scar that remains.

Girls: wash with water only (no soap needed). It’s important when washing to always make motions from the vagina towards the anus, instead of the other way around. Also check to see that no faeces remain in the vagina. Dry with a soft cloth and make sure to pay extra attention to the skin folds.

Change your baby’s diaper 6 to 8 times a day, and use diaper cream preventively. This will prevent diaper rash. Thoroughly clean all skin folds after every diaper change.

Warm him/her up and lay them down on a soft surface. Rub massage oil into your palms. Make sure that your hands are warm. Glide your hands gently over your baby’s body.

Your child’s skin is very itchy, has red spots and dries out easily. Errant and scratching fingers then cause the skin epidermis to be compromised even more.

Turn it into a fun regular routine.

Sweating exacerbates eczema, so make sure not to bundle your little one up too much. Do not use fabric softener and always make sure the clothes are well rinsed.

A special diet is not necessary unless your child is allergic to a certain food or ingredient.

Children up to 3 years old should not be exposed to the sun.