Posts Tagged clean clothes
Baby Care – Bathing a Baby
Posted by in Babies on January 27th, 2010
Have all the things needed before starting to undress the baby.
An infant quickly loses body heat, so it is important that the room is warm and that there are no drafts from open windows or doors. A wall thermometer is useful. A bathinette or a plastic tub three-quarters full of lukewarm water should be placed within arm’s length. Also needed are a small bowl of warm water in which there is a squirt of liquid bath soap; two small sponges; cotton balls; cotton swabs; disposable wipes; baby oil; soap; shampoo; lotion; talcum powder; a fine-toothed comb; a bristle hairbrush; and a baby comb. A waterproof apron is also required, preferably one with a Turkish toweling surface, together with several soft, absorbent towels for patting the baby dry; a fresh diaper; diaper pins; plastic pants; and a set of clean clothes.
Newborn babies heartily dislike face-cloths. Until the baby is one month old, use moistened cotton balls or disposable wipes to wash his or her face. Afterward, use one of the sponges for the face and the second sponge for the buttocks area when a soiled diaper is removed.
Most babies have diaper rash at one time or another, usually caused by prolonged contact with stools and urine. A physician will recommend an ointment to get rid of the rash. Diaper rash can usually be prevented by spreading on a little petroleum jelly in the diaper region after the baby’s bath, and by checking the baby’s diapers often and changing them when needed to avoid prolonged contact with urine and stool.
Dry skin is common among newborn babies. Baby oil, gently massaged into the skin, can relieve the condition. But test the oil first on the baby’s ankle to make sure that there is not an allergic reaction.
Cradle cap, a patch of yellowish, greasy crusting on the baby’s head, should be treated at bath time. After the baby is nursed, massage some oil into the scalp and leave it for several hours until the next meal. By then the scaling should be easy to lift with a fine-toothed comb. At bath time, shampoo and rinse the baby’s scalp and dry carefully. Brush the baby’s hair.
Throughout bath time reassure the infant by speaking softly. A newborn infant is frightened by loud noises and quick, jerky movements and responds by crying.
Handle the baby gently when dressing him or her. Babies much prefer being undressed.
Clothing should be simple to slip on and take off because the baby may be crying and perhaps stiff and rigid from exertion. Loose clothes with snap fasteners are preferable to clothing that has to be pulled over the head.
The Bath. In the early weeks, bath-time may take longer than anticipated because both parent and baby do not know quite what to expect. As soon as a routine is established, the baby will feel more secure and tolerant of handling.
Make sure in these early days that the room and bath temperatures are kept constant throughout the bath-time. For the first six weeks, the temperature in the room should be 70-75 Fahrenheit degrees (21-24 Celsius degrees). After six weeks it may then be 65-70 Fahrenheit degrees (18-21 Celsius degrees). The bathwater should be kept at 100-104 Fahrenheit degrees (37-40 Celsius degrees), slightly higher than normal body temperature. Keep a pitcher of warm water near the bath to top off the bathwater should it cool down too much.
Be kind to the baby; handle him or her with warm hands; speak softly in a soothing voice.
Most babies love being in the water, but hate coming out of it; they cry, showing signs of insecurity and shivering. The baby should be wrapped immediately in a towel and held tightly for a moment. This helps a baby to relax again. Now slowly start to dry the baby, either on your lap or on a changing mat. Be sure that a soft, absorbent towel covers the plastic mat before you lay the baby on it. Now gently open the towel in which the baby is wrapped and pat dry with a second towel. Always try to keep covered the parts of the body that are not actually being dried.
When the baby is dry, you may apply ointment to the diaper area if you wish, and then begin to dress the baby. Put on the undershirt first to keep the body warm, then the diaper, and finally the nightgown. All this time, the baby may be impatient to be nursed. But do not let loud complaints distract you from what you are doing.
I am the owner and author of Hoodia Gordonii Side Effects. You can find the original article here: Baby Care Bathing a Baby. If you’d like to read more of my articles, please visit my site!
Article Source: Baby Care – Bathing a Baby
Learning Activities for Toddlers
Posted by in Babies on October 4th, 2009
Are you looking for ways to keep your busy toddler occupied? Play time can easily become learning time with a little creative thinking. The best way to entertain and teach your toddler daily is to use things around the house. This helps to build imagination and encourages creativity while you spend quality time together. Sometimes you can even get some things done around the house and your toddler will only think that you are playing.
Small children love to imitate and copy adults. Get down on the floor and pretend to be an animal. Crawl around like a lion, hop like a rabbit, or stretch like a cat. Get your child to copy you and imitate animal sounds. Talk about what that animal might normally do. Ask questions like, “How do you think a horse sleeps?” and “What in the kitchen would a bear eat?” Go around the house and talk about how different animals live. Where they take baths, where they sleep, why they don’t need coats, etc. While you’re acting like animals, fix a snack and eat it like a giraffe. Give your little one a bath like a moose. Put on pajamas and pretend like it’s your cat fur. Brush teeth and check them like a chimpanzee. Explain how all animals need love from their parents as you cuddle up for bed time.
Get in your exercise time by dancing with your child. Children love music. There is scientific research proving that certain types of music actually help develop parts of the brain. Sway and stretch to quiet parts. Stomp around and jump to loud exciting parts. Swing your child around, lift them up on your feet, and lift them above your head. You will both be getting some exercise and your child will be developing listening skills, gross motor skills, and imagination.
Teach your child to aim and throw. Go around the house and say that you are basketball players on the hunt for baskets. Find laundry and throw it into baskets from a few feet away. If you have clean clothes, let your child shoot for the target with rolled socks while you fold. Cheer and hug your child when they succeed and praise them for practicing and working so hard. If you need to put clothes into the washer or dryer, let you child help and cheer every time something goes in.
Dusting and cleaning can also be fun for toddlers. Give your child a damp cloth and go around seeing who can find the most dirt. Let them wipe the front of your appliances, tables, counter tops and other surfaces that need wiping down.
Leave plenty of learning toys around for your child to discover. Preschool toys are often designed with development in mind. Something stationary, like an activity table, can give your child opportunities to develop fine motor skills without leaving choking hazards around the house.
About the Author: Jim Ford is the President of KinderMark, a family owned and managed business which sells waiting room toys and waiting room furniture used in doctor’s offices, hospitals, auto dealers, dentists offices and libraries. Preschool toys such as an activity table and learning toys are favorites for pediatric offices. For more information, visit www.kindermark.
Article Source: Learning Activities for Toddlers
