How to properly care for a newborn baby girl
Due to the peculiarities of the anatomy, girls require more careful and accurate care. Parents need to know before birth how the hygiene of their newborn girl is maintained. This is due to the fact that now in most maternity hospitals they practically do not talk about the necessary procedures, and mothers face the need to take care of a baby already in the first day after giving birth. At home, this responsibility will fall entirely on her shoulders, so there will be no time for training.
Parents are often worried that the genitals of a newborn have a structure that is different from that of an adult woman. The fair sex is born with large labia, slightly swollen. Usually, because of them, small lips are practically invisible, but in premature babies they can protrude. This is due to the immaturity of the body.
The structure of the genitals of a newborn girl and their hygiene are interrelated, since the vagina is very unstable to various infections. At first it is absolutely sterile, but then lactic acid bacteria appear in it. With proper care, infection of the genital tract is excluded, and if insufficient, mothers may face signs of pathologies. Discharge from healthy girls is odorless, but with infections, they may contain pus.
What do mothers need to know about discharge?
At a very early age, girls' genitals are exposed to the effects of feces and urine, which often cause irritation. They do not have a natural internal barrier against bacteria, so mothers need to carefully monitor the nature of the baby's vaginal discharge.
In gynecology, violations of the rules of intimate hygiene of a newborn girl are considered the main reason:
- menstrual irregularities;
- complications during pregnancy;
- reducing the possibilities of bearing;
- chronic inflammatory processes.
You may notice white discharge during intimate hygiene of a newborn girl. They are a natural product of the sebaceous glands, they serve as a lubricant. If plaque is formed in small quantities, then you do not need to wash it off: it will disappear by itself in a month. It is necessary to remove it only with excessive work of sebaceous secretions, since smegma is an ideal breeding ground for microorganisms.
With excessive secretion, remove smegma only with cotton swabs and boiled warm water. It will gradually recede, it will take several treatments to get rid of it completely. Repeat the procedure after each wash. Choose soft cotton wool so as not to damage the delicate mucous membrane of the baby.
In the first days after birth, girls occasionally have a bloody substance. There is no need to panic: this is another option for normal development, as maternal hormones leave the newborn's body. The discharge will become normal on its own after 3 to 5 days.
Other types of discharge from the genitals are abnormal. If they appear, you need to see a doctor.
Intimate care rules
The most important question for all mothers is: "How to take care of a newborn girl?" Hygiene for the fairer sex is very important: it affects the ability to conceive in the future.
Hygienic procedures are carried out according to the algorithm.
- Before starting the procedure, mom needs to wash her hands.
- Adjust the running water so that it is warm and the jet is not too powerful.
- Place the baby on your arm with your head resting on your elbow and your body on your forearm. Since babies love to jerk their legs during procedures, one leg should be fixed, otherwise it will interfere with ablution. Older girls may squeeze their legs when washing their genitals.
- If you wash your crumbs after going to the toilet in large quantities, it is first recommended to remove the remains of feces with soft damp wipes, while trying not to touch the genitals with them.
- Thoroughly rinse the genitals, groin folds, and the area between the labia (shallow) under running water.
Girls are prohibited from performing hygiene procedures in the pelvis, as bacteria and E. coli can enter the vagina with water. Wash your baby only under running water. For the same reason, during the procedure, it is necessary to make movements from front to back, towards the anus.
- It is undesirable to use soap, replace it with a neutral pH product for intimate hygiene of babies.
- Blot the genitals of the crumbs with a soft towel, prepare oil to lubricate the wrinkles. You can buy a ready-made peach at the pharmacy or preheat an olive in a water bath. If you will be preparing the oil yourself, be sure to completely sue it. Do this well in advance of treating the baby's genitals.
- Leave the crumb for an air bath for 10-15 minutes: do not immediately swaddle or put on a diaper. At this time, you can have a session of gymnastics or massage.
Many mothers are interested in how to wash their inner lips? You don't need to do anything complicated, the water will wash away the pollution from them on its own. It is not recommended to run your fingers over them. It is important to ensure that no detergents get into the genital tract. Try not to part the labia majora and not touch the mucous membrane unnecessarily. If there is no visually contamination on them, then dispense with surface washing.
As for the frequency of washing, doctors recommend that this procedure be carried out only after the child has gone to the toilet in large quantities. If the baby often empties the intestines, then you do not need to use cosmetics every time. Use a gel for intimate hygiene no more than once a day, the rest of the time, perform the procedure with plain water.
What kind of underwear and diapers to choose?
In the first weeks of a baby's life, most parents start using disposable diapers. This is convenient, since there is no need for constant washing of clothes or diapers. However, many old school doctors believe that diapers can harm the fragile health of a newborn. This is not true: it is important to choose the right diapers.
They should be:
- without aromatic fragrances;
- with a good absorbent layer to keep the skin dry;
- made of soft materials.
Don't use the cheapest diapers. Choose quality options from well-known brands, be guided by the reviews of mothers. Replace them in time to avoid overcrowding. It is recommended to maintain the interval between diaper changes up to 4 hours.
The great thing about modern diapers is that they have antibacterial qualities. Their use reduces the risk of infection of the genital tract. In addition, there are now models designed specifically for girls. They have a more convex back, in which feces are collected, which prevents it from entering the genitals.
On hot days or during potty training, change diapers for underwear. Panties should be chosen from cotton materials. They should be in size, not too tight on the groin area. Synthetic underwear made of thick materials is prohibited. You need to change panties immediately after emptying the baby's bladder. Start using swimming trunks made of natural materials as early as possible, since the problem of feces getting on the labia crumbs disappears.