Easy Ways to Groom Your Baby

While your baby is definitely adorable the way he or she is, a little grooming doesn’t really hurt! Yes, all babies are gorgeous, but they could definitely be pampered with a little upkeep when it comes to the skin, nail and hair department. The more you pay attention to how your infant looks and feels, the more comfortable and healthy they are the better it is.

1. Shower care: A baby is at his/her natural best when allowed to splash around carelessly in the tub, but here are a few tips you can follow to make sure it all goes smooth and breezy:
   1. ​Keep it under 10 minutes: Try to keep your baby’s bath time to a limit of ten minutes, as too much water can dry out their delicate skin.
   2. Boats, not bubbles: While bubbles can look pretty, and babies love playing around in them, bubbles can also be drying on the baby’s skin. Swap them with bath toys instead, which are equally, if not more fun!
   3. Lotion up immediately afterward: The best time to lotion up your baby is immediately after his/her bath, as this seals the moisture inside the baby’s skin, making it more supple.
2. Gum and tooth care
   1. ​Before the baby sprouts teeth: Make it a habit to wipe your baby’s gums daily, which will make them get used to a regular teeth cleaning habit. Don’t use toothpaste and toothbrush; a simple soft cloth is enough.
   2. After the baby sprouts teeth: You can now start using a toothbrush to softly clean your baby’s teeth. While toothpaste is not entirely necessary, you can use a negligible amount of it if you want.

3. Nail care: Babies are almost always hyper active (well, unless they’re asleep), so you need to be careful while cutting their nails:
   1. While your baby is napping/immediately after a bath: Of course, the easiest time to trim your little one’s nails is when they’re asleep, but post bath, the nail cuticles soften, which makes it the best time to trim nails.
   2. Use a nail file: While filing does take a longer time than simply clipping, there’s a lesser chance of ending up accidentally bruising your baby’s skin.
   3. Don’t let your baby bite their nails: This is a bad habit that needs to be stopped right from infancy, so don’t let your baby make a habit of biting their nails.
4. Hair care: Cutting your baby’s hair for the first time is a big event, and is as essential starting step to preparing your baby for further grooming:
   1. Be careful: Make sure your baby is sitting still when you are in the process of cutting their hair. You can have someone sit the baby on their lap while you go about doing your job.
   2. Don’t worry about the baby’s hair condition: It is completely natural for babies to have very thin hair or a lesser amount of hair; that is nothing to be worried about, it’s completely normal. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Pediatrician.