Here are a few techniques to help you keep your baby girl clean and healthy. Keep reading for a step-by-step guide.
Baby Girl Genital Care
Your baby girl’s genitals are very sensitive and delicate, so extra attention is required in wiping and cleaning them. The best time to wipe your baby girl’s genital area is when you change the nappy.
You don’t have to wipe every time your little one has peed. Change the nappy and wipe when she has pooped and do so immediately. Listed below are the few essential items to keep at hand before you start wiping your baby.
Essentials to keep ready
- Fresh dry nappy
- Warm water
- Cotton ball/cotton wipes
- Mild baby-moisturiser
- A toy to keep them engaged
How To Wipe Your Baby Girl
- To clean your baby girl, take a wet cotton wipe and start cleaning the poop from the bottom by gently holding her feet and lifting her slightly up. Keep your wiping motion from inwards to outwards. Remove the dirty nappy and place her on a clean dry mat.
- When cleaning your baby girl, always wipe from front to back. This way, any poop present won’t get inside the vagina and urethra. And if, by any chance, any of it has, gently part the vaginal lips with your clean fingers and wipe it away.
- Remember, you only have to wipe your baby girl An excessivetsidetoo-deepclean too deep as a female’s vagina naturally has a way of cleaning itself. Excessive and too deep cleaning may upset the natural balance of the sensitive skin of the genital area.
- Don’t forget to wipe the, folds of the thighs clean too.
- After you have wiped her clean with water, let her dry naturally and don’t immediately put a nappy back on. This can be a good time to engage with your child as they feel clean, free and playful, free of the restraints of a nappy.
- Afterwards, baby moisturizer can be used but only on the thighs. Don’t use any product on your baby girl’s vagina.
Things to avoid
Soaps/Fragrances
The vagina naturally cleans itself, and chemicals in soaps and fragrances may upset the natural pH balance of your baby girl’s genital area.
Products That Are Not Baby-Friendly
Even if you are outside or have run out of youalcohol-freeducts, never use anything that is not alcohol free and baby-friendly, as harsh chemicals may cause infection of your baby girl’s sensitive skin.
Excessive Cleaning
You don’t have to wipe your baby girl every time she pees, because urine doesn’t normally irritate the skin and also the nappies usually soak up all the urine pretty efficiently. So wipe at nappy/diaper change and when your baby has pooped.
Rubbing
When you wipe your baby girl, gently pat and don’t rub.
Putting The Nappy Back On Immediately
Let your baby’s genital area dry naturally and don’t make haste to diaper her up while the skin is still wet.
How to avoid the risk of rashes while wiping your baby girl?
Rashes are very common and little kids are very susceptible to rashes, especially kids who wear diapers. However they can be avoided by taking care of a few things while cleaning, wiping and clothing your baby girl.
Some of the common causes of rashes can be;
- Baby left in a wet and dirty diaper for too long,. The excretion if remains in contact with the kin for too long can cause germs, resulting in infection and/or rashes.
- The diaper or nappy being too tight, causing friction with the baby’s delicate skin.
- The adhesive bar of the diaper frequently coming in contact with a baby’s sensitive skin can also cause irritation.
- Change in the baby’s diet and use of new products can also cause rashes in the baby’s genital area.
Avoiding rashes in your baby girl’s genital area:
- While wiping you baby girl, always use a soft cotton wipe and gently wipe the dirt off your baby’s skin.
- Change the diaper/nappy timely.
- Use mild baby powder on the sides and folds of the baby girl’s thighs. Be careful to not let the product get on and into the baby’s vagina or urethra.
- Use breathable nappies.
- Avoid putting on the nappy/diaper while the genital area is wet after a wash.
- Allow more diaper/nappy free time to your little one as often as you can.
FAQs
Should I wipe my baby girl every time she pees?
Wiping your baby after urination is not necessary.
What to do if my baby girl smells down there?
It is normal for your baby girl to have a natural vaginal odour. Like adult females, younger females have a vaginal odour too, and it is usually nothing to worry about.
However, if the smell is too strong it may be caused due to tight diapers which don’t allow passage of air, or may be because of the baby left in the dirty diaper for too long. Sometimes, it can also arise due to some vaginal infection or fungus, in which case consulting your doctor is advisable.
My baby girl has blood in her discharge. Should I be worried?
You may find some blood in your baby girl’s nappy, which is nothing to worry about. Those are just maternal hormones which were exposed to your baby in the womb. They will pass out from her body with urine in a few weeks.
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