Skin Care For Your Newborn
A baby’s soft and delicate skin needs special care. Generally, it is best to use products made especially for babies, but your baby’s healthcare provider can advise you about other products. Products for adults may be too harsh for a baby and may contain irritants or allergens. Many parents like to use lotions. But unless the baby’s skin is dry, lotions really are not needed. Powders should be avoided, unless they are recommended by your baby’s healthcare provider. When using any powder, put the powder in your hand and then apply it to the baby’s skin. Shaking powder into the air releases dust and talc that can harm your baby’s lungs.
Many babies have rashes and bumps that are normal. Some rashes may be a sign of a problem or infection. Diaper rash can be irritating to the baby and needs to be treated. If you have concerns about a rash, or your baby is uncomfortable or has a fever, call your baby’s healthcare provider.
Laundry detergents may cause irritation to a baby’s delicate skin. If your baby seems sensitive to detergent, you can use a special detergent for babies with sensitive skin and give the laundry an extra rinse with plain water to remove any leftover detergent.
Excessive Earwax Or Infection
This is a common question and for good reason. As a mom whos often rushed her child to the doctors office, simply to be told that its merely a buildup, I know how tricky it can be.
Its often hard to tell whether or not your little one has a buildup of wax or is suffering from an ear infection. Most of the signs are the same. A child with a buildup of wax may rub or tug their ears as if it were an infection. Equally confusing, infants tug their ears when experiencing discomfort from teething.
But fever and trouble sleeping are generally the telltale signs of an ear infection in a baby or small child.
If its nothing more than extra wax, you can usually see it just by looking into the ear. Take a flashlight and gently tug the earlobe back and away from the head to get a better look. Here you will likely see brownish or yellow drainage.
If the fluids are milky-like pus, clear, or traces of blood are present, it could be an infection. An additional note about this: ear wax will not drain from the ear continuously or profusely; infected fluid will and warrants a doctor visit.
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When To Visit A Doctor
Take your baby to a paediatrician when there is an excessive build-up of earwax in your babys ears and you are unable to remove the wax with the remedies mentioned above. Also, if there are symptoms of infection such as drainage of milky fluid, ear pain, fever, or even hearing loss after removal of wax, check with your babys doctor at the earliest.
Baby earwax is not harmful unless it collects in abnormal quantities or gets infected. Choosing safe and careful measures to clean your babys ears will prove to be beneficial. However, if they dont work and you notice anything out of the ordinary with regards to your babys health, check with your babys paediatrician.
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Dos And Donts Of Cleaning Baby Ears
When it comes to figuring out how to clean baby ears, its more complicated than meets theear.
- Dont use a cotton swab! This is not how to clean baby ears! You should never stick anything in babys eardrum as a way to get rid of wax. You may rupture the eardrum or make the wax problem worse.
- Dont stick your finger in their ears either. A human cotton swab is just as harmful as the real deal.
- Do use baby earwax drops if earwax becomes more of a serious issue. Remember, not every bit of earwax is bad. Whether its washcloths or another method, its always a good idea to check in with the pediatrician to make sure you are cleaning baby ears in the safest way.
To Avoid Ear Irritation Heres A Step
A few guidelines to follow:
- You do not need to clean your newborns ears every day but cleaning regularly helps keep your newborns ears clean and healthy but over-cleaning every single day might just cause their ears to become dry and itchy. Health experts advise to clean your newborns ears 2 to 3 times a week.
- Its best to clean your babys ears after a bath as theyre usually more relaxed and whatever dirt on the outer ear has softened and easier to clean.
- Aside from cotton swabs, do not stick anything in your babys ear. You may be tempted to just clean the ear with some other cleaning device or even with your own finger but it isnt advisable. There is an old saying that anything smaller than your elbow should not be stuck inside your babys ears.
Safe Ear-Cleaning Steps Using A Washcloth
Step 1:
Prepare a soft washcloth rinsed in clean, warm water. Soap is not needed. Make sure to wring the washcloth to remove excess water. Any water droplets might cause earwax buildup.
Step 2:
In a room with good, clear lighting, position your baby comfortably either on the bed or changing table, depending it what is most comfortable for you and your baby. Once positioned, gently turn your babys head to the side, with the ear turned towards you.
Step 3:
In gentle motions, wipe your babys outer ears only with the moist washcloth. Once done, pat dry. And then, youre done!
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Do I Need To Clean My Babys Ears
Yes, but not the way you might think. Make sure you clean behind their ears and dry them well after a bath. If the water gets into their ear, just gently move their head from side to side to help drain it. If earwax does end up outside your babys ear canal, you can gently clean it with a towel or tissue.
But dont use cotton swabs to clean the inside of your babys or childs ears . Resist the urge, Mama.
How To Safely Clean A Babys Ears
Just like adults, baby ears produce cerumen . That is why you should make sure to clean the outer ear on occasion for aesthetic reasons. But how can you do it safely? Here are a few tips to clean out earwax in infants.
Protect the eardrum
The ear canal of babies and infants is much shorter than in adults. Therefore, you should never use cotton swabs . These tools are dangerous for various reasons: they tend to push the earwax in, rather than bring it out and could even pierce your babys eardrum. Do not use adult-sized cotton swabs and never let your baby play with them.
Clean out the earwax after bath time
The heat and bathwater will soften the earwax, which makes it much easier to remove from your babys ear.
After a nice warm bath, your baby will often also be relaxed. You can position his or her head to the side then clean out the ears one by one. You can use baby-sized cotton swabs or sterile pads rolled between your fingers.
Clean gently
Once your baby is calm and well positioned, clean the outer ear with a pad. If the pad seems dirty after this initial cleaning, throw it out and use another. Then, clean the back of the ear: milk sometimes finds its way back there during breastfeeding or bottle feeding.
Proceed this way for the other ear as well. There is no need to clean out the ear canal, because it is “self-cleaning”. Keep in mind that earwax is clean and healthy. It does not contain bacteria and in fact protects your childs ear canal from ear infections.
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What Is The Purpose Of Earwax
Earwax is an important part of the ear. You see, the reason why earwax is so thick and sticky is so it can trap dirt, dust, or other particles that may enter the ear. If there was no earwax, the ear canal would be susceptible to infections and other unwanted intruders .
Besides acting as a barrier, earwax actually holds a few chemicals that can help fight off infections. These chemicals will keep the environment inside your little ones ears healthy and happy.
The chemicals can also moisturize the skin inside the ear canal. This, in turn, will help prevent dry, itchy ears.
How To Clean Baby Ear Wax
This article was co-authored by Payam Daneshrad, MD. Dr. Payam Daneshrad is a board certified Otolaryngologist, a board eligible Facial Plastic Surgeon, and the Owner and Director of DaneshradClinic in Los Angeles, California. With over 19 years of experience, Dr. Daneshrad specializes in adult and pediatric Otolaryngology-head and neck surgery, packing-less nasal surgery, minimally invasive sinus surgery, and snoring treatment. He also uses the newest surgical ENT techniques for tonsillectomy, adenoidectomy, thyroidectomy, and parathyroidectomy. Dr. Daneshrad graduated with a BS and the highest honors from the University of California, Berkeley. He earned his Doctor of Medicine from Tulane University School of Medicine, where he was accepted into the AOA, the medical honor’s society, and the Tulane University School of Public Health. Dr. Daneshrad received his medical training from the University of Southern California, where he currently serves as an Associate Clinical Professor. Dr. Daneshrad is the Otolaryngologist and Facial Plastic Surgeon for the Los Angeles Sparks and the athletic teams of Loyola Marymount University. This article has been viewed 43,379 times.
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How To Clean Baby Ears
When it comes to learning how to clean baby ears, safety comes first. There are plenty of methods and tools out there to get babys ears clean. The key is finding the best one that works for you and baby. Baby ear cleaning isnt as easy as you may think.
First things firstyou need to understand what youre dealing with when it comes to earwax and how to clean baby ears.
What Is The Black Stuff In Labradoodle Ears
The ear wax that can get caught in Labradoodle ear canals can be many colours. It is common for the wax to be a deep dark colour. Dark brown, black and greens are common.
Some of the bacteria trapped can also be chromogenic which means they contribute dark colours to the wax build up.
If the discharge is in fact red rather than black, this could be a sign of infection of the ear canals. If you suspect this then the Labradoodle will need Veterinary attention.
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How Old Should A Labradoodle Puppy Be Before Ear Cleaning
Labradoodle puppies begin accumulating ear wax early in life. The grooves and structure of the Poodle inherited ear canals predisposes Labradoodles.
Puppies typically will not have excess ear hair. This reduces the severity of the wax build up.
Simple wiping Labradoodles puppy ears to remove wax is typically adequate till six months of age. Gentle sterile steroid and alcohol free ear rinse can be used conservatively if required.;
Excess ear hair can be plucked at any age but most groomers and owners avoid this until the Labradoodle puppy is older. The curlier the coat the more likely this is to be an issue.
How Much Ear Wax Is Normal For A Baby
While the earwax may secrete generously from a babys ears, excessive ear wax in babies is generally uncommon. The amount of wax secreted from each ear may not always be the same one ear may have more earwax than the other. The earwax secreted or produced is considered healthy earwax when the paediatrician is able to see the babys eardrums clearly, through the wax. If the ear canal is totally blocked by the hardened earwax or theres a yellowish flaky wax causing discomfort to your baby, then that may be a problem.
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Ways Of Cleaning Earwax From Your Babys Ear
1.; Get a doctor to clean your babys ears out.; A set of tools will be used by the doctor, like an ear microscope, suction device, light and earwax scoop for cleaning the wax build-up out that is deed within the ear.; The doctor can then use warm liquid to flush the stubborn wax safely from the ear.
2.; If it is necessary for you to clean your toddler babys inner ear on your own, there are some over-the-counter solutions that can be recommended by a pharmacist for your infant.; Another option is using a half-and-half mixture of water and hydrogen peroxide.; Follow these steps below to clean your infants ears at home:
Hold the bottle that contains the solution inside your hand and allow it to warm up first.
Lay your baby on her or his side.; Place the cleaning solution one drop at a time inside the ear.; Give time for each drop to flow into your childs ear canal.; Usually it will take around 5 drops before you see the solution filling the inner part of the ear canal.; Allow the solution to sit inside your infants ear for around 5 minutes.; Then let it flow out of the ear.
Do this once per day, for around 3 to 5 days.; Next, use a rubber bulb syringe and lukewarm water to flush the ear out.; Wax chunks will come out along with the water.
How Do You Get Hard Ear Wax Out Of A Child’s Ear
If the doctor recommends that you try to remove earwax at home: Soften and loosen the earwax with warm mineral oil. You also can try hydrogen peroxide mixed with an equal amount of room temperature water. Place 2 drops of the fluid, warmed to body temperature, in the ear 2 times a day for up to 5 days. via
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Cleaning Your Childs Ears
Here are helpful tips to use when it comes time clean your childs ears at home.
- Use a cloth or tissue to wipe away any wax that has migrated out of the ear canal.
- To dry ears after a bath or a shower, instruct your child tilt their ear to one side against a towel, and then tilt their head to the other, allowing water to drip out on its own.
- Unfortunately kids sometimes put little things in their ear canals such as beads, beans, little toys or even play dough. Never put anything in your childs ear canal to remove a foreign body. Removal should only be attempted by a professional with the proper equipment such as your childs pediatrician or a pediatric ear, nose, and throat specialist. Its good to have a conversation with young children about never putting anything inside their ears.
- Remind your preteen or teenager to clean behind their ears with soap and warm water to remove oil and dirt that can cause acne back there.
- If you think too much ear wax is causing your child to have difficulty hearing, discuss this with your childs pediatrician or a pediatric ENT. There are over the counter products available to dissolve wax but it is best to discuss what is best with your childs doctor.
- Refrain from using cotton swabs in your own ears, particularly in front of your child. Kids like to mimic what parents do and you certainly dont want to teach your child that it is okay to put anything in their ear or a siblings ear.
Tips For Minimizing Pain During And After Piercing
Unfortunately, any piercing procedure is going to come with some discomfort, and babies wont understand whats going on.
To minimize pain during the piercing process, go to an experienced professional who can perform the procedure as quickly as possible. Ask about applying a cold pack before and after the piercing to numb the area a bit.
Additionally, be consistent but gentle with the aftercare process. In the first few days, this may be uncomfortable for your baby, so have a distraction handy. This can be a special toy, favorite fruit slice , or sibling providing entertainment.
The good news is that piercing pain is generally very short-lived as long as the area stays clean and infection-free.
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Clean Baby Ears Using A Washcloth
Ask pretty much any pediatrician and they will likely tell you the best way to clean baby ears is with a washcloth.
This method is not for cleaning the inner part of the ear. Instead, it will just remove some of the excess wax or dirt sitting on the outside.
You can also use a Q-tip for this. But keep it outside the ear only.
Heres what you do:
- Grab a clean washcloth: Use one that is soft and baby-friendly.
- Wet it with some warm water: Make sure it isnt too hot. You dont need to add any soap.
- Before proceeding: Wring out all the excess water. Liquids can drip into your little ones ear and cause a build up.
- Take the washcloth and wipe: Gently rub the surface around your babys ear. Wipe the corners and crevices, but dont try to insert the cloth into the ear itself.
- When finished: Clean the washcloth before proceeding with the other ear.;If the ear is a little wet, dab it gently with a soft towel.
How To Soothe Dogs Ears After Plucking
After plucking a dogs ears it can be nice to use natural balms to relieve any discomfort or inflammation. Given that dog or doodle ear infections are common in unplucked ears we need to stick with basic soothing balms that do not cause any harm.
Some people use talcum powder to sooth the ears after plucking.
Personally I use either plucking powder or opt instead for a warm salt water wipe using a soft cloth.
There is no need for medicated wipes or ointments unless a Vet has recommended them.
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