Where you can not wash a newborn girl. The basics of caring for a newborn girl: water procedures and hygiene

A newborn baby needs a lot of attention. A little girl also needs special intimate hygiene. Young mothers need to remember that the newborn's vagina is sterile in the first days of life, and therefore it is so important to protect the perineum from contamination and potential viral and bacterial threats. Gradually, the mucous membrane will be populated with beneficial microflora and will no longer require such careful care.

Intimate hygiene of a newborn girl in the first days after birth

Most parents are afraid of incomprehensible discharge from a newborn baby. But many indicators are not so terrible, but on the contrary, they are quite normal for a newly born baby.

due to excess hormones in the body of a newborn, the labia may swell. This - normal phenomenon, which normally disappears completely after two weeks.
Also due to hormones. and hypersecretion of mucus, fusion of the labia minora is possible. Therefore, they need to be periodically pushed apart and wiped. The problem is exacerbated in premature girls, because their small lips stick out and this fusion only intensifies.
Girls normally secrete white slime . It should be remembered that this secret serves to protect the internal environment from foreign infection. Therefore, it should not be cleaned too often. But in intimate folds, excess powder and cream often accumulate, which must be removed with a cotton swab dipped in sterile oil, at least twice a day.
A little girl may experience bleeding from the vagina in the first days of life. There is nothing wrong with them - this is the result of the restructuring of the body from the prenatal state to the infant state.
Parents should be alert for purulent discharge or redness in a newborn. If you notice any of the above, contact your pediatric gynecologist immediately!

How to wash a newborn baby

Every mother should know and remember that:

Before water procedures you need to wash your hands thoroughly.
You need to wash the child only from the pubis to the pope, to prevent stool from entering the vagina.
Babies need to be bathed after every bowel movement.
Washing twice a day is mandatory. - in the morning and in the evening.
It is recommended to carry out baby hygiene and without detergent, plain water or chamomile decoction. Baby soap can only be used when heavily soiled.
The child must have his own clean towel, with which they first wipe the genital gap and folds of the groin, and then the anus.
Wash the baby only with your hand without the use of washcloths and other devices. It can hurt delicate skin.
After water procedures, you can process folds with baby cream, and labia minora with sterile oil.

Intimate hygiene rules for a newborn girl - important events and the best means

It is advisable to wash the child every time you change a diaper. And after each rinse, air baths should be arranged. That is, the baby should lie down in a warm room without clothes and diapers. Since the baby's skin is in a warm diaper for most of the day, it can sweat and get irritated from contact with matter, which is why air baths are so important for the baby.
In the first days of life for washing it is advisable to use boiled water, and after two weeks - already ordinary running water.
It is extremely important to pre-adjust the water temperature. It should not be too hot or cold. If the feces are dry, then you need to moisten a cotton pad in water and lay it on the skin for a few seconds, then remove the dirt.
Doctors do not prohibit the use of creams and powders, but they warn that in everything you need to know the measure. A healthy baby does not need any oils or creams. They are useful only in case of problems: for example, oil is suitable for dryness, for redness and diaper rash, powder or diaper cream.
Try to use wet wipes as little as possible.. Although they are saturated with very gentle lotions, they still contain fragrances and other chemicals that can cause allergies, dermatitis, and diaper rash.
Protect your child from contact with synthetic detergents. Rinse diapers and other baby clothes thoroughly. Use only baby powders and soaps.

Rules for the care of the mammary glands of newborn girls

The personal hygiene of the baby includes the care of the mammary glands. In the first days of life, the breasts may swell, colostrum may stand out or bloody discharge may appear. This is the result of an increase in estrogen in the mother's body.
No need to try to squeeze and knead the chest in any way. The swelling will subside after the prescribed two to three weeks, and to speed up the process, you can apply a compress with camphor oil. In addition, you need to wipe the nipples twice a day with a solution of furacilin. It disinfects, but does not injure delicate skin.

In these simple tips fit all the personal hygiene of a newborn baby. Strictly follow these rules after all, neglecting them can lead to the emergence of numerous diseases and problems in the future.

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For the baby to grow healthy child, except good nutrition And physical development it is necessary to maintain the purity of his body. special attention the intimate zone of the baby requires, and the care of the girl and the boy, due to their physiological characteristics, will be different. What is the hygiene of newborn girls, every mother raising her daughter must know. In the future, the happiness and health of the future woman will depend on her actions to care for the girl.

Baby care today good health Tomorrow!

What should be remembered when washing a girl?

It is important for a mother with a daughter to remember that due to anatomical structures the genital area of the baby is very sensitive to external stimuli. If body hygiene is observed for a newborn girl, water procedures should not be neglected, the baby should be washed regularly, carefully, adhering to certain rules. At the same time, you need to know that the beneficial bacteria that are on the skin and mucous membranes are necessary to maintain a healthy environment. In order for the beneficial microflora not to be washed out excessively, experts advise washing the baby with soap no more than three times a week.

Girl care requirements

This article talks about typical ways to solve your questions, but each case is unique! If you want to know from me how to solve exactly your problem - ask your question. It's fast and free!

Pediatricians emphasize that pathology can occur due to the frequent use of soap, which injures the mucous membrane of the genital organs and causes an inflammatory process. It is also unacceptable to wash the baby very deeply, since the cosmetics that get inside are poorly washed out and cause vaginitis in the girl. Therefore, it will be sufficient to carry out a thorough washing after defecation, as well as during evening bathing.

The rest of the time, to maintain cleanliness of the body, you can simply rinse under running water from the tap when changing diapers (after 2-3 hours) and use wipes for external wiping.

The hygiene of a newborn girl requires knowledge of the basic rules for caring for the genital area, which are formulated approximately as follows:

Be sure to wash your hands with soap before washing.
Remove the diaper, remove the stool paper towel or a damp cloth.
Choose the most comfortable washing position from front to back. It is best to put the baby on the elbow of a bent arm and fix it by holding it by the left thigh.
Pre-check the water temperature (about 37 °).
To avoid burns, do not direct the jet of water directly at the child's body, as hot or cold water may suddenly come out. If you hold the baby securely, then the water will first fall on the mother’s hand and you can quickly respond to temperature changes.
To prevent stool from entering the vagina, causing inflammation, rinsing should be carried out by moving the hand from top to bottom towards the anus.
When washing older girls, the movement of the hand will be from the bottom up towards the coccyx. This is necessary for preliminary washing of the anal area.
Then wash your hands and rinse the external genitalia of the child with running water.

After water procedures, do not rush to put on a diaper, give the baby 15-20 minutes of air baths

Caring for a girl after washing

The rules for care after washing are quite simple, but they are also important to consider in order to observe the hygiene of newborns, especially girls:

After washing, putting the baby comfortably on the table, gently blot the area of \u200b\u200bthe genital area, folds in the groin with a clean towel and only then wipe the anus area.
It is better to moisten the skin and mucous membranes with baby cream, since in newborns they are still dry and vulnerable.
It is important to know that the labia cannot be wiped from the inside, as this causes a violation of the internal microflora and leads to genitourinary infections.
Soap for washing and bathing must be for children, preferably liquid.
After washing and treating the genitals of the baby, you need to give her the opportunity to lie down naked (15 minutes), since air baths are better than any cosmetics protect against diaper rash and help the mucosa in the genital area.

Washing cosmetics

To avoid many troubles while caring for newborn girls, you need to carefully approach the choice of cosmetics (we recommend reading:). Most the best remedy for the care of the genital area breast crumbs- clean running water. If the baby's skin is contaminated, you need to use soaps and other detergents, which are best purchased in specialized stores - this is more reliable than the market, since storage rules are observed here and there are quality certificates. Cosmetics (gels, foams, liquid soap) are used during evening bathing no more than 3 times a week, so as not to harm the child.

After bathing, the baby can be allowed to lie down for some time without clothes - the genitals will dry naturally and there won't be any mess

Physiological features after birth

Every mom should know some physiological features, which can appear immediately after the birth of a child - for example, in a baby, a special coating of light gray or cream color can be observed on the labia - the remnants of the original lubricant (smegma). These secretions should not frighten the mother, since with them a small amount no medical intervention is needed, they are gradually absorbed into the skin. If there is a sufficiently dense coating, it is necessary to carefully remove it with a soft swab dipped in boiled oil.

After birth (in the first week) from the genitals of a tiny girl, you can notice mucous-bloody discharge, which indicates a hormonal crisis in newborns. This condition is not dangerous for the baby, as it goes away after a while, but the mother should be attentive to her daughter at this moment, and if the skin is very red, purulent discharge, consult a specialist.

Rules for the care of the mammary glands

In addition to these features, the baby, some time after birth, may swell and redden the mammary glands, and a discharge similar to colostrum may appear. These manifestations are due to hormonal changes, they should not cause fear in the mother, since all the discharge will disappear in two to three weeks. At this time, the mother should especially carefully monitor the cleanliness of the skin around the mammary glands, the comfort of clothes for the child. No need to massage the chest or try to squeeze something. Only an increase in the size of the mammary glands and pronounced redness can alert - then you definitely need to show the child to the doctor.

Bathing organization

Although bathing girls and boys is not particularly different, the baby needs to be washed first. This necessary condition due to the structural features of the girl - it is not allowed for the stool to get inside and cause inflammation. The principle of washing the crumbs before lowering into the bath is the same as after changing diapers.

When carrying out water procedures, the water temperature should be equal to the temperature of the child's body (about 36 °), then with the active accustoming of babies to bathing, it decreases by 1 ° every week. For a month, until the umbilical wound heals, the procedure is carried out in a baby bath, then babies can be bathed in a large bath, and then use a shower.

Before complex bathing, the baby must be thoroughly washed so that the feces do not get into the water, and then onto the genitals. This is done to prevent infection.

Summarizing the rules for maintaining cleanliness when washing a newborn, it is necessary to recall:

the means for carrying out the procedure and preventing inflammation is clean running water;
cosmetics, liquid soap are used only when dirty and while bathing a child;
it is permissible to use liquid cosmetics up to 3 times a week; care products are used only for external washing;
before washing the crumbs, you need to thoroughly wash your hands; washing is done with one-way movements from top to bottom;
after finishing the procedure, blot the intimate area of \u200b\u200bthe baby with a towel;
when using linen, you need to make sure that it does not rub in the groin area, it is made from natural fabrics;
be sure to show the girl to a specialist once a year;
to teach the baby to properly care for herself as she grows up and at the age of 5-6, teach her to be independent when washing.

Seeking advice from children's doctor Komarovsky, mothers can view on video step by step process washing girls. You can take the advice of a doctor who reminds you that problems in the intimate sphere of babies can occur because of soap, because of chlorinated water. Therefore, in order not to harm the child, one should not get involved in active and frequent washing.

The question of how to wash a newborn girl is actually very important. No one will argue that a girl's perineum is very different from a boy's perineum, and the risk of genital infection is very high.

Girls are born with a sterile vagina, the entrance to which is open, there is a hole in the hymen. During the first three months, lactoflora settles in the girl's vagina, which further reduces the risk of infections.

The feces of a child contain a microflora that is highly undesirable in the vagina, in addition, the discharge of newborn girls is in itself a breeding ground for microorganisms.

If the girl is washed incorrectly or rarely, this can cause vulvovaginitis, inflammation of the genital organs.

The fact that synechia of the labia minora occurs from insufficient hygiene is not entirely true. Synechia (fusions) appear not so much due to improper hygiene, but due to the low level of estrogen in the child, which is typical not even for newborns, but for girls 3 months and older. Inflammation of the genital organs, vulvitis and vulvovaginitis, can only provoke the appearance of adhesions, but they are not their main cause. Synechia can appear despite the fact that you are doing everything right.

There are rules for washing girls and intimate hygiene for them, which must always be observed:

There is only one way to properly wash newborn girls, the child must be washed from front to back, and in no case vice versa.

Clean water should be used for washing, detergents are not needed, they are needed only if the ass is stained with feces. At the same time, when washing, do not allow detergent to enter the genital gap.

After washing, the skin should be dried with wetting movements and treated with care products depending on its condition (powder, oil).

Everything seems simple, but if you have a helpless child in your arms who is not even able to hold his head, it may seem completely incomprehensible how to wash him? Especially from front to back...

How to wash a newborn:

Having removed the diaper, lay the girl on your elbow with your bent left arm. The baby should lie on your forearm with your back, and you with the same hand should hold it by the left thigh. So the child will not slip out of your hands, and you will be able to wash it under running water from front to back.

Important! Adjust the water temperature before washing your baby. Never direct tap water directly onto a girl's genitals. The temperature of the water can change dramatically, and the baby will get burns.

They wash away, directing the water with your hand, then you will be the first to feel the temperature difference, and the baby will not suffer.

How to wash newborn girls while bathing?

This is done the same way from front to back. As a rule, while bathing at least twice a week, you will wash the baby's perineum with soap. When lathering the baby, also try to avoid getting soap into the genital slit.

IN emergency if there is no water

Water is not always easily accessible, sometimes you need to change a diaper and at the same time there is simply nothing to wash a newborn girl with. In such cases, gauze moistened with clean water or wet sanitary napkins comes to the rescue.

If you are at home and there is an opportunity to get by with gauze, and not napkins, it is more correct to use them, because in any case it is better to use clean water, and not a napkin soaked in a solution with flavors and detergents.

In such cases, it will be correct to wash the newborn girl as follows:

Unfasten the diaper, wash off strong dirt from the buttocks, lifting the baby's pelvis by the legs up, remove the dirty diapers. Use a damp cloth or gauze swab to remove dirt from the thighs and buttocks.

The next napkin or swab removes dirt from the inguinal folds of the child, the outer surface of the labia majora, while this is done with only one movement, if it did not work out to remove everything at once, use a second napkin.

The area of the genital slit with a napkin or swab is also treated in one motion from top to bottom, from the pubis to the anus, only if there is contamination here.

Dry the skin with wet movements with a towel or dry cloth, apply oil or powder, or diaper cream, put on clean clothes.

General hygiene tips for girls:

Do not allow your baby to be in a dirty diaper or wet diapers

Try to get rid of diapers as soon as possible

Use only cotton, breathable underwear.

You, probably, even during pregnancy studied the issue of intimate hygiene of your unborn child. It seemed to you that you went to childbirth completely savvy. But as soon as you were outside the hospital, all knowledge disappeared somewhere. Don't panic, this situation is very common.

And, since you are reading these lines, let's refresh your memory and figure out in detail how to properly wash a baby girl.

To maintain cleanliness and prevent diaper rash, wash your baby every time you change a diaper, especially after a bowel movement. At the same time, you can use soapy hygiene products only 1-2 times a week, as a rule, before. Why before? Because this reduces the risk of getting microflora from the intestines of the crumbs into the bathing water. In other cases, plain water is sufficient, not necessarily boiled.

Water must be flowing. If there is no running water in the house, it is strictly forbidden to wash the newborn in stagnant water (for example, in a basin). This threatens with the ingress of non-sterile water, in addition contaminated with swabs from the perianal area, into the internal genital organs of the girl. A entrance gate there will be a small hole in the hymen, which, contrary to the philistine idea, is not very “whole”.

Ideal option - tap water. If the house does not have such basic amenities, mom can use a jug or ladle. In this case, the help of a second parent or other close relative will not hurt. It is not necessary to add potassium permanganate, Chlorphyllipt or herbal decoctions to the prepared water. Antiseptics, as well as soaps, are allowed to use no more than 2 times a week.

At night or in the "marching" mode, it is more convenient to use wet sanitary napkins. And they also have special requirements. The package should say “for newborns” or have a “0+” icon. This means they are made from natural fiber, they were soaked with purified water and did not use perfume and alcohol.

Some manufacturers add chamomile extract, aloe vera. Some - produce hypoallergenic or napkins for sensitive skin. All this is indicated on the packaging, which, by the way, is better to buy with a plastic valve, and not with a sticky film instead of a lid: this way they will retain moisture longer.

What tools are included in the arsenal of intimate hygiene girls

What needs to be prepared before you start washing a newborn girl?

Water (in the absence of running water) body temperature, i.e. 37-38 ° C.
Wet wipes for newborns.
Baby soap or gel for washing the perianal area, and if necessary, the perineum.
Means for a diaper (cream - for dryness, powder - for diaper rash).
Diaper.
Wiping diaper.
Changing diaper.

Both diapers must be spread out in advance, so as not to waste time on this later, holding the newborn on one arm.

What's wrong with ordinary soap

By “regular” soap is meant toilet soap - the one that you yourself, adults, use every day. In it, in addition to all sorts of plasticizers, synthetic surfactants, foaming agents and mineral oils, includes dyes, antiseptics and a variety of fragrances. All these components give the soap you like a pleasant smell and look, provide quick foaming, and have a slight antibacterial effect. But you try to wash only rough skin with it, and stock up on special production products for intimate hygiene. And what did your little one do to deserve neglect? Ordinary soap can bring her great harm!

So, if it's about general hygiene newborn, then dyes and fragrances may appear varying degrees expressiveness. An antiseptic will gradually lead to a microbial imbalance on the skin, because it does not selectively destroy the microflora. As a result, the “correct” microorganisms that protect the skin from surrounding pathogenic bacteria will also die.
As for the intimate hygiene of a newborn girl, then:

the ingress of components of adult soap on the mucous membranes of the large and small labia will definitely cause irritation up to the formation of erosion;
its alkaline environment will lead to an acid-base imbalance in the area of the vestibule of the vagina and will cause vulvovaginitis;
antiseptic will cause pronounced dysbacteriosis followed by thrush.

What is the difference between baby soap

We are talking now about soap intended for newborns. It comes in two forms: liquid and solid. The term "baby" means hypoallergenic soap, without dyes, without fragrances and without antiseptics. Additionally, if desired, the manufacturer can add a moisturizer, extracts medicinal herbs, supplements from natural healing vegetable oils. In addition, the acidity of baby soap is 7-8 units, i.e. it is neutral or slightly alkaline.

Now let's discuss which soap is better: liquid or solid.

Liquid. Easy to use, foams quickly, the dispenser allows you to use it sparingly. By the way, the dispenser is fixed in the closed position and the bottle with the product can be safely put in a bag if you have a trip (for example, to visit your grandmother). From the range on the market, it is worth choosing a soap without synthetic components. It is several times more expensive than the most common ones, but your newborn girl is worth it. Relatively cheap liquid products contain synthetics, so you should carefully monitor the condition of the skin after each use.
Solid. After unpacking, it remains open, able to soak in a soap dish, before washing, they first need to soap their hand, which somewhat lengthens the hygiene procedure and makes it a little uncomfortable. But! Solid baby soap consists almost exclusively of natural ingredients, represented by vegetable and animal fats saponified by alkali. Additional synthetics are present in small quantities, they are approved for use by newborns, and serve to improve quality.

How to wash a girl

Some pediatricians advise washing the perianal area first, and then proceed with everything else. But if you wash a newborn girl correctly, then these extra movements are inappropriate. The main thing is to observe the direction of the water jet and washing movements: from the pubis to the coccyx. So the pathogenic microflora of the perianal region will never get on the external genital organs of a newborn girl. By the way, this direction must be observed throughout life, both for a still helpless baby and for a mature woman. The principle remains the same.

A newborn baby should be washed with a well-washed hand with short-cut nails. Thin and delicate skin, and even more so the vulnerable mucous membranes of the labia, will not tolerate the use of washcloths, gauze or other similar items. And if it's time to use soap, then the hand must first be soaped, especially when there is only solid baby soap in the arsenal.
The vestibule of the vagina (the space between the large and small labia) does not need to be touched unnecessarily. Only when there are prerequisites for its contamination, for example, liquid stool when, which does not have time to be absorbed by the diaper, it is necessary to carefully unscrew the large labia and rinse the dirty places with clean water.

Since we are talking about the most secluded intimate corners, we will briefly dwell on synechia. This is the fusion of the labia majora by the 3rd month of life, caused by a lack of estrogen in the body of a newborn girl. The process is not physiological, but it is considered a pathology only when redness of the skin appears in the area of fusion, an unpleasant odor, and, moreover, if urination is disturbed. These symptoms oblige parents to contact a pediatric gynecologist. In the absence of these changes, the baby should also be washed from front to back, while in no case resorting to manual separation of adhesions.

After washing, the skin of a newborn girl should be dried with blotting movements with a diaper made of natural fabric and apply diaper products. If the skin is healthy, then there is no need to use creams and powders.

The last step is to put on the diaper itself.

In theory, how to wash a newborn girl should have been told and shown to you even in the maternity hospital. If suddenly this did not happen or you did not remember the sequence of actions, then we will repeat the lesson again.

Washing algorithm

Wash your hands and make sure your nails are in good condition.
Prepare everything necessary funds: water (if there is no running water), wet wipes, soap, open the gel, spread the diapers, straighten the diaper and put it next to the diapers.
If you are rinsing from a ladle, prepare a basin for flushing water.
Remove the diaper from the newborn and, if necessary, remove the stool with a damp cloth (from front to back!).
Provided that you are right-handed: put the baby back on your left forearm so that her head lies in your cubital fossa. At the same time, with your left hand, grab the child’s left thigh and, above the bed or changing table, make sure that it is well fixed in your hand. Start washing over the sink, shower tray, or just over the basin, lathering your right hand and pouring water over your pubis. If you are left-handed, everything must be done exactly the opposite.
Then place the newborn girl with her tummy on her free hand, cover with a towel to dry and place her on the changing table.
Dry the skin with blotting motions. Do not rush to dress up your beauty in a diaper. Let her take an air bath while you give her a "massage" or do light "gymnastics" with her.
When physical procedures are over and the skin is completely dry, proceed to processing skin folds. healthy skin, as well as the mucous membrane of the vestibule of the vagina, there is no need to process. With severe dryness or diaper rash skin use cream, oils or powders (as appropriate).
It is advisable to inspect the vestibule of the vagina 2-3 times a week, and clean it only if it accumulates funds for a diaper or feces. It is recommended to use cotton swabs soaked in sterile vegetable oil (it must be boiled for 5 minutes in a water bath and stored in a sterilized closed jar).

About how to properly wash a newborn girl under the tap and take care of her skin intimate zone You can see more in the video below.

A newborn baby needs not only to be washed away. To the list daily procedures includes washing, cleansing the nasal passages, caring for the eyes, auricles, umbilical wound, armpit skin, bathing.

A newborn girl is not washed with running water. She rubs her face cotton pads, soaked in cooled boiled water, and then blotted dry. Better procedure spend in the morning so that the baby from birth gets used to the mandatory hygiene measures.

To wash the eye, the same moistened discs are used, only fresh for each eye. Rinse in the direction from the outer corner to the inner.

Caring for the skin of the auricles is similar to washing. The only difference is the use cotton buds for cleansing hard-to-reach places. But we are talking only about the outer ear. It is not recommended to droop into the ear canal. Ear wax in a child will stand out on its own, and then it can already be removed.

The mucous membrane of the mouth is cleaned with a weak soda solution. It is prepared at the rate of 1 tsp. for 1 stack. cooled boiled water. Wrap the bandage on forefinger and moistened in the prepared solution, gently remove the whitish coating from all the walls of the oral cavity and from the tongue.

The nose needs to be cleaned according to the situation. You will most likely have to do this more than once a day. Dry gauze turundas twisted from a bandage will help get rid of mucus. They need to be inserted into the nasal passage and gently scrolled. Peel should be pre-soaked with pharmaceutical saline solution by dropping it into the nose, and only after 5 minutes apply turundas according to the same method.

Whether you need to “treat the navel,” the patronage nurse will tell you. You are required to have brilliant green, Chlorphyllipt or peroxide in the family first aid kit (just in case).

You can at a convenient time for you, shortly before the next feeding. The main thing is to do it every day, at the same time.

How to wash a newborn girl - video

This video is probably made for happy parents twins of different sexes, but you will be more interested in the first half.

Well, now you remember everything. It remains to implement the refreshed knowledge in life. Let your baby be the most well-groomed and beautiful. And most importantly, healthy.

And about what you learned new, please tell us in the comments, and also share your own experience.

So, a girl appeared in the family. It seems to be too early to talk about gender differences in education. But there are still differences in caring for a girl and a boy. How to take care of a newborn girl?

The issue of intimate hygiene is the most important here. The anatomy of the female genital organs is such that they are more susceptible to external influences and irritants, ingress of microbes and bacteria. The mucous membrane of the genital organs of a newborn girl is tender and very sensitive, it can easily be injured. It requires careful and delicate care.

What awaits in the hospital

In addition to positive emotions and frenzied fatigue, a woman will have a lot of worries about caring for a newborn baby. Experienced mothers recommend getting involved in this process already in the hospital. Here you can ask the medical staff for advice, they will show you how to wash the girl, put on a diaper, swaddle, apply to the chest. If these skills are not developed, you will have to master this science on your own at home. Often, mothers who have given birth to their first child experience uncertainty and fear that they can do something wrong, harm the baby. However, a week or two passes - and everything is getting better.

What can alert parents

In the first days and weeks of life, a girl can observe a number of features of the external genitalia and mammary glands. What are they talking about?

Plaque in the grooves between the labia. This is smegma - the secret of cream or gray color which is produced by the external genitalia. If it is not removed, microbes can multiply in it, which will lead to redness and inflammation. How to remove smegma? With help cotton pads and boiled water, without the use detergents. The lubricant has a dense consistency, so it will be removed gradually, this procedure will take several days.
Swelling of the labia. This is due to an overabundance of the female hormone in the girl's body, which she received from her mother. After a few weeks, the swelling goes away.
Adhesion of the labia minora, or synechia. It occurs due to excessive secretion and discharge of mucus from the vagina. To prevent synechia, the labia should be regularly parted, washed without soap, dried thoroughly, and lubricated with cream or sterilized vegetable oil. In small and premature girls, the risk of fusion of the labia is higher. With extensive synechia, the doctor may prescribe a special cream containing male hormone- estrogen.
Swelling and redness of the mammary glands. Associated with hormonal background. It is not considered a pathology, it disappears after a few weeks. You can not rub the mammary glands, squeeze out the liquid from them. If you find an inflammatory process, severe redness, be sure to see a pediatrician.

intimate hygiene

How to wash a newborn girl?

Mom must wash her hands with soap before washing.. After all, an infection in the girl's vagina can get during care.
It is advisable to wash the girl with every diaper change. This happens about 3-4 hours later in the day. It is mandatory to carry out hygiene after waking up in the morning and before going to bed at night.
Only under running water. You can not wash the girl in a basin. Water should only be running. While washing under the stream of water, put your hand to reduce the pressure. If the feces have dried up, you first need to moisten them, and then wash them off so as not to rub the delicate skin of the baby.
Towards the anus. This is done so that the remnants of feces do not enter the vagina, otherwise it can cause inflammation. Hygiene of the external genitalia and anus should be separate. After hygiene of the anus, you need to wash your hands with soap and water, then wash the girl. If you properly wash a newborn girl, you can avoid getting E. coli into the vagina, which causes inflammation of the urogenital area.
The perineum can only be washed plain water . Sometimes for prevention it is worth adding chamomile to the water. Use baby soap when washing after a bowel movement.
Don't use a washcloth. Wash the girl only with your hand so as not to accidentally injure the genital mucosa with a sponge.
Remove the remnants of the cream, powder in the folds of the labia. They are well cleaned with cotton swabs and sterilized oil. This procedure should be done in the morning and evening.

In the first week of life, a girl may have vaginal discharge. They have the consistency of mucus mixed with blood. Don't let this scare your parents. This discharge is called a hormonal crisis, and it goes away within a few days. Redness should alert bad smell, purulent nature of the discharge, their duration. In this case, it is necessary to urgently contact a pediatrician or pediatric gynecologist.

Prevention: 5 important points

Caring for newborn girls is not difficult if the simple rules washing and preventive measures.

Airing after hygiene procedures . This required condition to protect delicate skin from diaper rash. First, a newborn can take air baths for 5 minutes. Over time, you can increase them to 15-20 minutes. At the same time, the air temperature in the room should be comfortable so that the baby does not freeze.
Comfortable water temperature. It should not be too hot or, conversely, cold. In the first month, when washing, the water should be warmer, then gradually the temperature can be reduced, especially in the hot season.
Proper rinsing support. Lay the girl on her back on her left forearm so that her head is in the elbow bend. Press it to the body, be sure to hold the baby by one thigh, wash right hand. At first, it is not entirely convenient to wash the child alone. It's good to have an assistant nearby.
Use boiled water. This condition must be met only in the first two weeks of life. Then you can safely wash the baby under running water from a regular tap. Take care of the purity and quality of water in advance by installing purification filters.
Use a personal towel. Allocate a separate towel for intimate hygiene. First you need to wipe the crotch, and then the ass. In this case, the movements should be delicate, soaking. Can't wipe inner part labia, this leads to drying of the vaginal mucosa, disrupts its natural microflora.

Do not use wet wipes. Intimate hygiene is still best done under running water. Napkins can be used in emergency cases: on a walk, on a trip, in the country. Your child may be allergic to them.

Water procedures

How to bathe a newborn girl?

Right after the birth. It is not recommended to bathe the baby in a large bath until healing umbilical wound. Although many mothers deviate from this rule and from the first days of life they launch the baby into the “big swim”. In this case, of course, the disinfection of the bath is carefully carried out.
Bath time and frequency. Up to six months, the baby needs to be bathed every day. After six months, you can do it every other day. Bathing time is selected individually, depending on the rhythm of the baby's life. Most often it is still an evening exercise. Most children sleep well after bathing. But there are also kids who, on the contrary, invigorate this procedure.
Duration. You need to look at the state and reaction of the child. In any case, the first bath should not be too long. 5-10 minutes is enough. In the future, a small "swimmer" can spend 30-40 minutes in the bathroom.
Immersion in water. It should go smoothly, without fuss and anxiety. In the same way, the girl needs to be taken out, only immediately wrapped in a towel or diaper. For these purposes, there must be an assistant. If you bathe a girl in a small tub, pour water on her legs and tummy so that she does not have time to freeze. Either use a gentle shower jet or pour from a ladle.
Washing all wrinkles. A newborn girl often has diaper rash of the labia, priests, neck, elbow joints, popliteal cavities, between the fingers and toes. They must be carefully inspected and washed.
Use of detergents. Baby shampoos, gels, soaps are used once a week. On other days, the baby should be bathed in plain water.
Adding herbs. It is advisable to add decoctions of string or chamomile to the bathing water. If the child is restless, you can brew mint, lavender, valerian.

After bathing, if necessary, treat the folds on the skin with baby cream or oil.

How to properly care for a newborn girl? should be under close scrutiny intimate hygiene. All other procedures are no different from the principles of caring for a boy.