The way that a mother cares for her skin influences the skin care of the baby as well. Skin-to-skin contact for an infant is extremely important and the bonding experience is maximized when the mother takes care of her skin in both, pre- and post-natal periods.

When caring for the skin, it is essential that a mother and her baby use natural and environment friendly products. The best approach to ensuring this is consulting a dermatologist. Since the skin of the baby is extremely sensitive and susceptible to reactions, the main priority of the parents remains to protect the skin. Over the years, several brands have developed formulae and solutions to ensure that babies are getting the right skin care.

Ways to care for your baby’s skin

1. Keeping the sun away: When taking the baby out, keeping the baby's skin away from the sun is integral. Limiting your baby's time in the sun and applying sunscreen is recommended. Beyond this, it is good to keep the baby in shade, and to cover the neck and ears. Another tip is to dress your baby in loose-fitted clothes that cover the arms and legs, and allow for easy breathing as well.  

2. Taking care of dry skin: New-born babies usually have patches of dry skin that need to be taken care of. Using petroleum-jelly based products is best recommended. Oils and massages in winter prevent dry skin. Coconut oil, sunflower seed oil and many other natural oils can be used. However, it is important to consult with a dermatologist before trying any of these.

3. Bathing techniques: Giving your baby regular baths is important, but they do not need to be bathed everyday, as it can dry off their sensitive skin. Use a soft wash cloth and lukewarm water to wash their hands, face and other sensitive areas. Bathing the baby in a warm room is beneficial. Dry the baby completely before wrapping in a towel and putting on their diaper. This avoids rashes and other skin irritations.  

4. Diapering effectively: Babies live in diapers, which is why one of the most common problems that babies have is the diaper rash. When cleaning the diaper area, parents need to be careful. Dermatologists recommend avoiding scented wipes and tissues. There are many other suitable alternatives available in the market. Also, while many types of rash creams are available, the most effective ones include a high concentration of zinc oxide.    

What should baby skin products include?

There is a wide range of ingredients that are suited for infants and babies. A couple of them are:

Recoverine: This is a natural active ingredient that is found in chestnuts that recovers the cutaneous barrier and makes the skin more soft and hydrated.

Glyco-repair: This is acquired from locust beans and its function is to regenerate the natural processes of skin repair.

When you step out to buy skin products for your babies, you can try and find the ones with these kinds of baby-friendly ingredients.

Skin care during pregnancy

Once a woman gets pregnant, her skin care routine changes. It is important to adapt to the new ways in which the body changes. Certain ingredients can be absorbed into the body of the mother, which eventually lead to the baby. One needs to stray away from the harmful products that can have negative effects on the baby in the prenatal period.

There are some popular products that can be used by pregnant mothers. Glycolic acid is highly recommended with azelaic acid for lightening fine lines and brightening the skin. Antioxidants that are pregnancy safe mainly include Vitamin K, Vitamin E, and Vitamin B3. These boost immunity and cleanse the toxins present in the body.

When the baby is still in the womb, it pulls all of the water it needs from the mother’s body. This causes dryness and to combat this, drinking more water and using moisturizing products such as cocoa butter, peptides, and hyaluronic is recommended. Although, before trying out any off the shelf products, a consultation with a dermatologist and your OB/GYN is advisable.

Skin care for new mums

New mothers tend to concentrate only on their babies and may forget to care for themselves. However, taking care of a mother’s skin is equally important as the baby’s. Here are some ways they can ensure this:

1. Staying hydrated: This may seem an obvious and essential tip, but is the most ignored one. Staying hydrated can be beneficial for the new mum’s skin and it keeps the body fresh and light. Drinking 3-4 liters in a day can do wonders for new mothers.  
2. ‍Cleansing is necessary: A new mother is constantly in contact with baby oil, baby food, vomit and other fluids that can be absorbed into the skin as grub. The best way to prevent this is to cleanse the skin. Using water and oil based cleansers are good for the skin and they can be used in the double-cleansing routine, which is popular amongst new mothers. Scrub cleansing twice a week is also recommended.
3. ‍Reducing stress: New mothers can experience dullness of skin post pregnancy and a lot of it comes from stress. Raising a newborn is not an easy task and can start showing on the body and skin. It is important to take breaks and seek help from family members, especially partners. As soon as the stress is relieved, the skin will start repairing and glowing.
4. ‍Exfoliating your skin: Using a scrub does not just get rid of the dirt and toxins, it also keeps the blood flowing and relaxes the mind and body. Using a herbal scrub to exfoliate can bring back the glow.  

Eating a balanced diet: Eating healthy and correctly is important for mothers pre and post-partum. A nutritious meal with enough protein, vitamins and fiber is best recommended. It is good to give into cravings, but that needs to be balanced with a nourishing meal.