What are the taboos in caring for newborn babies? Many new parents often feel at a loss regarding daily care and certain phenomena observed in their newborns. So how should newborns be cared for?Below, we outline five major taboos in infant care!
Taboos in Newborn Care
Avoid using plastic film as diapers
Plastic film is non-breathable. Wrapping infants in it directly impairs normal skin development, obstructing functions like waste elimination, sweat secretion, temperature regulation, and carbon dioxide exhalation.Moreover, the film degrades over time, causing skin irritation, redness, and pain. If bacteria invade, it can lead to infection, ulceration, sepsis, and even life-threatening conditions.
Avoid pinching an infant's cheeks
Many parents pinch their child's mouth when administering medicine if the child resists taking it. Sometimes parents also pinch an infant's cheeks while playing with them. This is not advisable.Repeatedly squeezing an infant's parotid glands and ducts can cause drooling and oral mucositis. Therefore, avoid pinching or squeezing an infant's cheeks.
Avoid placing infants between adults while sleeping
Many young parents habitually place their infant between them while sleeping, but this practice is detrimental to the child's health.In the human body, brain tissue consumes a significant amount of oxygen. Generally, the younger the child, the greater the proportion of oxygen consumed by the brain relative to the body's total oxygen consumption. When a child sleeps between parents, they are placed in an environment with extremely low oxygen levels and high carbon dioxide levels. This can cause infants and toddlers to experience restless sleep, nightmares, and crying during the night, directly hindering their normal growth and development.
Avoid washing infant clothes with laundry detergent
The primary ingredient in laundry detergent is sodium alkylbenzene sulfonate. Once ingested, this substance strongly inhibits the activity of amylase and pepsin in the human body, potentially causing poisoning. If not thoroughly rinsed, it can harm infants. Therefore, laundry detergent should never be used to wash baby clothes.
Avoid trimming infant eyelashes
Some young mothers, desiring their children to appear more attractive, habitually trim their eyelashes, believing this promotes longer growth. In reality, each eyelash has a lifespan of approximately 90 days. Trimming eyelashes does not stimulate longer growth.Moreover, trimming eyelashes is detrimental to the child's physical and mental health. Eyelashes serve a protective function, preventing dust and other particles from entering the eyes directly.
Key Points for Proper Newborn Care
Cleaning the Mouth
Upon delivery, promptly clear mucus and amniotic fluid from the mouth and throat to prevent aspiration pneumonia. However, avoid scrubbing the mouth, as the newborn's oral mucosa is delicate and easily damaged. If thrush (white patches on the oral mucosa) appears, gently apply nystatin solution.
Eye Care for Newborns
Apply 0.5% neomycin or 0.25% chloramphenicol eye drops immediately after birth to prevent neonatal conjunctivitis. If excessive eye discharge is present, gently wipe with saline or 2% boric acid cotton swabs before administering eye drops.
Infant Positioning
Except when held for feeding, newborns rest lying down throughout the day. Ensure ample sleep time, exceeding 20 hours daily. Side-lying is recommended—right side after feeding, left side otherwise. Frequent position changes prevent flat spots.Supine positioning is unsafe, as regurgitated milk may cause suffocation. Pillows are unnecessary; if used, they should be shoulder-width and never hard to correct head shape. Monitor the living environment.
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