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2022
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In the scorching summer, a guide for bathing and massaging infants and toddlers, new parents take note!
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Benefits of bathing for newborns:
Benefits of swimming for infants and toddlers:
1. Promotes brain development
Swimming can effectively promote the development of the baby's brain and nervous system, stimulate the baby's potential, and lay a good foundation for improving the child's emotional intelligence and IQ. Due to the complexity of swimming movements, swimming exercises can enhance the brain's functions, promoting the brain's responsiveness to the external environment and intellectual development.
2. Stabilizes the baby's emotions
During swimming, the massaging effect of water soothes the infant's body and mind, making them feel comfortable and relaxed, while also alleviating feelings of loneliness, anxiety, and fear. Additionally, swimming consumes a certain amount of energy, so infants will have stabilized emotions and better sleep quality after swimming.
3. Improves the baby's heart function
Due to the buoyancy of water and the impact of water waves and pressure on the infant's skin, it massages the peripheral blood vessels, providing excellent exercise for the baby's heart. Swimming increases the oxygen consumption of the infant's muscles, and the pressure of water on peripheral veins effectively promotes blood circulation, enhancing the baby's heart function. Measurements show that infants who can swim generally have a heart rate 6 to 8 beats lower than those who cannot swim.
4. Increases the baby's lung capacity
Swimming has a positive effect on the development of the infant's chest. For infants, swimming is a safe and natural form of exercise. After a period of persistence, mothers will notice that the development of the infant's chest and lung capacity improves significantly compared to peers.
5. Helps the baby grow taller
Swimming can effectively stimulate the development of the infant's bones, joints, ligaments, and muscles, promoting height growth and making the infant's physique stronger. Swimming is a full-body exercise, allowing infants to move their limbs freely in the water, which is beneficial for the flexibility and elasticity of the skeletal system.
6. Aids digestion
Swimming increases the infant's physical activity, leading to greater energy expenditure and increased gastrointestinal peristalsis, which enhances the infant's appetite and nutrient absorption, resulting in weight gain. Additionally, to compensate for the energy consumed in the water, the level of growth hormone in the infant's body rises, actively enhancing the digestive and absorption functions to take in a large amount of nutrients, accelerating the child's growth rate.
Different bathing methods are used for babies of different ages, with common methods being sponge baths and tub baths.
Sponge bath for babies:For the first 1 to 2 weeks after birth, before the umbilical cord stump falls off, it is recommended to only give the baby a sponge bath. Wrap the baby in a towel, exposing only the areas that need to be cleaned.
1. Washing the face:First, use a damp towel to clean the baby's face without using shower gel to avoid bubbles getting into the baby's eyes and mouth.
2. Washing the head:Gently massage the baby's scalp with the pads of your fingers, including the fontanel area. If the baby has hair, you can use baby products, but it is not recommended to use them frequently to avoid disrupting the balance of the scalp's natural oils; using products 1 to 2 times a week is sufficient. If bubbles accidentally get into the baby's eyes, gently wipe them with a clean, warm water towel.
3. Washing the body:Use a towel soaked in warm water with shower gel to wipe the other parts of the baby's body. Clean from top to bottom, finishing with the baby's bottom. Pay special attention to cleaning the neck, behind the ears, armpits, elbow pits, groin, and the folds of the legs.
4. Rinsing with clean water:Use clean water to thoroughly rinse off any remaining shower products from the baby's body and hair.
5. Applying moisturizer:After bathing, dry the baby and immediately apply a fragrance-free, hypoallergenic baby moisturizer to prevent dry skin.
Tub bathing for babies:Once the baby's umbilical cord stump has fallen off and healed, you can try placing them directly in the tub for a bath.
1. The first tub bath:The baby's first tub bath should be as gentle and brief as possible. Some babies may show signs of resistance; if they seem very uncomfortable, you can continue with sponge bathing for another 1 to 2 weeks before trying the tub bath. By then, most babies will be ready.
2. Items needed before tub bathing:The items for tub bathing are similar to those for sponge bathing, but you can prepare an extra clean cup for rinsing the baby.
3. Filling the tub with water:Fill the tub with warm water at a suitable temperature (35°C to 37°C), ensuring that the baby's face and most of their body remain above the water surface for safety.
4. Placing the baby in the tubAfter undressing the baby, you should immediately place him in warm water to prevent him from getting cold. Support the baby's head with one hand while using the other hand to place him in the water. Start by placing his feet in first, and as you do so, say some encouraging words to him while gently placing the other parts of his body into the water.
5. Cleaning Order:Similar to sponge bathing, a tub bath should also follow a top-to-bottom order, starting with the face, then the head, and finally cleaning the other parts of the body.
6. Always pay attention to keeping warm:You need to continuously splash warm water on the parts of his body that are exposed above the water.
7. Give the baby time to play with water:If the baby particularly enjoys bathing, you can give him a little more time to play with the water. The more the baby enjoys bathing, the less he will fear water. Bathing is a very relaxing experience for the baby, and unless the baby is very resistant, do not rush to end the bathing process. However, be sure to maintain a relatively constant water temperature.
8. Apply moisturizer:After bathing, dry the baby and apply baby moisturizer.
1. Do not bathe when hungry
When the baby is hungry, the body's instinctive self-protection leads to a reduced blood circulation on the surface of the body. Bathing the baby at this time may cause insufficient blood flow to the brain, leading to dizziness or even fainting.
2. Do not bathe within half an hour after eating
Immediately after eating, blood circulation in the body is concentrated in the digestive system. If you bathe at this time, the digestive system may not function well, potentially leading to symptoms like bloating or vomiting. Therefore, it is best to wait half an hour after the baby has eaten, play with him for a while, and then bathe.
3. Do not bathe when there are severe skin injuries
It is not recommended to bathe the baby when there are wounds or significant skin damage, to avoid contaminating the wounds and affecting healing after soaking in water. If the wounds are not large, bathing is possible with external dressings and waterproof coverings to protect the wounds, but be careful to avoid rubbing the wound area.
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