Tips to Keep Your Baby's Skin Healthy

Being a parent can be scary. Although it may seem like you spend 23 hours out of every day, unsure of yourself and wondering if you are doing things the “right way.” All of your friends who are also parents have their own opinions about diet and lifestyle choices. Your mother-in-law questions your sleep training methods. You may even find yourself searching the internet late at night, wondering if that color of poop is healthy for your little one. 

There are plenty of nuances to worry about when parenting. Questioning if your routine is doing any harm to your new bundle of joy shouldn’t be one of them. Pre-parent routines may have been scattered, but there are ways to clean it up and make your life and your baby’s, a lot more care-free. Leaving more room for playtime, milestones like their first word, and the joy he or she brings to your world. 

We’ve gathered a handful of simple switches that may have worked pre-baby but are easy enough to adjust to keep your little one’s skin happy and healthy.

1. Try not to overdo bathtime.

For most of us adults, jumping in the shower is a part of our daily routine, but did you know that shouldn’t be a part of your baby’s? Instinctually, we want to do everything we can to make sure our babies are happy and clean each day. However, most doctors suggest bathing an infant two to three times per week at the most. 

A baby’s skin can dry out extremely quickly. Their new skin is full of natural moisturizing oils that keep their skin supple and soft, but these oils also protect them from infections and other skin irritants. Stick with your pediatrician’s recommendation on bathing frequency. A key component is to ensure the bath products used are free of dyes, harsh cleansers, added toxins, and fragrances. This will help maintain a healthy oil production keeping your baby’s skin healthy as they grow. 

If you’re looking for the perfect shampoo and body wash combo equipped for your baby’s skin, our favorite is Nurture My Body’s All Natural, Fragrance-Free Baby Shampoo and Body Wash. 

Rockin’ Tip: Daily cleaning of the diaper area should be gently yet thoroughly washed with every diaper change to avoid irritations and infections.

2. Switch to toxin-free household cleaning products.

As adults leading busy lives, we tend to pick up any old detergent off the shelf while we’re doing our grocery shopping. We grab the convenient dishwashing pods that are on sale. We even toss in some easy-to-use disinfectant wipes. The problem with the majority of these traditional cleaning products is the plethora of added chemicals and toxins. This just won’t cut it when it comes to a baby’s sensitive skin.

While we may believe these chemicals haven’t been affecting us, research begs to differ. Our little ones are even more susceptible to enduring health-ridden consequences if exposed to these chemicals frequently. When shopping for your everyday products, opt for brands using all-natural ingredients and environmentally-sound formulas. What to look for in high-quality, baby-approved laundry detergent? 

• Clean-rinsing agents
• All-natural ingredients
• SLS/SLES free
• Free of Phosphates, parabens, & artificial fragrances
• Biodegradable surfactant 
• Plant-based enzymes

When switching to clean laundry detergent and other household cleaners, you don’t have to break the bank. Rockin’ Green laundry detergents check all the safe-for-everyone boxes and are more cost-efficient than conventional detergents.

3. Leave those blemishes alone.

It’s not just angsty teens in prime-time dramas who deal with acne. Baby acne is actually quite common. In fact, more than 40% of infants will deal with these skin blemishes. It may be aesthetically unappealing, but the majority of the time, the acne is harmless and eventually clears up on its own. 

Using any kind of topical treatment intended for teens or adults can be extremely harmful to your baby’s sensitive skin. Never attempt to “pop” any of these pimples, nor should you try any exfoliants. Most doctors recommend simply keeping the area clean with warm water twice a day.

4. Ditch the candles & room sprays by switching to healthier alternatives.

There are a couple of major baby-safety components intertwined with this tip. We all love the ambiance a candle can bring to the room, and the scent is even more satisfying. However, the exposed flame emits toxins, causing potential harm because these artificially-scented candles are silently filling your air. 

The Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology recently published a study revealing that they found toxic contaminants such as lead and pesticides frequently in household dust. The journal suggests cleaning up the cloud of toxins present in your house by switching to all-natural products, including ditching those candles and air fresheners. Consider trimming some fresh, sweet-smelling flowers or plugin a diffuser to enjoy natural essential oils aromatically. 

Rockin’ Tip: Diffusing Lavender oil is a wonderful way to keep everyone calm, relaxed, and free of any chemical exposure.

Keep your baby's garments stink-free without every compromising their healthiness.