One
thing that parents are hardly anticipating is cutting
the new baby's itsy bitsy fingernails. Something that
you will want to make sure you have before the baby
is born is a grooming kit or at least
the items that come in one. You absolutely
will need a number of grooming items to take care of
your newborn and infant in the first year.
What
exactly do you need for grooming your baby? Good question,
and thankfully the answer is pretty simple. What you
will need is a soft baby hair brush that you can use
to gently brush your baby's scalp with.
Not only will you be fixing his or her hair, but you
will massaging your baby's scalp which will help with
cradle cap. You will also need a pair of baby nail
clippers, these are similar to regular nail
clippers but significantly smaller. When purchasing
nail clippers stay away from ones that have bright colors
or large props, these will make babies and young children
want to play with them and you do not want your baby
touching sharp nail clippers. Some parents prefer to
use nail scissors, if you choose to
use these then be sure to find some that are designed
for baby-sized fingernails.
It
will be useful to have Q-tips that
are designed for babies so you can clean your baby's
ears carefully. They are also useful for using with
alcohol to clean your newborn's belly button while the
umbilical cord is still healing. Additionally some very
gentle soap can help with bathing your
baby effectively and keeping their hands clean. Since
babies often put their fingers in their mouths it is
ideal for their hands to stay clean. If you have pets
or younger children coming in connect with your baby's
hands, you will likely want to give them a quick wash
with some gentle soap. Never use Purell or other anti-bacterial
hand sanitizer products that contain large alcohol contents
on babies and young children. Children can become severely
ill from licking the substance off of their fingers
and hands.
Finally
when your baby begins eating solids a finger
toothbrush can help you clean your baby's gums
and teeth. Start with just using water and work your
way up to a gentle toothpaste that is safe to swallow
when your baby is closer to a year old and even then
only use a little bit at a time. For more information
on grooming your baby checkout Tips
for Grooming Your Baby and How
to Cut Your Baby's Finger Nails.
Types
of Grooming Accessories
Grooming
Accessories for Baby
There
are some essential grooming items that you will
want for your baby. To clip baby finger and toes
nails you will need either baby nail clippers
or nail scissors. A brush and comb to brush away
cradle cap and baby-safe Q-tips safety swabs to
clean the wax out of your baby's ears are also
essential. Additionally, you will want a gentle
soap to clean your baby with in bath time and
for hand washing and a finger tooth brush to clean
your baby's gums after he or she has started eating
solid foods. Often you can find everything you
need in a baby grooming kit.
Grooming
kits are great to keep in your diaper bag because
then if you are away from home you will have
everything you might need for grooming your
baby. Plus they make keeping all of your baby's
grooming needs in one place a lot easier and
help buying everything you need in the first
place a lot easier.