Newborn care:
There are many customs and traditions in the Tunisian heritage that concern the ways of caring for the newborn, some of which are positive and some are negative.
Baby skin:
The skin is not only important in maintaining the internal organs of the human being, but it is a very important organ for the human being, especially the infant.
The thickness of the skin is considered very important compared to the size of the child, and the skin of the head and face for the child represents an average of 50 percent of the skin that covers his entire body, and the child’s skin must be taken care of from head to toe. His mother's womb contains fatty substances.
The role of this shell lies in protecting the child from water at birth, so it is protected in a natural way since it was in its mother’s womb. Immediately at birth, the infant is washed to remove the white shell while providing the necessary protection for the skin to perform its necessary functions.
Skin functions:
Human skin contributes to breathing and helps exposure to the external environment to achieve balance at the level of body temperature. And when the body feels a rise in temperature, it sweats to reduce the rate of calories inside it to achieve the balance of its internal temperature.
When feeling cold, the thickness of the skin pores shrinks and shrinks to reduce the rate of heat exchange between the body and the external environment to maintain the internal temperature rate, which results in a decrease in the blood circulation rate and the appearance of blue traces on the level of the skin for the infant, and this stage (blue-colored skin) should be avoided ) and maintaining a body temperature balance of 37 degrees, not less than 36.5 and not exceeding 37.5.
The type of clothing to be worn:
Most mothers depend on the seasons to thicken or lighten the clothes, but due to the turmoil of the weather, the quality of the clothes cannot be maintained until the end of the season, so it is necessary to adapt to the heat to protect the infant from coldness and sweating.
The infant's condition can be assessed if it is sweaty or cold by touching the face and limbs. And achieving adaptation between the child's body temperature and the external environment will enable this balance on the level of the infant's body temperature to breathe smoothly and grow better.
The skin is naturally covered with a fatty substance that represents the first protective wall of the skin. This material protects from contact with germs and all harmful substances in the environment.
The necessity of cleaning the infant’s skin:
The infant's skin must be cleaned regularly to protect it from the accumulation of germs, dust and chemicals that may harm it. What must be prevented is that the navel reaches the stage of putrefaction, which is a dangerous stage because it is connected to a group of veins connected to the inside of the body and arteries. Navel rot can damage the heart or liver and the body in general, so the infant’s body must be as clean as possible.
The doctor usually gives the new baby a set of medicines whose main objective is to dry the navel and protect it to ensure its recovery in the best conditions and as soon as possible, and its recovery period generally does not exceed between 5 and 10 days.
How to bathe a new baby:
The room designated for bathing the infant must have a moderate temperature of approximately 22 degrees, and the door and window of the room must be closed to avoid the entry of cold air and harm its health. All bathing and post-bathing necessities must be prepared, such as clothes, towels, and bathing materials, to avoid the child staying as exposed as possible for as long as possible. for air.
Washing should be good without excessive use of bathing materials, with the removal of all dirt accumulated over the creamy crust of the infant without harming the skin, by not using materials intended for bathing adults, and not using chemicals that may harm the infant’s skin and its characteristics, and up to the limits of one and a half or two years of the child’s age, it must Use special materials to clean it, and stay away from cleaning materials that contain alcohol and potash.
The child can be bathed at a rate of once a day, if possible, or at least twice a week, and the nails trimmed whenever necessary to avoid the child harming himself because he does not control his hands, and cleaning the nose when it is necessary without negligence. Cleaning is done when the child is not able to breathe well.
There is a connection between the nose, eyes, and throat, and the nose and eyes can be cleaned with the same “physiologic” substance. When this does not work, a doctor should be consulted. Excessive washing also disturbs the balance of the body and the parasitic microbes that are naturally present in the infant and which protect the skin. In it, it gives way to exterminating germs and chemical substances to harm the child.
Conditions for bathing an infant:
All necessities must be available, the bathtub must be filled with warm water, and its temperature should be measured with a thermometer or the elbow of the hand, because the elbow carries sensitive skin that is able to sense the water, whether it is cold or warm, and the entire body of the infant must be washed with the same substance.
Some liquid substances can be used, after drying the infant's body, to help replenish the fatty substances in the skin. It is better to bathe him in the evening or at night, as he feels great comfort when sleeping.
Cleaning the entire body contributes to protecting the infant from the growth of dandruff at the level of the head and infections, and avoiding the use of cotton swabs to clean the ear because it pushes dirt into the interior. They use these medicines more often than children with dry skin.
Disinfectant wipes should be avoided as much as possible, and warm water (ablution) should be used to clean the infant when defecation and drying as much as possible. Drying is also necessary to avoid vomiting and inflammation in infants, as this condition stresses the infant and makes him unable to sleep, eat and cry a lot.
Some types of oils can be used to massage the baby's body, as the result will be a feeling of comfort and relaxation. These oils also restore fatty substances to the skin (olive oil is recommended, but not in the first days of birth).
