How best to care, wash and protect newborn baby's skin

What is different about a newborn baby's skin and adult skin?

We may not have given much thought to how different a baby’s skin is from an adult’s skin until we have our own children. Surprisingly there are quite a few ways that baby’s skin differs to an adult’s skin, which means it needs different, and more gentle care than an adult’s skin.

The skin of a baby born at full term is approximately 30% thinner than that of an adult and gradually thickens up to the age of two to three years. In premature babies the skin is even thinner still as it has not had sufficient time to mature in the womb. Because it is thinner, newborn skin absorbs sunlight, chemicals, water, bacteria and other substances much more readily than adult skin. Along with easy passage of water out of the skin, and low levels of natural moisturising factors, their skin is more prone to damage, dryness and infection.

Because it is thinner, newborn skin absorbs sunlight, chemicals, water, bacteria and other substances much more readily than adult skin.

At birth our skin has a neutral pH which over the first weeks of life becomes more acidic. It is this acidity that provides added protection against potentially harmful substances. In addition, skin flora and a baby’s microbiome start to develop from birth and will continue to do so until the age of two to three years.

What is the microbiome?

The skin microbiome comprises of a collection of skin flora including bacteria, fungi and viruses. It helps to form a person’s defence against infections and diseases that they will encounter throughout their lives, particularly ones they are likely to encounter in their own locality or environment. Everyone’s skin microbiome is very individual to them in the same way that a fingerprint is. It’s made of trillions of bacteria, viruses and fungi on our skin and in many other parts of the body including gut and the reproductive tract. Different microbes inhabit different parts of the body and have their own specific functions and it is responsible for supporting our immune systems.

Natural protection: Vernix and skin-to-skin

Newborns are often born with a coating of a waxy substance called vernix which is packed full of fats, proteins and moisturising factors. It protects against infection, regulates baby’s temperature, reduces water loss, hydrates the skin, helps to develop the pH and prevents damage and dryness. It is important to allow the vernix to wear off naturally rather than washing or drying it off.

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Skin-to-skin contact is often associated with those moments immediately after baby has been born, but a baby can benefit enormously from skin-to-skin contact being built into their daily routine too.

Skin-to-skin contact at birth is important to allow maternal skin microbes to be transferred to baby and the more skin-to-skin that takes place the greater the transfer – in addition skin-to-skin contact helps regulate both mum and baby’s heart rates, regulates baby’s temperature, increases the production of the hormone oxytocin which helps mum and baby bonding and encourages baby to breastfeed.

Skin-to-skin contact is often associated with those moments immediately after baby has been born, but a baby can benefit enormously from skin-to-skin contact being built into their daily routine too. Regular, daily skin-to-skin contact with baby from their parents (and siblings) can help support their developing skin flora, helping them to create their own unique microbiome from the people and environment around them.

What if I can’t do skin-to-skin straight away?

Sometimes after a more complicated labour and birth women may not feel physically or emotionally able to have immediate skin-to-skin. If this is the case, birth partners can do the job - even if your baby is born in the operating theatre. Just tell the midwife caring for you so she is able to help facilitate skin-to-skin contact with your partner if you are unable to for any reason.

How often should I wash my newborn?

Newborn babies do not need bathing in the first few days, a simple top and tail wash is enough.
In the first few weeks try not to bath them more than 2-3 times a week unless visibly dirty. This is because their skin is much thinner than that of an adult, is more prone to dryness and their developing skin flora and microbiome may be disturbed.
Top and tailing is a perfect opportunity to keep baby clean, whilst connecting with them and keeping them warm. It helps to introduce them to water without feeling overwhelmed and does not need any specialist equipment - just room temperature water in a bowl or sink, some cotton wool, or a soft cloth to get into all their skin creases, and a nice warm, soft towel to keep them swaddled and to dry them off gently.

What products (if any) should I use on my newborn’s skin?

Water alone is fine for bathing a baby but if you do want to use products or feel as though their skin needs cleansing, avoid products that contain harsh surfactants such as sodium lauryl sulphate which can strip natural moisturising oils from the skin, causing irritation.
Look out for soap-free products that are specially formulated for newborn skin. Have a close look at labels and ingredients and avoid products containing parabens, synthetic perfumes or colourants.
A baby’s skin dries out more quickly than an adults, so after washing, even with water alone, a gentle and fragrance-free moisturiser should be used to support their delicate skin.

How should I clean my baby as it grows older?

Many parents find that they can use bath time to soothe and settle older babies as part of their bedtime routine as they start to enjoy baths more, so bathing more often may suit your baby. Other people might bath their baby once or twice a week with topping and tailing in-between.

Protecting and maintaining their skin integrity remains important to their physical and mental well-being and their skin is still thinner than an adult’s up to around two years of age.

When toddlers become more mobile, and self-feeding, they tend to get dirtier and need more cleaning. However, as their delicate skin microbiome continues to develop up until they are about three years of age, caution should still be taken if using cleansing products. Protecting and maintaining their skin integrity remains important to their physical and mental well-being and their skin is still thinner than an adult’s up to around two years of age.

How to care for a newborn baby skin

To help new parents give their baby’s skin the best start in life, midwives at My Expert Midwife have created seven essential steps to expertly care for your baby’s skin:

Prepare to have skin-to-skin contact with your baby at birth by writing this in your birth plan
Have skin-to-skin straight after the birth to encourage their skin flora and microbiome to develop (your partner can do this too)
The first few days – use a bowl of water to clean your baby’s face and bottom (top and tail)
The first few weeks – bath your baby a maximum of 2-3 times a week unless visibly dirty
Always use the mildest products and moisturise after bathing to keep skin healthy and hydrated
Protect your baby’s skin by having skin-to-skin contact daily as often as possible
After three months you can start to use carefully selected essential oil blends to settle and soothe your baby

> See the new baby skincare products from My Expert Midwife here. The collection includes washes, salves, balms and milks.

(Images: Getty Images)