Helpful baby maintenance tips

Having a baby is really one of the best times in your life. It’s also new, exciting and nerve wracking. Bringing home this new little being is a new adventure full of trying new things, loss of sleep and so much love and happiness.

My boys are growing up way too fast, but I find it amazing how their baby years feel like they were just yesterday. I’m so glad the memories of them as babies has stayed fresh in my mind over the years, because before long they will be out of the house and I will be missing them as I’m sure most moms do when their kids grow up.

Not only do you have to feed, clothe and protect your new baby, but you also have to find the best ways that work for you and your little one when it comes to nail clipping, hair washing and bath time.

Clipping your baby’s nails

I think cutting or trimming my boys nails when they were little, was one of the most terrifying moments for me. Their little hands, tiny fingers and even tinier nails makes the job of nail cutting serious business, but it’s definitely a must.

Their little nails are paper thin, but they are so sharp, and sometimes that leads to them accidentally scratching their face. I always felt bad when my boys scratched themselves, it must hurt, so I always made sure to keep their nails nice and short by trimming them twice a week.

The best time to cut your babies nails is of course when they are sleeping. They are calm and you won’t have to worry so much about them moving and risking cutting them. You still want to hold their fingers firmly and gently follow the curve of the nail as you trim. An alternative is to trim straight across the nail and then use an emery board to smooth out the edges.

You can either use nail clippers designed for a baby’s small hands and delicate nails, or you can use baby nail scissors. They often come together in a handy baby grooming kit like this Safety 1st 10-Piece Complete Grooming Kit. In this kit you get both the scissors and nail clippers as well as emery boards, a hair brush and comb, and it stores easily in a convenient travel case.

Bath time tips

I was lucky in that both my boys loved the bath, and I found it to be the perfect way to get them sleepy before bed. I also always looked for natural baby products to wash their delicate skin.

Both of my boys were on the smaller side at birth, so for the first few months I used a bath like this Summer Infant Newborn-to-Toddler Bath Center & Shower. The size of it is perfect, and with the bath sling included you don’t have to worry about your baby sliding around a huge bathtub. It’s always the best idea to test the bath water with the inside of your wrist to make sure it’s just the right temperature for your little ones delicate skin.

Washing a baby’s hair is a delicate matter. Newborns up to 6 months don’t really need their hair washed more than twice a week. After 6 months it usually becomes more frequent, and mostly due to the fact that your baby is probably trying new foods and they will often end up wearing more food than eating it.

To wash your baby’s hair, gently wet their hair and scalp with a washcloth or bath mitt. Then add some baby shampoo to the cloth instead of directly to their scalp, and softly massage the scalp. Give the cloth or mitt a rinse, and then rinse away the shampoo from your baby’s scalp with the clean cloth or mitt. I usually washed my boy’s hair last so I could then take them out and wrap them snug in their towel before they got too cold.

I always say raising kids doesn’t really get easier as they get older, things just change but there are still challenges. I just take each day and love every moment for what it is. I loved cutting their nails as they slept and watching their happy faces as they splashed in the tub.

To find some great bath time and baby grooming accessories check out bestbuy.ca.

Main image @www.amazing-babies.com.