Safe Baby Handling Tips: 8 Things You Should Never Do to a Newborn

Updated on Jun 06, 2022

Avoid Touching Your Baby With Unwashed Hands:

As touching is probably the most common way of spreading a disease to a baby, make sure to wash your nasty, germ-coated hands for at least 30 seconds with a good antibacterial soap and lukewarm water before you hold your little one. The simple act of hand-washing will definitely protect your newborn against invisible pathogens and viruses, making him less vulnerable to catching several diseases caused by unhygienic conditions.

Never Let Anyone Kiss Your Little One:

While it could be difficult for someone to not cuddle and kiss your adorable newborn, you should not let anyone do the same at least for a couple of weeks - even if they appear to be perfectly healthy. Before you allow someone to do so, think of all the bacteria and germs that your infant may get exposed to through kissing. Don’t forget that your baby is not yet strong enough to fight with those dreadful microbes.

Don't Clean Baby's Nose With Your Finger:

Don't ever try to insert your finger into those little nostrils to clean the blocked nose. Instead, use a bulb syringe or nasal aspirator to suck up the mucus from your infant’s nose. Using a tissue or finger will do nothing except push the mucus further up the nose and make your little one feel uncomfortable. For an easier and better nose cleaning experience, put one drop of pediatric nasal liquid on each nostril first.

Don't Shake or Throw Your Baby Up in the Air:

Do you often throw your little one up and down in the air? If yes, stop doing that from right now! It could be very dangerous even if your newborn doesn’t fall out of your arms. As an infant has a heavy head with very weak neck muscles, throwing him up in the air causes his brain to rotate uncontrollably, which can lead to various health problems like blindness, learning problems, brain damage, and sometimes even death. Also, never shake your baby to get him to stop crying.

Don’t Leave Dirty Diapers on Too Long:

When it comes to your infant’s hygiene, changing the diapers at regular intervals is something that you should never forget - no matter how busy you’re. Letting your newborn soak in a soiled, heavy and wet diaper for too long can make him susceptible to a diverse range of skin problems like psoriasis, rashes, irritations, and eczema. So check your baby’s diaper every two to three hours and change it, if required.

Don't Forget to Trim Your Baby's Nails:

Needless to say that your baby's teeny-tiny, sharp, enlarged nails are a home to different types of nasty bacteria, fungus, and yeast. Not only they maximize germs' chances of entering the baby’s body through sucking, but also they put your child at the risk of getting scratches on his cute face. Hence, always try to keep your infant’s nails well-trimmed and clean. According to experts, the best time to cut a newborn’s nails is when he is asleep after a bath.

Don't Neglect Oral Health:

Regardless of whether or not your child's teeth have begun to come through, don’t forget to cleanse your baby's mouth after each feeding. Once the feeding session is over, take a wet washcloth or gauze pad and gently rub it over your baby’s gums. This will wipe away all the vicious bacteria presented your child’s mouth. Remember, a baby’s oral health begins at birth and you don’t have to wait for the baby's first tooth to come in to maintain oral hygiene!

Never Ever Leave Your Child Unattended:

No matter what the reason is, never leave your little one alone or unattended - even for a minute. Accidents can happen anytime, especially when your child is alone in the bathtub, crawling alone on high furniture like changing tables, beds, sofas, and chairs, or is unattended when picking up objects from the floor and putting them into the mouth. To be on the safe side, always keep sharp, breakable and other dangerous objects out of your baby's reach.

Safe Baby Handling Tips: 8 Things You Should Never Do to an Infant