Baby Care & Routines
Bath & Massage
In the beginning, for the first 25 days, we gave her a bath only once a day, in the morning. We would start with an oil massage using coconut oil, and since we had a lady helping us, she did it in the early days. The massage was very gentle, just applying oil evenly and softly massaging the face, hair, hands, legs, and the whole body. After that, we would wait around 15 to 20 minutes before the bath. Then we gave her a hot water bath, making sure the water was comfortable and not too hot. We used Sebamed body wash and shampoo, and we would wash the body and hair properly, then wipe her dry, put on a diaper and clothes, wrap her up, and usually she would sleep after that. After bath, a small advice from me is to avoid powder and kajal, especially kajal around the eyes. If you’re worried about diaper rash, apply a diaper rash cream or a little coconut oil instead.
After 25 days, we started giving her two baths a day, one in the morning and one in the evening around 5 or 5:30. The evening bath was simple, no oil, no hair wash, just a quick body wash. After the evening bath, I would dress her in a full sleeve onesie, feed her, and put her to sleep by around 6:30, at least in the early months. Later the timings changed, but the two baths a day continued. Then after nine months, we shifted to just one bath a day, mostly in the evening.
Clothing & Comfort
For clothing and comfort, we kept it very simple and mostly used soft cotton clothes. In the early months, after her morning bath she usually wore a sleeveless or short sleeve onesie, and we would swaddle her for a little while and then keep her free. During diaper free time, we dressed her in a small cotton top, usually those wrap style baby shirts with press buttons. After the evening bath, she mostly wore full sleeve onesies, and on colder nights we used a sleepsuit. I didn’t use mittens all the time, only sometimes when her nails grew and she might scratch her face, and socks also only when it felt cold. In the first few months it was mostly onesies and bodysuits. Later, for daytime at home we moved to simple t-shirts and shorts, while nights were still mostly onesies or sleepsuits. After around nine months, I shifted her nightwear to pyjamas with a full sleeve top. Once she started walking, after a year, sometimes she wore little frocks too, but mostly we stuck to comfortable cotton clothes that were easy for her to move in.
Diaper Care
For diaper care, we started with taped diapers, and I mostly used Pampers Premium Care, which I personally felt was really good. After we came home from the hospital, we made it a habit to give her diaper free time every afternoon for around two hours. During that time we used cloth nappies or simple cotton cloth, and in the early days we needed a lot because babies pee so often. Slowly we increased the diaper free time to two and a half or even three hours. As she grew, this routine also changed. Around four to five months, we started doing diaper free time after the morning nap all the way until her evening bath. We also slowly started using cloth diapers for sleep, and during awake time we used cloth nappies or cloth underwear. After around six months, at home she mostly wore cloth underwear during the day, and we used cloth diapers mainly for naps. Disposable diapers were mostly for evening after bath and nighttime, and of course whenever we went out. I did this mainly because it kept her more comfortable, and I felt it would also make potty training easier later on.
Baby Cloth Washing
In the beginning, because we were doing diaper free time, we had a lot of clothes getting soiled with pee and sometimes poop. If there was poop, we first washed it off properly, then we soaked the soiled cloths separately, rinsed them well, and dried them in the sun. Other clothes were much easier, we would soak them for a short time, wash lightly, and then put them in the washing machine on a gentle cycle, mostly rinse and spin. When rainy season came and drying took longer, we made sure the soiled cloths were washed really well first, and then used the washing machine mainly for spinning so they would dry faster. From the start I used a baby detergent only. Later, as things became more manageable, I started simplifying the process. The normal clothes could go straight into a gentle wash with baby detergent, and the pee cloths would be soaked, washed, rinsed properly, and then added to the machine with the rest. I started doing this more regularly after around six months. As time went on, it became even easier because poop accidents became rare, and it was mostly just pee cloths, so a good rinse and wash before the machine was enough. My main takeaway is to keep it as simple as possible, otherwise laundry becomes never ending, so choose a routine that feels practical and comfortable for you.
Nail Care
Nail care was something I didn’t expect to be so frequent because baby nails grow really fast. In the beginning, the lady who helped us used a baby nail cutter and she would trim them for us. Later I tried an electric nail trimmer and it was fine, but I made it a point to cut her nails when she was awake, not when she was asleep, so it became normal for her. I feel if we always do these things only when they’re sleeping, later it becomes harder when we have to do it while they’re awake. After some time, what helped me the most was a baby nail scissors from a grooming set with rounded tips. It was small and very easy to use. I would just make her sit on my lap, hold her hand gently, and cut all her nails, and it became a simple routine.
Hygiene Basics
Hygiene is mostly about small things done regularly. Babies have neck folds, so after bath I always made sure to wipe those areas well and keep them dry. For ears, I only cleaned the outer part with a soft towel, nothing inside. For the nose, I used a soft cotton towel, folded it into a small corner, and gently wiped just the little inner part near the opening. I also tried to keep her skin clean and dry, and if it felt dry I used a little coconut oil. After pee or poop, we cleaned her properly with a wet cloth or wipes and kept the private area very clean.
Travel & Outings
Whenever we went out, even if it was just for one or two hours, I always carried a diaper bag. I kept the basics inside like one or two extra clothes, extra diapers, a washcloth, a disposable changing mat, and disposable diaper covers so I could throw used diapers neatly. I also carried one or two small toys, and in the teething phase I always added a teether. I used to keep a small cloth too, just in case I needed to place it on a seat or help her settle for a nap, and sometimes I would carry one or two small books as well. After she turned one, for any outing longer than a few hours, I started carrying her food in a hot box along with hot water, a glass, spoon, and a bib.