Published January 16, 2012 | 
Whether you are purchasing disposable washcloths for travel or personal care usage, you need to consider certain aspects. For example; using mild scented products give a refreshing effect during the travel. While buying disposable washcloths for babies or facial skin care, opt for the ones that are not treated with perfumes. Mentioned below are some helpful tips, which you can consider at the time of buying disposable washcloths:
- The first and foremost thing, in this case, is to check the packaging of the disposable washcloths. If available, choose for products that come in pop-up boxes, so that you can dispense it single-handed and avoid soiling of the remaining washcloths.
- As the name signifies, disposable washcloths are neither easy to flush nor are they reusable. Nevertheless, there are a few vendors that supply flushable wipes. You can select those brands according to your personal requirements.
- If you are allergic to perfume, choose non-scented washcloths. The same factor should be considered while buying washcloths for babies and elderly individuals. They are also good for wiping face and other sensitive areas of the body.
- In case you are looking forward for general invalid bathing, select disposable washcloths with soap. Most of the products are soap-free dry cloths, while a few products are formulated with mild soap.
Best Disposable Washcloths Brands
The major advantage with using disposable washcloths is reduced risk of contamination. This is of utmost importance, when you are not in a situation to take bath or wash hands regularly. You can find a plethora of disposable washcloth brands in the market, differing in product quality and quantity. The best disposable washcloths need not be pricey. As far as they meet your requirements, you can purchase affordable products. Few of the best brands of disposable washcloths are highlighted below:
Huggies Disposable Washcloths
Be it baby diapers or dry washcloths, Huggies is a reputable brand that provides impressive products. Huggies disposable washcloths are easy and convenient to use; just wet them, wipe down baby and dispose off the cloths. Many people find the fragrance a tad strong for babies. Being a trusted brand name, their products are expensive (about USD 3.99-4.5 for 20 pieces) as compared to other regular brands.
Johnson and Johnson Disposable Washcloths
These are clinically proven, extra soft washcloths, which you can use for a newborn baby. They are free of soaps and dyes, making them ideal for baby’s skin and hair. As expected, they are costlier than other brands. But, the quality, extra softness and convenience of using them are worth paying the cost (about USD 4.49 for 10 cloths).
Published January 16, 2012 | 
Clean the Area Without Water
After the delivery, in the first hour, the cord is cleaned by an antiseptic at the hospital in order to avoid infections. Also, it’s important for the parents to remember that the clamp should be removed by the doctors at the hospital. After discharge, the pediatrician will suggest cleaning the area with alcohol at least 2-3 times in a day so as to fasten the healing process. It is also important to keep the diapers tied below the navel area and let the area be exposed to air. It is best to change soiled diapers immediately so as to avoid leaks, which might affect the navel area. If at all the stump looks dirty, then wipe it gently with a mild soapy, cotton washcloth and then let it dry. Avoid using lotions and powders near the navel area. During this time, it’s most important to stick to sponge baths.
Use Loose Fitting Clothes
Even though you might be tempted to try on those beautiful fitting clothes on your little prized possession, it is best to use loose clothes. Loose clothes do not stick to the body and allow free air flow to the navel area. Natural drying is what most of the doctor’s recommend so as to enable the cord to fall off faster. So stocking on a lot of undershirts is a better idea till the cord dries off. Also, it’s crucial to wash the clothes before your baby wears as it will be hygienic and comfortable for the sensitive skin.
Signs to Lookout for
Even though you might be tempted to remove that dirty thing sticking off your baby’s navel, resist that temptation as it might lead to an infection. Let it dry on its own and even if it’s hanging, it is best to leave it untouched. It is normal to see some swelling and a little bit of discharge as the cord falls off. The doctor might prescribe a silver nitrate powder. After following the above tips, it’s rare that your baby might get infection, but there are some warning signs which require attention.
- If the stump emits an odorous smell or it releases any foul-smelling fluid, it is necessary to seek the doctor’s help immediately.
- Even if the area around the navel is irritated or the baby is having fever, it becomes a medical emergency to contact your baby’s pediatrician.
- When the stump gets dried, it is normal that it bleeds a little as it will get dried and form a crust over the area. But if the bleeding doesn’t stop after seven minutes, you should contact the pediatrician.
- There might be some minor problems that need to be supervised by your pediatrician. Like, when the cord has fallen off there is swelling, moisture and continuous yellow-green pus around the navel area, which carries a medical term known as ‘umbilical granuloma’. The condition is treated with medicine or stitches might be required.
- Another condition is ‘umbilical hernia’, which is a protruding tissue around the navel area, which is seen after the cord falls off. Here, with the doctor’s regular monitoring, the condition will go away.
Taking care of the newborn’s needs brings in a lot of apprehensions and anxieties, but with proper understanding about these minor but significant details, the parents can overcome these negative emotions with a smile. Even though some people might say that it’s a challenge to take care of your baby, but with your maternal instinct you can avoid all the blunders.
Published January 16, 2012 | 
Every baby is born different. Hence, they have unique habits and each has a different pace of growth and development. While weight gain among newborn babies depends upon a number of factors like gender, race, ethnicity, genetic structure of parents, mother’s health and gestation period of pregnancy, there are statistics of average weight gain for breastfed babies that can help you make the comparison with your baby’s weight. Did you know? Your baby will approximately weigh twice as much as he/she weighed at birth, within 3 to 4 months, and thrice the same weight in the first year. But has your baby also lost weight since birth? You need not be worried because a 5% to 10% weight loss is generally observed in babies within 3 to 4 days of birth. So, are you breastfeeding your baby sufficiently? Mother’s milk has enough nutrients for a newborn, hence, all pediatricians recommend exclusively feeding the child with breast milk for the first six months since birth. As previously mentioned, the weight loss noted among babies within 3 to 4 days of birth should be regained in the next two weeks.
Weight Gain in Breastfeeding Babies: Statistics
- The average weight observed in babies, at birth, is 6 to 9 pounds.
- After 2 weeks of birth, the baby will gain approximately 5 to 8 ounces every week.
- Every month, your baby will show a steady weight gain of 1 to 2 pounds.
- Girls weigh more than boys when they are 4 months old. Average weight of a breastfed baby girl is 13 pounds and that of a baby boy is 12 pounds.
- According to the World Health Organization (WHO), exclusively breastfed babies gain 34.5 g weight per day and 110 to 200 g per week in the first month. In the next 4 months, this figure stands at 18.75 g per day.
- Average weight gain for breastfed babies is at least 100 g per week and 500 g per month in the same time frame. Later, the weight gain may drop to 80 g per week.
- Average weight gain for breastfed babies between 6 to 12 months since birth is a pound a month.
- A baby is likely to grow an inch a month in the first 6 months and half an inch each month, in the next 6 months.
- A sick baby needs up to 3 weeks to recover the weight loss.
- Extra fluid retention during pregnancy due to IV fluids can lead to a heavier baby at birth. However, your baby will lose all the extra water weight in the first 72 hours of birth, leading to a weight loss.
Factors Affecting Weight Gain in Breastfed Babies
Did you know? All babies have different metabolism rates inherited from their parents. This is evident in their body shapes. Longer babies burn calories faster than the plumper or wider ones. If your baby is apple-shaped or pear-shaped, he/she will show more weight gain that increase in height in the infant years. The weight of a baby is not necessarily an indicator of fat deposits. It may be water retention as well, especially post breastfeeding and before bowel movements occur. Sleeping with your baby at night will provide him an unrestricted access to nursing at night and will grow a lot faster. If you feed your baby on schedule, he will show a slower rate of growth. The more active your baby is, the leaner he will be irrespective of regular and ample breastfeeding. However, a lazy baby will gain weight faster. Another interesting fact is, breastfed babies learn to regulate their own milk intake according to their appetite. If your baby shows slower than usual growth in one week but is hale and hearty, he/she will make up for it by faster growth in the next week.
Your baby may be growing bigger slowly, that is, they show very less weight gain but it is always steady. Even if your baby’s weight gain patterns do not resemble these above statistics but he/she shows good skin elasticity, activeness, clear urine, has 5 to 6 wet diapers and 3 to 4 dirty diapers (good bowel movements), your baby is in perfect health. Most charts for average birth weight in babies show statistics for formula fed babies. Your breastfed baby will show different weight gain patterns. Hence, do not be misled and make sure your pediatrician provides the new growth chart for breastfed babies issued by WHO. Also, while measuring your breastfed baby’s weight gain, compare it to the lowest weight measured which need not be the birth weight of your baby.