Care of the Nose, Eyes, Ears and the fingernails

It is important to keep the new born baby clean. It is still more important to keep the eyes, nose and ears clean as any these organs are more prone to infection. Nose must be kept clean. Else, a blocked nose may cause undue crying and breathing difficulty. Avoid poking cotton wool plugs into the nose. Not infrequently I have seen little babies brought for “crying to death” and a peep into the nostrils reveals a tiny cotton piece plugging the air passage. So, remember, good “mothering” also includes attention to such small things. The ears and eyes should be cleaned at every bath. Do not get into the habit of pouring warm oil into his ear canals. You will only be boosting accumulation of more wax rather than getting rid of it. Also when you can clean his eyes, see that you move the cotton swab or the edge of the towel from the corner, close to the nose towards the outer side. Do not put kajal, surma or eye liner in the baby’s eyes. You need to attend to your baby’s fingernails as carefully as yours. Keep them short; they may require cutting every 3 or 4 days. Else he may have ulcers in his mouth and sores over the skin.