Winter is here, which means your baby needs extra care and attention. Baby skin requires a lot more nourishment during winter, as the temperature drop tends to make the skin dry. Here are some tried tricks that will keep your precious’s skin soft and safe in the old winter.
• Amp up the Abhyanga – Oil Massages – Nourishing the skin with regular oil massages before bath significantly reduces skin dryness and improve skin softness. In the winter you may want to increase oil massage to more than once a day. Selecting oils infused with herbs, such as Marigoldbub’s Massage oil with Bala Root, will help nourish the skin deep while keeping it supple.
• Make bathes less frequent – It is advisable to bathe the baby once in two days with lukewarm water. If that seems a stretch, especially for toddlers that tend to get messy, try a bath every other day. Bathing babies too frequently during the cold and dry winter season can weaken the top layer and strip the moisture off the skin.
• Adjust the use of cleansers – General cleansers often strip off skin’s moisture. During the winter, try using a gentle cleanser infused with the goodness of aloe vera, almond oil and milk, can help prevent post-bath dryness in the baby’s skin and soothe excessively dry skin. If you are up for it, I would recommend a homemade cleanser with 1.5 cups castile soap, 1/4 cup vegetable glycerin, 1-2 tsp almond oil and 1 tsp aloe vera gel.
• Add in extra moisture: Enhancing the bath time routine with post bath moisturizes in addition to pre-bath abhyanga enhances the skin’s wellness by locking in the moisture, which keeps the skin hydrated. Look for lotions and creams that are enriched with natural oils and licorice (Yashtimadhu) or Bala Root to keep the skin supple and nourished.
• Watch for itchy Fabrics: Avoid wrapping your baby in a woolen sweater or blanket directly, as the rough fiber will scratch baby’s sensitive skin, leading to a rash. It’s best to use breathable winter clothing to keep the baby warm.
In addition to above tips, I recommend keeping almond and olive oils, aloe Vera, winter cherry, licorice infused oils, and honey handy; all of these can be used as needed for topical treatments if you see any peeling.
