Keeping your baby clean and
healthy
Parent Information
The aim of this leaflet is to give you some information on keeping your baby clean and
healthy.
It is important to try and protect your baby from infection as newborn babies easily pick up
germs.
In the unit babies are nursed in incubators. They sometimes have a drip or a tube in their
tummy through the nose or mouth. Lots of different people will handle your baby. It is good
for everyone to follow the same simple rules.
 Always wash and dry your hands before you touch your baby.
 Always wash over your wrists before you touch your baby.
 Use one of the hospital soaps.
 Sterilise everything which goes into the baby’s body.
When babies are using teats or dummies, everything is stored in fresh sterilising fluid to keep
them clean.
In hospital, when they are having their basic care the nursing staff check to make sure the
baby’s eyes are clear and bright. They check the mouth has no spots and the cord is cleaned
regularly until it falls off and the area is clean and dry (usually 7 to 10 days).
During the nappy change, we check the groin and buttocks for spots or rashes and observe
the stools to make sure they look normal. We also make sure the skin looks normal and
smooth because dry or cracked skin can allow infections to get in.
When you take your baby home, it is sensible to take measures to keep them clean and
healthy:
 Wash your baby’s hands, face and nappy change in the morning.
 Bath in the evening to settle for bedtime.
 Always dry skin folds after washing to prevent skin breakdown.
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 Always check nails for ragged edges and trim if too long.
 Keep your baby in a clean pram/cot. Change the sheets once a day in the beginning
when your baby spends most of his/her time in the pram.
 Change your baby’s clothes once a day unless he/she is sick or wets them more often.
 Wash soiled clothes soon after soiling to avoid permanent stains. Wash in a simple
powder to avoid skin reactions.
 Any utensils, teats, bottles should be kept in a sterilising solution which is changed daily.
This needs to be done until your baby is 1 year old.
 Do not expose your baby to family or friends who have colds or flu.
 Avoid if possible children with spots or rashes or recent illness.
 Keep your baby away from smoke filled rooms.
 Ask friends and family to smoke in another room away from your baby.
These precautions will not stop your baby from catching infections but they will allow your
baby time to build up his / her own immunity to infections.
Contact Numbers:
Ninewells Hospital
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Telephone: 01382 633840
Arbroath Infirmary
Maternity Unit
Telephone: 01382 660111
Montrose Infirmary
Maternity Unit
Telephone: 01382 660111
Perth Royal Infirmary
Children’s Ambulatory Care Unit (CACU)
Telephone: 01738 473245
This leaflet has been developed by the Parenthood Education Group and reviewed by senior
Neonatal Staff throughout Secondary Care. Parents helped to develop this leaflet; we hope
you find it useful.
Please contact the nurse in charge of the Neonatal Unit for further advice or information.
Reviewed: 06/2016 Review: 06/2018 LN0119
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