What to Look For When Drying a Newborn Baby

Medical Video: At Home with Your Newborn | Skin Conditions

Mothers usually hang their newborn babies every morning in front of the house to be exposed to direct sunlight. Drying a newborn baby aims to help the growth of the baby's bones. Morning sunshine contains vitamin D which is good for the formation of baby bones so that newborns can meet their vitamin D needs.

In addition to bone growth, mothers who dry their babies also aim to treat jaundice (jaundice) or a rash on the baby's skin due to the use of diapers. However, this is actually not recommended. Jaundice should be treated by following medical advice. For skin rashes because of the use of diapers it is recommended to change baby diapers more often.

Do you need to hang a newborn baby?

Vitamin D is needed by the body to help absorb calcium and phosphorus from food. Both of these minerals are important for the growth of bones and teeth. Vitamin D deficiency can cause bones to become soft and weak, and can lead to bone deformities (ricketsia). Fulfilled vitamin D needs can protect babies from the risk of osteoporosis, high blood pressure, several autoimmune diseases, and cancer when the baby is growing up.

The best way to get vitamin D is to be exposed to direct sunlight. Babies need to be exposed to low levels of ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation from the sun to be able to produce vitamin D. The body produces most of the vitamin D from sunlight that hits the skin. Drying the baby in direct sunlight is important because the body needs vitamin D from the sun for bone formation.

However, too much exposure to sunlight can also cause the baby's skin to burn, and can even cause skin cancer (such as melanoma) and other cancers in old age. Therefore, mothers must pay attention to how to dry the right baby so that the baby gets enough sunlight for bone growth instead of getting burned skin or a more serious illness due to sunlight.

How long should you dry your baby?

How long does the baby's skin turn red and burn because it is exposed to sunlight differently between individuals. Short time in the sun, around 10-15 minutes is enough for babies with bright skin to get vitamin D, and for darker skinned babies more time is needed in the sun to produce the same amount of vitamin D. When drying the baby, the baby's skin should not be given sunscreen protection because exposure to direct sunlight about the baby's skin is needed by the baby. After all, baby's skin aged 0-6 months is still too sensitive to use sunscreen. Drying the baby at least ten minutes every day is very necessary to meet the needs of vitamin D in infants.

What should be considered when drying the baby?

Sun exposure can provide benefits as well as can harm baby's skin. Exposure to sunlight for too long can make baby's skin burn. Baby's burning skin can cause pain, fever, and dehydration in babies. In addition, it can also increase the risk of melanoma (the most deadly type of skin cancer) and later wrinkles.

Some things that must be considered when drying a baby are:

Time. The time to dry the baby should be under 10am and above 4pm. The strongest sunlight occurs between 10am and 4pm.
Duration. It's best to dry the baby not too long, which is enough 10-15 minutes per day. Too long drying the baby in direct sunlight can harm the baby.
Clothes. Wear enough clothes when drying the baby. It is best not to remove all baby clothes because newborns are more susceptible to diseases, such as colds.
The place. We recommend that you dry the baby in a place that is exposed to direct sunlight. Drying the baby behind the glass of the house does not affect the baby's skin because the ultraviolet light from the sun needed for the production of vitamin D in the skin does not penetrate the glass.
Protector. We recommend using headgear, such as hats and small glasses for babies. Do not allow direct sunlight on the baby's head, face and eyes. Sunlight can affect the retina of the eye in infants.
Sunscreen. Babies aged 0-6 months are not recommended to wear sunscreen because their skin is still sensitive. If your baby is over 6 months old and you want to put sunscreen on your baby before traveling outside, you should choose a sunscreen with a minimum of SPF 15 and apply it to your baby 15-20 minutes before going out.

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