Eyes, ears and nose: the safe way to clean a baby, and what to never put in

Eyes

Cleaning is simple: a cotton ball or soft cloth moistened with plain clean water, wiped once from the inner corner outward, a fresh swab for the other eye. Once a day and whenever crusted. That is the entire routine.

Sticky or watery eyes in the early months are common and usually a blocked tear duct — the tiny drainage channel has not opened yet. Most clear by the first birthday. Your doctor may show you a gentle massage over the inner corner; do that rather than home remedies, and clean the discharge away as above.

Never put kajal, surma, breastmilk, honey, rosewater or any oil in a baby's eyes. Kajal is the big one: it is applied to nearly every Indian newborn, many preparations still contain lead, and it causes irritation, watering and infection. The nazar mark, if the family wants one, belongs on the cheek or behind the ear.

Ears

Clean only what you can see: wipe the outer ear and behind it with a damp cloth. Nothing goes inside the ear canal — no cotton buds, no cloth-wrapped fingers, no ear candles. Wax is protective, moves out by itself, and pushing at it causes impaction and injury.

No oil in the ears. Warm oil is a traditional standby for babies and for ear pain, and it is not recommended: it can cause infection, and if the eardrum happens to be perforated it does real harm. Ear pain gets a doctor, not a bottle of oil.

Watch for hearing: newborns should startle at loud sounds, and by three to four months turn toward voices. India runs newborn hearing screening in many hospitals — if it was not done, or if your baby does not respond to sound, ask for a test rather than waiting to see.

Nose

Babies breathe mainly through the nose, so a blocked one interferes with feeding and sleep. The safe tool is saline drops: two drops in each nostril, wait a moment, then gently suction with a bulb syringe if the baby is really congested, or simply let the baby sneeze it out — which they will.

Nothing else goes in. No oil drops, no cotton buds pushed inside, no breastmilk instilled, no adult decongestant drops. Vapour rubs and balms are not for babies' noses — check the label age, and never apply near a small baby's nostrils.

A little steam humidity in the room helps a congested baby, but keep the baby far from hot water containers. Feeding little and often works better than fighting a blocked nose through one long feed.

When to see a doctor

Eyes, same-day: redness of the white of the eye with swelling of the lids, thick pus, eyes glued shut repeatedly, sensitivity to light, cloudiness of the black of the eye, an eye injury, a white reflection in photographs instead of red-eye, or any eye problem in a baby under one month.

Ears, same-day: ear pain (a baby will pull at the ear, cry inconsolably, and often have fever), any discharge or blood from the ear, swelling or redness behind the ear, or hearing that seems suddenly reduced after an illness. Never treat suspected ear infection at home — it needs an examination.

Nose, same-day: any breathing difficulty, a foreign object pushed up a nostril (very common in toddlers — do not try to dig it out yourself), a nosebleed that will not stop with ten minutes of pinching, or a persistent one-sided smelly discharge, which usually means something is in there.

This article is general information, not medical advice, and is no substitute for personal medical advice. For any decision about your or your child's health, please consult your doctor.

Frequently asked questions