Protect Your Newborn During Monsoons With These Babycare Tips

To protect infants under the age of 2 months from mosquitoes and other insects, it is advised to only use protective clothing and bed nets.

After the oppressive Indian summer, the monsoons bring relief, but it also brings an increase in mosquito-borne diseases like dengue, malaria, and chikungunya fever. Furthermore, excess moisture in the air, clothes and walls creates ample opportunities for bacteria and fungi to grow. It is crucial to be vigilant towards proper hygienic care and preventing mosquito bites during this season. Children and infants are particularly at risk since kids play outside and infants cannot fend off insects on their own.

It is crucial to establish a routine to protect your newborn from mosquito-borne illnesses as well as ensure cleanliness, but keeping up with these requirements and ensuring that your child is raised in a safe environment can be challenging. Prevention methods like coils and aerosol bug sprays may be effective in warding off mosquitoes but can create further health complications for your little one. To effectively protect your newborn during the monsoons, Mylo recommends following these preventive measures.

To protect infants under the age of 2 months from mosquitoes and other insects, it is advised to only use protective clothing and bed nets.

Proper clothing

It’s important to dress your baby in loose cotton clothing that covers their arms and legs to keep mosquitoes at bay, but still allows for air exposure to the skin during the humid monsoon month. Ensure that your baby’s clothes have dried properly before dressing them. Damp clothing could lead to bacterial or fungal infections on the skin.

Using Mosquito Repellants made with Natural Ingredients

Mosquito repellants work wonders towards keeping mosquitoes away from your child. However, you have to be careful and vigilant about the ingredients they contain. DEET (N, N-diethyl-meta-toluamide) is a chemical agent that is very effective in staving off insects. However, in large doses, it can lead to adverse side effects like blisters, seizures, memory loss and shortness of breath. Use repellents that are DEET Free and made out of ingredients such as lemongrass, citronella, eucalyptus and lavender to keep your child safe.

Using Mosquito Patches is also an effective method to keep young infants safe from mosquitoes. Patches with essential oils can be placed in clothing, cribs, beds and strollers to ensure your child is always protected from mosquito bites.

Mosquito Nets

Cover your baby’s stroller, carrier or crib with a mosquito net so that it creates a physical barrier between the baby and mosquitoes/insects, but still allows for smooth passage of air. Use netting both indoors and outdoors to significantly limit their exposure to mosquitoes.

Avoid Stagnant Water

Ensure cleanliness at home and do not leave any stagnant water in pots, pans, water trays of ACs and plant pots; or even buckets of water in washrooms. Do also watch out for leaky pipes and faucets. Still water creates a breeding ground for mosquitoes and could create a swarm of insects right in your house.

Hand Hygiene

First and foremost, you should always handle your kid with clean hands. When holding your infant, wash your hands frequently since you don’t want to expose them to any contaminants. Infants’ immune systems are still growing at this age and are ill-equipped to deal with infections. It’s also crucial to keep your baby’s hands clean, in addition to washing your hands on a regular basis. Babies have a proclivity for picking up a variety of objects and then putting them in their mouths, exposing themselves to dirt and pathogens. Keep in mind that their skin is still too delicate to be scrubbed with ordinary soaps on a regular basis when cleaning their hands.

Keeping Toys Clean

Even if your home is perfectly spotless, you can’t stop your baby from picking up objects and putting them in their mouths. It’s critical to sanitise everything they’ll come into contact with. Toys, in particular, can become dirty as they may roll around on the floor and pick up contaminants along the way. Hard toys can be washed with soap while softer ones can be put in the washing machine.

Using Baby Wipes

Baby wipes as well as soaps that are specifically formulated for infant skin provide a gentle cleansing experience for the baby. Wipes can be used on newborn babies, but only ones that are specifically designed for their ultra-sensitive skin. Wipes that are alcohol-free and water-based are the most soothing and nourishing for the skin.

Watch out for Symptoms of Fever

It’s important to keep track of symptoms to provide proper treatment on time in case your child does contract Dengue. Fever, nausea and vomiting, headaches, dryness of mouth, decreased urination, rashes and swollen glands are some of the symptoms and should not be avoided. If your child starts exhibiting these symptoms, you should consult your doctor right away.

At this early stage of life, babies are most vulnerable to illnesses and require proper care and attention towards limiting their exposure to insects and keeping up with their hygiene during the monsoon. Following the preventive measures outlined above can help safeguard you and your family from illnesses this monsoon.

Authored by Shaveta Gupta, Head-Content & Community-Mylo