How to wash the baby's eye if it fester. Cleaning baby's eyes

A newborn baby, like an adult, needs washing. Daily procedures help to avoid getting into the eyes of infections and microbes that can harm the child's body, which has not yet grown stronger.

Why you need to wipe your eyes

It is impossible to neglect the treatment of the eyes of a newborn. Starting from the very first day, every mother should know that the baby's eyes are a vulnerable place, they need to be looked after as carefully as the umbilical cord and skin folds. You need to wipe the eyes of a newborn for several reasons:

  • protection against infections;
  • release of lacrimal canals from secretions;
  • hydration, as newborns in the first weeks of life do not have tears.

Rubbing the eyes of a newborn is not only a hygienic, but also a preventive procedure.

During childbirth, the baby passes through the birth canal, which are often infected with various diseases. And due to weak immunity, the infection can get on the mucous membrane and develop into lacrimal ducts child's eye. Daily eye treatment is not only a cleansing procedure, but also the prevention of various diseases, such as conjunctivitis.

How and how to treat the eyes of a newborn

Daily hygiene procedures washing the eyes should be carried out with boiled water and cotton wool. To do this, it is better to boil and cool the water in advance so that it is warm and does not cause discomfort to the newborn.

Use cotton wool, not cotton pads or napkins. Their structure is more dense and rigid, which can harm the delicate skin of the eyelids of a newborn.

Wipe your eyes as follows:

  1. holding the head, turn it towards the eye that you will wipe (left eye - to the left side and vice versa);
  2. moisten the cotton wool in water, wringing it out slightly so that the water does not flow from it in a stream;
  3. wipe the eye from the outer corner to the inner;
  4. do the same with the other eye.

Never use the same cotton swab for both eyes. It's not hygienic.

Newborns have very sensitive eyes, so you should keep the room and crib clean.


Wipe the eyes of a newborn every day

How to wipe your eyes if they fester

Often in newborns, the eyes begin to fester from the first days. There may be several reasons for this:

  • physiological predisposition;
  • infection;
  • allergic reaction;
  • conjunctivitis;
  • dacryocystitis.

It is very easy to determine suppuration. The baby's eyelashes stick together, pus accumulates in the corners of the eyes, he often rubs them with his hands.

Purulent discharge from the eyes can not only cause discomfort to the child, bad sleep and appetite, but can also lead to an increase in body temperature.

It is necessary to wipe festering eyes especially carefully, using specially prepared aqueous solutions or decoctions. Sometimes it may be necessary to treat the eyes several times a day. The following compositions can be used for wiping:

  • furatsilina solution (1 tablet per glass of boiling water);
  • chamomile decoction;
  • weak welding;
  • light pink solution of potassium permanganate.

The procedure is carried out in the same way as when washing the eyes with boiled water.

There is an opinion that it is best to wipe the eyes of a newborn breast milk mothers, because it is a natural, natural product for the baby. This statement is contradictory and it is unlikely that pediatricians will advise this method of treating a child's eyes. If you decide to use this method, then for a start it is best to ask the opinion of a doctor.

Even before the birth of the baby, future mothers begin to think about how to properly care for the child. In order for your baby to grow up strong and healthy, it is necessary to follow the basic rules of personal hygiene of the child from the first days of life. This is, spout, ears, folds and, of course, timely diaper change. Today we will figure out why and most importantly how to wipe the eyes of a newborn.

Often, young parents consider daily rinsing of the eye a waste of time. The child blinks freely, the eye does not turn sour, there is no peeling, why once again irritate the most delicate skin? And completely in vain, because this procedure is very important for the eyes of the baby. Here are some good reasons for doing it regularly:

During preventive examination baby at the pediatrician, you may ask how to handle the eyes of a newborn. The Medic will give you some useful and effective advice, taking into account individual characteristics growth and development of the child.

How and what to wipe your eyes

Washing the baby should be done twice a day - in the morning and in the evening, this procedure is very simple and within the power of each of the parents. Before wiping the eyes of a newborn, it is necessary to thoroughly wash your hands with soap and only then proceed to washing, as a newborn baby is very susceptible to infections. You will need:

  • boiled water at room temperature;
  • cotton swab or disk;
  • several folds of sterile gauze or a soft cloth.

Place everything you need on the changing table. Now that everything is ready, it remains to clarify how to wipe the eyes of a newborn:


The eyes of babies are very sensitive, and in order to protect the baby from infection, it is necessary to monitor not only the cleanliness of the cradle, but also keep the whole house in strict order. Every young mother should know how to wash the eyes of newborns. This will avoid serious health problems for the crumbs.

Sour eyes of the baby

Even the youngest and most inexperienced parent can easily recognize such a problem as souring or suppuration of the eyes. First, you will notice that the child is constantly scratching his eyes. Then you will notice tearing, redness of the eyelids, it will be difficult for the baby to open his eyes due to stuck eyelashes. All this is often accompanied by an increase in temperature, as a result of which, your little one is naughty, refuses to eat, and does not sleep well. How to wash the eyes of a newborn if they fester? The first step is to determine the cause of such a manifestation. Perhaps it:

  • Physiological reason;
  • Infection;
  • Allergy;
  • Dacryocystitis;
  • Conjunctivitis.

Usually get rid of it unpleasant disease is not difficult. It is enough just to contact the pediatrician in a timely manner to find out the reason, and the specialist will definitely tell you how to wipe the eyes of a newborn if they fester.

If the reason is in physiology, then a decoction of chamomile will help, which children's doctors advise not only for wiping the eye, but also for bathing the baby. In order to prepare a medicinal infusion, you need to combine 1.5 cups of boiling water with 1 tbsp. dried and crushed flowers, cover and leave for 15 - 20 minutes.

In case of allergies, it is necessary to get rid of the irritant and follow the further instructions of the doctor, and in case of infection, use drops and appropriate preparations. Caring for the eyes of newborns is a responsible task. Be sure to discuss all your actions with a professional pediatrician.

How and with what to wipe the eyes of a newborn with conjunctivitis?

Before rubbing the eyes of a newborn baby, make sure that such discomfort is caused by a non-life-threatening disease.

- this is an inflammation of the mucous membrane of the eye, which is caused by an allergy, infection or virus. Usually, suppuration disappears 3-4 days after visiting a pediatrician, who will prescribe the necessary course of treatment and explain how and with what to wash the eyes of a newborn.

These can be special children's drops with antibiotics, or the doctor will advise a solution of potassium permanganate or furacilin. You can also rinse your eyes with chamomile infusion.

Newborn eye care solution

How to wipe the eyes of a newborn if they fester? Everything is very simple, a special tool can be prepared independently from water and potassium permanganate.

The solution of potassium permanganate should be pale pink, without crystals. They must completely dissolve so as not to burn the delicate skin of the baby. Potassium permanganate can be replaced with boric acid: in 1 tbsp. boiled water dissolve a teaspoon of 2% boric acid.

In order to get a solution of furacilin, dissolve one tablet in a glass of boiling water, cool and strain. If you use furatsilin in drops, then carefully read the instructions before rinsing the eyes of a newborn.

Even if only one eye is infected, both should be wiped or buried so that the infection does not spread to a healthy eye. For the same purpose, it is necessary to use separate cotton swabs for each eye. And try to wash the child's eyes with boiled water as soon as you notice purulent discharge.

Dacryocystitis in an infant

When, when washing your baby, you notice that with light pressure on the inner corner of the eye, pus is released, you need to urgently go to the doctor. Basically, dacryocystitis is treated at home with a massage, which the doctor will definitely teach you how to do, and washing with a solution of furacilin or potassium permanganate.

With dacryocystitis, the nasolacrimal passage is blocked, and if the child's condition does not improve within two months, then quickly and painlessly.

If you are nervous and cowardly every time it is time to clean your newborn baby's "feathers" - eyes, nose or ears, and even more so to cut your nails - then any mother will understand you like no other. Do not worry, very little time will pass, and these everyday procedures will no longer seem so exciting to you. Especially if you know exactly how to properly carry out this care.

To make your eyes shine...

Caring for the eyes of a newborn is much easier and simpler than you think. Of course, provided that the baby does not have any problems on the mucous membrane of the eyes - for example, neonatal conjunctivitis. This problem happens quite often - on the 4-5th day of a child's life, the eyes may begin to fester. Do not worry and do not panic - this attack is easily treated and does not affect the visual acuity of the child. You will be prescribed special drops to eliminate conjunctivitis pediatrician individually. He will also tell you how to use them correctly and how to combine the treatment with the usual daily washing of the eyes.

The usual care is as follows:

How often. 1-2 times a day, in the morning - necessarily.

What will be required. At least 4 quality cotton pads, boiled water.

What to do. Prepare a container of boiled (room temperature) water and cotton pads in advance. Lay the baby on the changing table. Dip 2 discs in water, wring out lightly, and rub both eyes in a straight line from the outer corner to the bridge of your nose (and never rub the other way!).

Never use the same cotton pad on the same eye as the other. Always keep a separate disc or gauze for each eye. And remember: wet wipes for newborn skin care are not suitable for mucosal care! That is, you can’t wipe your baby’s eyes with them.

The second pair of dry disks will come in handy in order to blot excess water from the peephole. That, in fact, is all - then the procedure for washing the eyes of a newborn ends.

While the newly-born baby sleeps no less during the day than at night, and is not yet bathing in a large bath (if it is not recommended to bathe the child in tap water), it makes sense to rinse the eyes 2 times a day, in the morning and in the evening. When the mode gradually "settles down", and, his eyes will be washed by themselves.

What not to do:

  • Rinse the baby's eyes with any decoctions, solutions, etc. Quite enough ordinary boiled water. Using cosmetics, wet wipes, herbal decoctions or tea leaves, you can harm the health of the baby.
  • When pus appears, self-medicate. As soon as you notice that instead of a tiny whitish ball in the inner corner of the eye (which does not mean any illness, but simply appears due to the fact that during the night physiological secretions on the mucous membrane of the eye, under closed eyelids, accumulate into a small ball) in the morning, the baby’s eyelids literally covered with whitish clots - be sure to show the child to the doctor. Only a specialist can prescribe an adequate treatment strategy, for example, for conjunctivitis or dacryocystitis (a common disease among newborns caused by blockage of the lacrimal canal).

We clean the ears

Caring for the ears of a newborn is an even simpler procedure.

How often. 2 times per week.

What will be required. A few cotton buds with a limiter.

What to do. Your field of activity is only the area of ​​the outer ear. The inner ear, like in adults, is cleaned on its own, in fact, by releasing the very sulfur that you should remove a couple of times a week just from the area that only precedes ear canal. We repeat once again: you should only clean auricle, without invading in any case into the ear canal and beyond.

In newborns, the length of the ear canal is still too small, and the eardrum is not sufficiently protected, so overzealousness can cause injury to the baby.

What not to do:

  • Clean your ears every day. Objectively, there is simply no need for this.
  • Trying to clean the wax out of the ear canal. Wielding a cotton swab right in the ear canal, you run the risk of not pulling the sulfur out, but on the contrary, pushing it deeper and creating it yourself sulfur plug.
  • Moisten cotton swabs with water or some solutions. Water, if it enters the ear canal, can cause swelling of the sulfur, provoke a sulfur plug, or even cause otitis media. When the baby grows up a little, already about a month after birth, this risk will become less. In any case, in the future, when you bathe a child in a large tub, there is no longer any reason to be afraid that water naturally enters his ears. Eardrum at that moment it will already be more or less protected by the anatomical bend, and the water from the ear will freely flow out if you gently turn the baby's head on the side.

Snub noses sniff...

Of course, the nose should not sniff. And if it snores, it means that dry crusts have formed in it, or it is laid. In both cases, you need to clean your nose.

If the baby often has a stuffy nose, or dry crusts constantly form in the nose, this is a sure sign that the indoor climate is unfavorable - too warm and dry. You can fix the situation with a humidifier and battery-powered regulators. The ideal "healthy" microclimate in the room where a newborn baby lives implies a temperature not higher than 21-22 ° C and an air humidity of 60-70%.

But even under such ideal conditions, you will have to clean the spout from time to time. And all because the newborn does not yet know how to blow his nose. And to count on the fact that the baby sneezes and everything superfluous “flies out” of its own accord is rather reckless. Mucus, which one way or another anyway accumulates in the nose of the crumbs and dries up, whatever one may say, must be eliminated. So:

How often. As needed. How quickly dry crusts will form in the nose of a newborn directly depends on the climate in which he lives.

What will be required. Small balls of cotton wool, apricot or peach oil (sold in pharmacies), boiled water or drops like Aquamaris (sea water).

What to do. We twist several small flagella from cotton wool. Theoretically, you can use cotton swabs, but only if you can confidently (but gently!) Fix the baby's head - otherwise, he may jerk his head and injure his nose with your wand. First, we instill a couple of drops of boiled or sea ​​water to lightly soak dry crusts. Then we moisten a cotton flagellum or cotton swab in oil and with twisting movements we clean each nostril with them, without pushing the flagellum or stick too deep.

If liquid squishes in the baby's nose ( crying or hit in the nose), a special children's aspirator for cleaning the nose will help get rid of it.

What not to do:

  • Try to pull the crusts out of the nose with your fingers or dry cotton swabs. You are unlikely to succeed. But you will probably injure the delicate nasal mucosa of the newborn.
  • Clean your nose for no apparent reason. If the baby breathes perfectly through the nose, and visually you do not notice any “obstacles” in his nose, then no preventive cleaning is required. In itself, this procedure is not pleasant, and there is absolutely no need to expose the baby to unnecessary suffering, and its mucous membrane to an additional risk of injury, just like that, for no apparent reason.

All of these manipulations apply to healthy babies and healthy noses. If for some reason the baby has a stuffy nose or, conversely, a runny nose, you should consult a doctor for a treatment program. Here is a choice medicinal drops or ointments will depend on the cause of the runny nose - whether it be, for example, a cold or an allergic reaction.

How and when to cut the nails of a newborn

While the baby is growing and developing in the womb, his nails grow with him. By the time of birth, all newborn babies have long "running" nails. However, doctors do not advise cutting them in the first few days. And so that the baby does not accidentally scratch himself, special cotton mittens are put on his hands.

But sooner or later, the moment comes when the mother must muster up the courage and cut the baby's nails - on the hands and feet.

How often. As it grows. It is better to cut your nails more often, but not too short.

What will be required. Manicure scissors or tweezers. It is better to use the tool that you are used to "wield". In other words, if you constantly cut your nails with scissors, and your child decides to shorten the nails with tweezers, you are unlikely to be able to do it accurately the first time. Why experiment? Use the “inventory” that you have been confidently holding in your hands for a long time.

Special nail scissors with rounded ends are often a worthless purchase - as a rule, they are too uncomfortable and ridiculous: too blunt, too small, and with blades that are sometimes thicker than the longest child's fingernail.

What to do. It is most reasonable to carry out the “haircut” procedure when the baby is sleeping - if you do everything carefully, the child most likely will not even wake up. But even in this case, when processing each finger, you must firmly hold the limb (handle or leg) of the baby in your hand - otherwise the baby may twitch and get hurt. To avoid unpleasant burrs, remember the rule:

  • on the handles, the nails are cut “in a circle” (that is, the corners of the nail plate are cut off)
  • on the legs, the nails are cut strictly evenly (the corners should not be cut off).

Ideally, for the care of the baby's nails, it would be nice to have separate scissors. But if you don’t see much reason in this, it’s enough to simply wipe your scissors with a regular alcohol-containing product before the procedure.

If you accidentally hurt your baby's skin - do not fall into despair and self-criticism. Just lubricate the cut with iodine, brilliant green, or a similar remedy.

The more physically relaxed the baby is (maximum relaxation is achieved in a dream), the easier it is to cut his nails. Therefore, many mothers have adapted to do this procedure while the baby is fast asleep after feeding.

What not to do:

  • Trim nails after swimming. If your baby has already grown up to bathing in an adult bath, then after a 20-30-minute "swim" his nails become very soft, "steamed" for a while. On the one hand, they are easily cut off, but on the other hand, it is for the same reason that the risk of hurting the “living” part of the nail plate is very high.
  • Trim your child's nails when you're angry, nervous, or upset. Even without scissors in hand, it is not advisable to approach a child in a state of nervousness, anxiety or aggression. And even being "armed with pruners" and even more so - the risk of inadvertently injuring the baby's tiny fingers is already very high. Nothing bad will happen if you wait until your nerves "calm down". But the result will definitely be more accurate.
  • Smear the baby's fingers with some kind of cream before the "haircut". For the procedure of cutting nails, no preludes with the use of cosmetics are needed. On the contrary, after a cream or softening oil, the baby's fingers (like yours) will become very slippery, "not reliable." What's the point of taking that risk? It is wiser to do everything the other way around - they cut their nails, and for “every firefighter” they did a light massage with anti-inflammatory baby cream. This is useful in every way - it is believed that a slight tactile effect on the fingertips stimulates brain activity child, and the prevention of burrs is excellent.

The appearance of a long-awaited baby in the family is not only an incomparable joy, but also the beginning of a new stage, when you are fully responsible for the life and health of this little defenseless bundle of happiness.

Among the many tasks that you will face in the first months of a child's life, a special place is occupied by the question of how to wash the eyes of a newborn in order to save them. This is a necessary part of the daily toilet, which will help to avoid the occurrence of many diseases and just a feeling of discomfort.

General flushing rules

Your primary task as a mother is to take care not to bring any infection to the newborn. That is why it is necessary to carefully monitor the cleanliness of clothes and especially hands, because most often the baby is in contact with you. Your child's eyes should be washed at least once every day. It is best to do this in the morning, after a night's sleep. For washing you will need:

  • cotton pad or ball;
  • boiled water, cooled to a comfortable temperature for the eyes;
  • gauze napkin.

Even if you have become a mother for the first time, do not be afraid, washing is not difficult at all. Just soak cotton wool in boiled water and wipe the baby's eye in the direction from the outer corner of the eye to the inner. Remove residual moisture with a gauze pad. Repeat the procedure with the other eye.

The procedure can be repeated in the evening, before going to bed. Unfortunately, daily washing can not always protect you from diseases. Any infection or virus can lead to problems such as conjunctivitis or dacryocystitis.

Important! Water must be boiled, any bacteria that may be contained in running water is dangerous for a newborn baby. Also, do not forget to rinse each eye with a separate cotton.

How to wash the eyes of a newborn if they fester

Like the whole body of a newborn as a whole, the baby's eyes are still completely defenseless against the outside world. No need to be scared if they suddenly began to fester. The reason for this may be:

  1. infection in the eye due to poor hygiene;
  2. ingress of a foreign body;
  3. conjunctivitis;
  4. dacryocystitis.

Your newborn's health is in your hands, so be sure to wash your hands thoroughly every time you touch your baby. The same applies to all family members. It is very important that everyone is aware of the degree of responsibility for the health of the newborn.

If, nevertheless, for some reason, the baby’s eye began to bother you, you should not panic, you need to take action immediately. So, how to wipe the eyes of a newborn if they fester?

Know! Without consulting a doctor, it is best to start with the simplest means, for example, tea brewing.

Tea brewing seems to be the most harmless remedy for washing the eyes of a newborn. However, caution should not be forgotten here either. Keep an eye on the temperature of the brew, it should be pleasantly warm. Also, do not make it too strong, stick to the golden mean in everything.

  • furatsilin;
  • potassium permanganate.

General rules for the use of drugs

How to wash the eyes with furacilin for a newborn? Simply dissolve one tablet in boiled water at room temperature. The resulting solution can be used for several eye washes, but you should not store it for more than a day.

Of course, one must be careful with any medicine, especially when it comes to a newborn, but most of all, care should be taken with potassium permanganate.

Any carelessness can lead to serious problems, so apply it very carefully:

  1. Use only a weak solution of potassium permanganate by diluting a couple of crystals in boiled water;
  2. Be sure to wait until they are completely dissolved and only then determine the level of the fortress;
  3. The water should turn a pale pink color, remaining almost transparent;
  4. Only after making sure that the solution is very weak, proceed to wash the eyes of the newborn;
  5. Leave the option of treating the baby's eyes with potassium permanganate as a last resort.

In addition to the above methods, you can use various decoctions.

For example, is it possible to wash the eyes of a newborn with chamomile? Of course you can, this plant has not only healing effect, but also soothing, which is especially important for eye irritation. In this case, you do not need to think that the stronger the solution, the more effective it is. A decoction of chamomile should also be taken weak, not forgetting how tender the eyes of a newborn are.

What to do with dacryocystitis

If a child was diagnosed with dacryocystitis, this means that he has a blocked nasolacrimal passage and you will not get by with eyewashes alone. It is necessary to massage several times a day, which will help to release the accumulated pus.

The doctor will show you how to do it, you do not need to be amateur when it comes to the eyes of a newborn. Also rinse your eyes with a solution of furacilin or potassium permanganate.

Eye wash for conjunctivitis

If the newborn has conjunctivitis, flushing should be done every half hour. Here, too, a solution of furacilin or potassium permanganate, as well as levomecithin drops, is also suitable. This disease most often caused precisely by the lack of proper hygiene. And if the child is overtaken by conjunctivitis, pay closer attention to the cleanliness of the hands of both your own and all household members when in contact with the child.

If you carefully monitor the hygiene of all adults in the family, then most likely you will not need anything other than plain boiled water to wash your eyes. However, no one is completely immune from viruses and infections, so you should be fully prepared if you notice that pus has begun to stand out from the eyes of a newborn.

You can learn many subtleties of caring for a newborn from the Healthy Baby course >>>

Stay healthy and take care of your baby.

Read also.

Caring for the eyes of a newborn is one of the moments of the obligatory morning toilet. To avoid any infections, it is important to carry it out correctly.

Regular eye care

After sleep, babies sometimes have a white ball in the corner of their eyes, this is natural. There is no need to panic, just wipe the accumulated mucus with a cotton swab. The swab should be moistened with boiled water, squeezed out.

Eyes should be treated with this method twice a day. If after wiping the eyes remain very wet, wipe with a dry, clean cloth.

You need to wipe your eyes with a movement from the outer corner to the inner.

Eye care for conjunctivitis

Conjunctivitis is an inflammation that can be divided into two types. Infectious - this is when the baby brought dirt into the eyes. Viral - when accompanied colds(SARS, acute respiratory infections or influenza).

If you notice that the child's eyelids stick together, pus collects in the corner of the eye all the time, then this is conjunctivitis. It is treated easily, it is enough to instill special children's drops containing an antibiotic for three days. If the baby's mother has milk, then you can drip it with breast milk, or wipe it with a napkin dipped in milk. You can just spray in the corner of the eye and blot.

Moms take note!


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Washing with a solution of chamomile, potassium permanganate or furacilin helps well. It is necessary to drip both eyes, even if one is festering. If the treatment does not help, then you should not delay, but consult a specialist doctor. In the advanced stages, antibacterial ointments and an antibiotic solution are used.

This infection is tolerated, so it is better to avoid contact with sick children.

Care for dacryocystitis

With the diagnosis of dacryocystitis, home treatment is usually prescribed - wash the eye with anti-infection agents and massage the lacrimal canal. The attending physician must show how this type of massage is done correctly. If home treatment does not help, then the lacrimal canal is washed in the hospital. As a rule, this disease passes in two weeks.

In order to prevent infections from getting into the eyes of a newborn, it is better to initially properly care for them. To prevent diseases, it is necessary to maintain cleanliness in the house, to maintain special care in the crib. In infants, the immune system is weak and any infection can lead to eye diseases. If pus appears in the eyes, do not let it take its course, immediately consult a doctor. You should not self-medicate and "grandmother's methods." The health of the child directly depends on parental attention.