Caring for your baby’s genitals will help prevent infections and diseases like UTI in the future. So here’s a guide on your baby girl’s genital care.
In this article, you’ll read:
- How to clean your baby’s vagina – what is the front to back rule?
- Signs and symptoms of UTI in babies
- When to worry about your newborn’s genitals?
Congratulations on the birth of your baby girl! It’s natural for you to feel overprotective over your little princess after she’s born, and part of it is being gentle in handling her – in holding her and even cleaning her genitals. And if you’ve never seen what a newborn girl looks like “down there,” you may be in for a tiny shock!
This article takes you through what is normal and what isn’t when it comes to your little girl’s genitals and gives you tips on how to care for and clean her down there.
At birth: What will you notice?
Dr. Laura Jana, pediatrician and author of Heading Home with Your Newborn: From Birth to Reality, says it’s perfectly normal to see some swelling of your baby girl’s genitals at birth.
In particular, you may notice that the outer lips of the vagina (labia majora) are puffy, while the skin of the labia may be either smooth or a bit wrinkled. This is normal, as is sometimes seeing a small piece of pink tissue protruding between the labia.
This is known as a hymenal tag, and will eventually disappear into the labia as your little girl’s genitals grow.
It’s also normal to notice some vaginal discharge in your newborn girl that is clear, white or even blood-tinged, says Dr. Jana. This is due to the effect of maternal hormones and will clear up on its own in a few weeks, so scrubbing at it to get rid of it is discouraged.
If, however, this discharge does not clear up in a few weeks, or you notice it smells foul, contact your pediatrician without delay.
You may also notice that the two inner lips of the labia are semi- or completely fused together – so much so that the vaginal area/urethra are covered. This is known as labial adhesion.
Baby girl genital care: Don’t scrub at your baby girl’s genitals when giving her a bath. Any discharge you may notice will clear on its own.
Baby girl genital care – cleaning the vaginal area
At bath-time
Your baby girl’s genital area is very delicate, so do clean with care. In the first couple of weeks, many parents choose to wash this area with only clean water and a clean cotton ball. You could also use fragrance-free baby wipes or a combination of both.
Swish the water around, then use a soft cloth or sponge to gently clean her bottom area, remembering the front to back rule. Gently separate the outer lips and wipe them very lightly. Do not use a Q-Tip. It is not necessary to clean beyond the inner lips, as bathing will do the job.
Avoid scrubbing when you are cleaning your little one’s genital area and bottom. When bath-time is over, instead of rubbing her dry, pat her gently instead.
Remember: if your little girl has done a poo before bath time, clean her genitals and bottom before putting her in the bathwater.
Remember this rule for cleaning baby girls: Always wipe from front to back!
When it’s time for a nappy change
First, use a bit of the diaper to gently clean away any obvious soiling. The most important thing to keep in mind when changing your little one’s diaper is the front-to-back rule.
Always wipe her diaper area from front to back, away from her vagina and urethra (the tiny opening through which she pees).
Cleaning your little girl in this manner assists in preventing bacteria from being transferred from her bum to her vagina/ urethra, thus preventing an infection.
Gently pat her diaper area dry and then, if you wish, use a suitable diaper cream before putting a clean diaper on her.
What to do in the case of a very dirty diaper
During a diaper change, if you notice that poo has got inside your baby girl’s vaginal lips (labia), here’s how you should clean her:
- After washing your hands thoroughly, gently separate your baby’s vaginal lips
- Use a clean, damp cloth, fragrance-free baby wipe, or moist cotton wool to gently clean the area from front to back, down the middle.
- Clean each side of her labia with a fresh, clean damp cloth, wet wipe, or dampened cotton wool ball.
Note: We know how wriggly little babies can be, so if she will not stay still enough for you to follow the above-described steps, then good old water and mild soap will also do a fabulous job at cleaning her!
Three common genital problems that may occur in baby girls
1. Inguinal Hernia
What is this?
According to Dr. Victoria Rogers McEvoy, assistant professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School, this condition occurs when abdominal tissue, such as a loop of the intestine, moves into the open inguinal canal. This causes a painless bulge in your little girl’s groin area that you might notice when you change her diaper.
Treatment
Dr. McEvoy says if your baby has this condition, she will need minor surgery to close the open passageway in order to avoid getting a strangulated hernia — a condition that occurs when a section of the intestine gets stuck in the inguinal canal, blocking the blood supply to that portion of the intestine.
If this happens, then the bulge will cause pain, and look swollen and feel hard. In this instance, you should rush your baby to the nearest hospital right away.
Often, the only symptom of a UTI is high fever. But sometimes, your baby may also show unexplained irritability due to this condition.
2. Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)
What is this?
Your baby could get a UTI due to an overgrowth of bacteria in her urinary tract. It is more common in baby girls, because the urethra and anus are so closely situated, the likelihood of a UTI is higher if she is not cleaned properly after pooing or peeing.
This is why it is so important to always clean her down there from front to back, to prevent bacteria in her poo migrating to her vagina/urethra.
Causes of UTI in babies
According to the website of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, the common causes of urinary tract infection in babies are poor bathroom or hygiene habits, such as not changing out of wet underwear or not wiping properly frequent constipation or diarrhea, and irritation in the perineal area caused by chemicals such as bubble bath, bath soap or tight clothing.
Symptoms of UTI in baby girls
Often, the only symptom of a UTI is a high fever. But sometimes, it may be accompanied by poor feeding, vomiting, odd-smelling urine, or unexplained irritability.
If you notice any of these signs or symptoms in your little girl, don’t hesitate to contact your child’s pediatrician as an untreated UTI can cause kidney damage.
Moreover, if your child has a high fever (38.3 degrees Celsius and over) accompanied by fussiness and bad-smelling, bloody, or discolored pee, call her pediatrician right away.
Diagnosis and treatment
When your baby’s doctor suspects that your baby girl’s symptoms may be because of UTI, she may order to have a urinalysis (testing the urine for infection) done. After that, she will decide on the best course of treatment, which is usually a course of antibiotics, says Dr. McEvoy.
How to prevent UTI in babies
The most important thing to do to prevent this infection in your baby girl is proper genital care. Change diapers often, and clean the vaginal area properly (remember, wipe from front to back), to help prevent the spread of bacteria that cause UTIs. Also, letting your baby take a lot of fluids (only formula milk and breast milk for babies below 6 months) can help.
READ MORE:
Preventing UTI in infants, toddlers and preschoolers
10 Facts tungkol sa UTI (Urinary Tract Infection) sa mga lalaki
Goodbye, diaper rash! Top 7 baby diaper rash medications
3. Labial adhesion
What is it?
This is when the folds of skin in front of the vagina fuse together in varying degrees, and may occur due to irritation, such as that caused by a diaper rash, says Dr. Monique Regard, a New York-based pediatric gynecologist. It is also sometimes seen at birth.
Labial adhesions are not usually painful and won’t stop your baby’s urine flow.
Treatment
The general advice is not to do anything, especially pulling apart the skin of the labia yourself — this is usually a self-resolving issue.
If your little one experiences UTIs or has trouble urinating due to labial adhesion, your pediatrician may prescribe a steroid or estrogen cream, or very rarely, surgery to separate the skin.
Your best course of action is to discuss with the doctor how significant your daughter’s labial adhesion is, and if anything needs to be done about it at all.
Republished with permission from theAsianParent Singapore
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