Congratulations on the birth of your baby girl! And if you’ve never seen what a newborn girl looks like “down there”, you may be in for a tiny shock! The first question on your mind might be how to clean a newborn’s genitals. But not to worry, this article takes you through all the baby girl genital care you need to know.
Find out what is normal and what isn’t when it comes to your little girl’s genitals, and get tips on the proper way of cleaning baby vagina.
Table of Contents
At Birth: What Will You Notice?
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.
Dr Laura Jana, paediatrician 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 newborn girl genital discharge 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.
However, if this newborn girl genital discharge does not clear up in a few weeks, or you notice it smells foul, contact your paediatrician 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 is covered. This is known as labial adhesion.
Baby Girl Genital Care: Cleaning Your Baby Girl
Bath-time
To learn the proper way of cleaning a baby’s vagina, you need to understand that your baby girl’s genital area is very delicate. So make sure you clean it with care. In the first couple of weeks, many parents choose to wash this area with only clean water and a clean cotton ball.
It’s okay to add a bit of mild, liquid baby cleanser to the water you are using when cleaning your baby girl’s vagina and the rest of her genitals. You could also use fragrance-free baby wipes or a combination of both.
Do check that the liquid cleanser you choose is gentle enough for your little girl’s nappy region by testing it first on a small area of her skin.
Swish the water around, then use a soft cloth or sponge to gently clean her bottom area, remembering the front-to-back rule.
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.
Diaper-change time
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). This is important to note on how to clean newborn genital.
Cleaning your little girl in this manner helps to prevent the bacteria from being transferred from her bum to her vagina/urethra, thus avoiding infection.
Gently pat her diaper area dry and then, if you wish, use a suitable diaper cream before putting a clean diaper on her.
Please read this detailed guide on nappy creams to help you decide what is suitable for your little one.
Cleaning Baby Girl Vagina: What To Do In 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 does 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.
Baby Girl Genital Care: What To Do About Diaper Rash on Genital Area
For the first 15 months, especially between nine to 12 months, your baby will be prone to diaper rash on the genital area. This may be caused by several factors including:
- Being exposed in poo for a long time, especially if the baby has diarrhoea
- When the poo composition changes once the baby starts eating solids
- Changing diapers, wipes, baby wash, or detergents
- Specific food eaten by a breastfeeding mum
- Clothes that are too tight
Included in how to clean newborn genital is preventing diaper rash. To do this, make sure to change diapers every two to three hours throughout the day.
Stock up on diaper rash cream, and choose ingredients with zinc oxide and calamine. Zinc Oxide creates a moisture barrier, while calamine helps calm the itch caused by diaper rash on the genital area.
Make sure to use only a thin amount, and only apply on the outside area of the labia lips. Petroleum jelly also works.
Let your baby girl’s skin breathe by going diaper-free for a certain amount of time during the day. You can place a towel between the sheet to prevent accidents.
You can also note the food your baby is eating so you can pinpoint if she is allergic to anything.
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Inguinal Hernia In Babies: Everything You Need To Know About This Condition
Baby Girl Genital Care: When To Consult A Doctor
Part of baby girl genital care is observing if something is wrong down there, especially during diaper changes and after bathtime.
Here are 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 paediatrics 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 without delay.
Often, the only symptom of a UTI is a 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. 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 practise baby girl genital care. When cleaning baby’s vagina, always wipe from front to back, to prevent bacteria in her poo from migrating to her vagina/urethra.
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, notify your paediatrician without delay as an untreated UTI can cause kidney damage.
Treatment
Your baby’s doctor will decide on the best course of treatment, which is usually a course of antibiotics, says Dr McEvoy.
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 on the genital area, says Dr Monique Regard, a New York-based paediatric gynaecologist. 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 paediatrician 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.
Image Source: iStock
Updates by Romy Pena Cruz
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