Handle with Care

Even if you've read all the baby books, you'll probably have questions about how to care for your newborn's most sensitive parts. After all, a real, live, squirming infant bears little resemblance to the glossy illustrations! Master the finer points of baby hygiene with these tips.
By Jennifer L.W. Fink; Photo by Alexandra Grablewski from Parents Magazine

Earwax

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Rule #1: No cotton swabs in the ear. So how do you deal with earwax? "We usually recommend that parents not mess with the wax at all," says David Stevens, MD, assistant professor of pediatrics at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, in New York City. "It won't bother the child, it doesn't cause ear infections, and it won't affect his hearing." Earwax is a completely normal substance that helps keep germs and foreign bodies out of the inner ear. The wax eventually falls out, whether you see it or not.

Quick Tips: Wipe his ears daily with a warm washcloth. Never insert anything into the ear canal -- it can damage the eardrum.

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