“Prepare Me Ahead of Time": Stocking up on Infant Toiletries

A few weeks before infants are due to be born, most parents-to-be head out to buy necessary baby gear;: clothing, furniture, diapers, a stroller and more. It is recommended that you add essential medications and first aid supplies, such as fever reducers and painkillers to your list. That way, should you need then, you won’t have to wander about in the middle of the night searching for the on-call pharmacy.

Reducing fever in infants and children

Fever resulting from an illness is not common in infants under three months of age. Should your infant develop a fever at such a young age, head over to a doctor’s office at once.

For little ones, there is a chance that vaccination can lead to a fever. If the fever is above 38.5 degrees, it is considered a high fever and requires medical attention.

What to buy:

● Thermometer: measure infants’ temperature rectally, to obtain an accurate reading. Ensure your infant’s thermometer is kept separate from the thermometer used sublingually by everyone else in the house.
● Medication to reduce fever and relieve pain.
Medications and accessories to relieve colds and runny noses
The common cold is the most common virus infants and toddlers contract. Colds, accompanied by mucus buildup, make it hard for infants to breathe, affect their appetites and ability to nurse/drink from a bottle and influence the quality and quantity of their nighttime sleep.

What to buy:
● Cool/warm air humidifier: Adds moisture to the infant’s room and helps them breath.
● Saline solution for the nose: As a spray or drops, helps dry up mucus.
● Snot bulb: To remove mucus from the nose

CTS also offers the Taftafim line of products, to help relieve the symptoms of the common cold in infants.

Treating infant gas
Infants are likely to suffer from gas from their first week of life until the approximate age of 3-4 months.

What to buy:
● Medication to relieve stomach aches caused by infant gas

Vitamins
What to buy:
● Vitamin D - The Health Ministry recommends giving Vitamin D drops to infants from birth through their first birthday.
● Iron - The Health Ministry recommends giving infants an iron supplement from the age of 4 months until a year and a half.

Creams to protect and treat infants’ skin
Infant skin is extremely sensitive and vulnerable to various irritants, as it lack the normal bacterial population that contributes to its protection. There are a number of creams and ointments that are recommended to have on hand to protect your infant’s skin:
● Diaper cream - Diaper rash is an allergic reaction that appears on the infant’s skin usually covered by a diaper. In severe cases, prescription cream should be obtained and used.
● Bath soap - Use a soap with added moisturizer, developed specially for infants
● Baby oil
● Moisturizer

Other infant care supplies

● 70% alcohol to clean and sterilize the umbilical area
● Infant nail scissors
● Cotton balls or small pieces of gauze to clean the umbilical area and skin folds
● Cotton swabs

Once you are equipped with all the supplies needed to care for your infant, you should store them in a high, shaded toiletry closed that cannot be accessed by children. You should also pay attention to the expiry dates of the medications you purchased. Every six months, go through your stock of medications and replace products as necessary. In any case, even if the medication is still within the marked dates, if it was opened a year ago, it’s time to throw it out and buy new.