For a 1 year old child, bathing is daily or not. Caring for a newborn: do you need to bathe your newborn every day? Until how many months should a baby be bathed every day?

Of course, babies need water treatments: bathing is the very first physical therapy for a baby. Staying in water strengthens muscles, helps the respiratory system (firstly, moist air cleanses the nose and lungs, and secondly, promotes correct and even breathing), gives the child new sensations, strengthens and helps prepare for bed.

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A child who has been bathed will eat with appetite and fall asleep faster than one who just lay in his mother’s arms in the evening, but this does not mean that you need to bathe children every day.

According to doctors, daily bathing is not necessary even for children who have already been introduced to complementary foods, begin to move around the apartment independently, or even go to the sandbox. During this period, it is necessary to wash and wash the child once a day. Hands and face can be wiped with wet wipes. You also need to monitor the baby’s overall hygiene to avoid diaper rash: the child should not walk around in a wet diaper or stale clothes.

Everyday swimming can be dangerous

Laura Jena, MD, a spokeswoman for the American Pediatrics Association, notes that bathing more than three times a week can cause serious harm to the skin of young children: frequent exposure to water can cause eczema, a disease that causes dryness and itching. And it occurs mainly in the first five years of life.

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Studies have shown that children from developed countries are increasingly suffering from eczema, where frequent washing has already become part of popular culture and almost one of the indicators of well-being. But when bathing a child, you should remember that his skin is much more delicate and thinner than the skin of an adult - bathing products and even the water itself can cause allergic reactions.

Moreover, eczema that begins at an early age is fraught with the onset of asthma: about half of all children who are diagnosed with this skin disease at an early age are at risk.

If you notice that your baby's skin has become dry, flaky and red, just stop daily bathing and observe your baby's condition. You can use special baby oil as a moisturizer. If the skin clears up in three to five days, then it really is a reaction to the water or bathing product.

Why bubble bath is evil

Tests conducted with children's bath products have shown that they are ineffective - their softening and moisturizing properties are minimal, and the effect is comparable to washing with plain running water.

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Margaret Cox, a representative of the British Eczema Society, advises to completely avoid all products with soap if the child has signs of a skin disease. She recommends washing your baby no more than twice a week, using special bathing oils and emollients.

University of Edinburgh professor Aziz Sheikh adds that you need to choose children's shampoos and bathing gels that do not contain perfumes or dyes. And bubble bath, from his point of view, is an absolute evil for children's skin.

How often should children over 6 years old bathe?

The older the child, the less often he needs to be washed, which is certainly good news for parents of those children who have already passed the age when bathing seemed like a fun adventure to them.

Children aged 6 to 11 years old can swim once a week. Additional washing may be necessary if your child gets really dirty, sweaty, or goes to the pool or beach. And it’s better to turn this additional water procedure from a full bath into a quick, pleasant, cool shower before bed.

It's no secret that properly organized bathing is one of the components.

There is an opinion that hardening means dousing it with cold water. Many parents shudder when imagining this picture. And... they postpone hardening procedures until later.

But why resort to extreme hardening methods if there are more gentle, but no less effective ones. In addition, they bring pleasure to the baby.

I will not promote a healthy lifestyle here. It's corny. Whether you harden your child or not is up to you to decide.

In this article I will simply talk about natural a method of hardening a child provided by nature itself. And I will answer some of the most common questions regarding bathing a baby.

The most important rule is to bathe your baby not only to cleanse his skin of sweat and dirt, but also to give him pleasure!

The first question that worries every young mother is:

Is it possible to bathe a newborn if the navel has not healed?

Pediatrician Komarovsky answers this question in his books as follows:

It is advisable to take the baby’s first bath after the navel has healed.

If the child does not sweat (for example, as a result of excessive wrapping or heat in the room), and the necessary care is provided (timely, air baths), then the navel will heal in the second week of the baby’s life.

If you still need to wash your newborn baby, then just wipe it with a sponge moistened with warm water, avoiding getting water into the navel area.

What time of day is best to bathe a child?

It's just as convenient for you! But keep in mind the fact that after a warm, relaxing bath, children usually get excited and don’t want to sleep, and after a cool, tonic bath, they eat with appetite and sleep soundly.

What to prepare for bathing your baby?

The bathtub or baby tub should be thoroughly washed with baby soap or baking soda and rinsed thoroughly with water. It’s better not to use cleaning products; you don’t need allergies.

Place a non-slip mat on the floor to prevent you from slipping if your baby causes a tsunami in the bath.

There is no need to boil the water.

There is no need to add potassium permanganate to the water.

After all, the navel has already healed, why such precautions? In addition, potassium permanganate dries the skin, and if not completely dissolved, it can lead to irritation of the baby’s skin.

In the literature on child care, there is usually a long list of bathing accessories. I will list only the essentials; everything else may not be useful. As a last resort, buy more as needed.

Prepare in advance everything you need to wash and dress your baby after bathing:

Why use herbal infusion?

If there is irritation and diaper rash on the skin, you can add an infusion of herbs to the water (chamomile, chamomile, sage, lemon balm, lavender, a collection of herbs for bathing children, etc.). But you shouldn’t overuse herbs, as they dry out the baby’s skin.

To prepare the infusion, pour a tablespoon of the mixture with a glass of boiling water, close the lid, let it brew for at least 1 hour and strain through a fine strainer. If you are bathing your child in a large bath, then you need to take a glass of herbs per liter of boiling water.

What should the water temperature be?

You need to swim at a temperature no higher than 36°C.

Hotter water can lead to overheating and make the baby unhappy, and then bathing from a pleasant procedure will turn into a problem.

There is no need to add warm water during bathing.

If you want to harden your child, the optimal temperature to start bathing is 34°C. Next, the temperature must be gradually lowered. For example, by 1 degree every 2-3 days. After a few days, you will reach the minimum temperature at which the child actively moves and feels comfortable and does not cry. There is no need to lower the water temperature further.

The baby should be active in the bath, as cool water stimulates the release of biologically active substances into the blood, which increase resistance to infections. If a child lies motionless in the water, it means that the water is too warm for him.

To prevent your baby from feeling discomfort from a sudden change in water temperature, you can first immerse him in warm water, and then gradually add cold water until the desired temperature is reached.

Yes I know. Someone might object that the water is too cool, what if the child gets cold? I answer.

Firstly, a child’s body senses the temperature of the environment differently than an adult. Where it is cool for an adult, it is normal for a child; where it is warm for an adult, it is hot for a child. Remember yourself as a child!

Secondly, the receptors on the hands (you use your hands to check how cool the water is?) are less sensitive than on other parts of the body. You've probably noticed this when you're running your bath. You feel the water, yeah, okay, you can wash. You get into the bath, and it turns out to be hot!

How long can you bathe a baby?

If you are tempering a child, then simultaneously with decreasing the water temperature, you must gradually increase the bathing time - up to 30 minutes.

But in both cases, it is necessary to primarily focus on the child’s well-being.

If he likes it, then you can sit in the bath longer. And if he is capricious, then perhaps the water is too hot for him, or he is tired, or hungry. Try to find out the reason. Reduce the water temperature. Next time, try changing the start time of bathing so that your baby does not have time to get hungry.

How often should a child be bathed?

It is enough to wash your baby with shampoo and foam 2 times a week.

If the child already crawls, walks and often gets dirty, then more often.

Bathe no soap possible every day.

If you are tempering a child, then bathe every day need to! Otherwise there is no hardening effect.

So, we have clarified the main issues and prepared everything for swimming. Now let's begin the procedure itself...

How to bathe a baby correctly?

1. Bathing

You need to hold your newborn baby so that the back of his head is above your left wrist; use your hand to hold the baby by the shoulder farthest from you. Hold your baby with your right hand and lower the water.

Pediatricians say there is no danger of water getting into the ears. No!

Just after bathing, blot your ears with cotton wool.

Until you can confidently hold your baby in water, do not use detergents, even if it takes several days.

If you are bathing in a large bathtub, then support the head and guide the baby in the water from one edge of the bathtub to the other. The kids really like it.

But even if the baby suddenly dives, don’t be afraid!

A newborn has a strongly expressed reflex that prevents water from entering the respiratory tract (remained from the time of intrauterine life). Many parents use it to teach their newborn to dive.

Over time, the reflex fades and then you have to be careful.

Pick up the baby, let him sneeze and clear the airways of mucus and dust.

increase

If your baby already knows how to crawl, you can put a rubber mat with suction cups on the bottom of a large bathtub, then pour in some water, put some toys and the baby will sit there, crawl and play with the toys.

It would be good if these were not only classic rubber ducks, fish, boats, but also educational toys that, for example, change color or shape in the water, float and blow bubbles, or stick to the side of the bathtub or on the wall.

After bathing, toys must be shaken and left to dry, otherwise fungus will appear on them.

2. Shampooing

Now you can start soaping.

Before washing your child, fill a jug with water (you can directly from the bath), which you will then rinse with.

Don't fuss, act slowly, gently, you are washing your loved one!

Apply a small amount of foam shampoo to your hand or washcloth. You can wash your baby directly in the water.

First you need to wash the baby’s body (especially carefully in the folds on the neck, in the armpits, in the crotch), and at the end - the head, since many babies do not like water and foam getting into their eyes and nose, and begin to be capricious. The head should be washed using washing movements from the face to the back of the head so that soapy water does not get into the eyes.

3. Rinse

After bathing, remove your baby from the water and rinse with water from the jug.

Wrap your baby in a towel and take him to the changing table.

Why does an infant cry after bathing?

Some babies start crying immediately after bathing. This is most likely caused by a sharp change in the temperature of the water and air in the room.

In this case, do not rush to dress the baby. Take him, wrapped in a towel, in your arms, walk around a little, talk to him. Let him get used to the new temperature conditions. And then unfold and start getting dressed.

What procedures should be carried out after swimming?

Place the baby on the changing table.

Pat the skin in the folds with a towel to dry them thoroughly.

Do not rub the skin, but only gently blot it.

Use sterile cotton wool or cotton pads to wipe your eyes.

The eyes are wiped from the outer edge to the inner to avoid infection.

Make flagella from sterile cotton wool (wrap the cotton wool tightly around the stick and then remove it from the stick) and clean the nose and ears, removing any remaining water.

Only the visible part of the ear should be cleaned.

If your baby's skin is dry from frequent use of soap and herbs, as well as during the heating season, when the air in the apartment becomes dry, then you can use baby oil, which retains moisture.

If you have diaper rash, treat it with a diaper rash remedy.

If you use powder and cream, then remember that powder is used in places where diaper rash is wet, cream is used in places where there is dryness. Do not use both cream and powder in the same place, as it clumps and can rub the skin.

If the baby's skin is healthy, not dry, there is no irritation or diaper rash, then no baby cosmetics are needed.

Use a hair brush to comb your baby's hair, carefully combing out the scales on the head. The scales come off well if you lubricate your head with baby oil before bathing.
Now you can swaddle or dress your baby.

Let bathing bring only pleasure and health to your baby, and a lot of positive emotions to you!

Experienced mothers WE ARE WAITING FOR YOUR COMMENTS..))

Experienced mothers know that bathing a child is a simple and very pleasant procedure. Soon you will understand this too, but for now there are only questions in your head. How often should you bathe a newborn baby up to one month old? What is needed for this? How to do everything right? Don't worry, now we will tell you everything.

When can you bathe a newborn after the hospital?

Now almost every sensation your baby experiences is new to him. But what he is already very familiar with is the pleasant and soothing feeling of immersing his body in a warm liquid. After all, this is exactly how he spent the previous nine months!

The child’s first bath can be organized even immediately after arrival from the maternity hospital; this will not cause the baby any discomfort. And even if the umbilical cord has not fallen off, there are no contraindications for water procedures - just remember to blot it dry after bathing.

How to properly bathe a newborn baby for the first time at home?

The main thing is not to worry and follow our instructions. Then the newborn’s first bath after the maternity hospital will go without problems, and each subsequent bath will bring only pleasure!

Prepare a terry towel with a hood, as well as cosmetics, a diaper and things that you will change your baby into afterwards.
Run a bath. Before the water has cooled, start bathing your newborn. For the first time at home, ask the baby's dad or other loved ones to insure you.
Lower the child into the bath very slowly - first the legs, then the whole body.
In the water, the baby's head and neck should be on your left wrist, and with the same hand you should hold the baby by the shoulder. If you are using a bathtub with a slide, place your baby on it.
Gently wash the baby with your right hand and do not forget about the skin folds - you need to wash each one.
Use shampoos and soaps no more than once a week.
Bathe your baby for 5-10 minutes.
Remove the child from the water, wipe his skin folds dry and lubricate them with moisturizing oil.
Put a diaper on your baby.
Put your baby in a sleepsuit and put him to sleep.

What should the water temperature be when bathing a baby for the first time?

In the 1st month of life, the baby is most comfortable swimming in water at 37 °C: it corresponds to the baby’s body temperature, so he does not freeze or overheat. To be completely sure that you did everything correctly, buy a special water thermometer. The popular method of checking the water temperature with your elbow is subjective and can be deceiving by several degrees in one direction or another.

In some sources you can find advice to bathe the baby in cooled boiled water for the first time after birth. You should only do this if you take water from an unreliable source, for example, from a well or shallow well. With central water supply, water undergoes preliminary treatment and must meet sanitary safety standards. In any case, if you have doubts about the quality of your water, take it to a laboratory for analysis.

How many times a week should you bathe your newborn?

A baby up to 6 months of age needs to be bathed every day. Water procedures remove impurities and wash away bacteria from the baby’s skin, thereby significantly reducing the risk of diaper rash. After six months, you can reduce the number of baths to 2-3 per week.

Wash your baby with baby soap no more than once a week. For daily bathing, ordinary water is sufficient.

When is the best time to bathe a newborn?

Here everything is like for adults - it is best to swim before bed to wash away the dirt and worries of the past day. Water procedures relax the baby, promote quick sleep and comfortable sleep. It is advisable to bathe your child at the same time - this helps the baby develop a correct sleep-wake schedule.

As a rule, the mother begins to bathe the baby in the first days of life, and the question of the father’s participation in the process does not even arise. But in vain - nightly bathing helps dad establish close emotional contact with the baby. And, of course, end the day with the understanding of how infinitely insignificant all the problems are in comparison with the joy of fatherhood.

How to make your baby's first bath safe?

There are general safety rules that must be followed both when bathing a newborn for the first time, and during water procedures in adulthood. You'll soon learn them by heart, but during the first month, periodically refresh your memory of this list. Do not neglect the rules - your child’s health depends on them!

Do not wash in a baby bathtub or use it for other unrelated purposes. The bath is for bathing only.
When bathing in a regular bathtub, hold the baby's head to prevent it from submerging under the water. In a bathtub with a slide, the baby’s body is supported by the structure itself.
To help parents of older children who are already bathing in a large bathtub, they produce special inflatable collars for water procedures. In such a circle around the neck, the child will be safe during the entire bath.
Never leave your baby alone in the bathroom. This is dangerous not only for a helpless baby, but also for a grown-up toddler - in your absence, he may become interested in beautiful bottles with aromatic shampoos and gels and taste them.
Many women love to take a bubble bath and from the first days strive to introduce their wonderful boy or beautiful girl to this pleasant procedure. Don't do this! Bath foam, even for children, worsens the protective properties of a child's skin and can cause an allergic reaction.
Watch your child's reaction. If the water has cooled, the baby will try to curl up into a ball and may begin to tremble. Remove baby from the tub or tub, add hot water, stir, then continue bathing. If you make the water too warm, your baby will likely become lethargic and his skin will begin to turn red. Try not to go to either of these extremes.
After bathing, the child's skin should be blotted with a towel, but not rubbed. And don't miss a single fold!
After bathing your baby, you should not immediately dress your baby. It would be better if he lies down without clothes for several minutes - this way the baby’s body will dry better.

When and how to start bathing your baby in a large bathtub?

You can start bathing your child in an adult bath as soon as he learns to sit. If your baby expresses anxiety when bathing for the first time under the new rules, break the transition into two stages: bathe your baby in his bathtub for several days, placing it on the bottom of the bathtub, then remove the bathtub. For safety, you can put your baby in the bath with an inflatable ring around his neck - it will prevent his head from going under the water if he moves awkwardly.

Advice

If you decide to teach your child to swim from an early age, his acquaintance with the bath should happen earlier - as soon as the umbilical wound heals. At first, the bath will be a training place for the little swimmer, and already at 3 months you can continue training in a real pool. If your baby doesn't have practice, the innate reflex will fade by about 4 months, and he will have to relearn how to swim at a later age.

Remember hygiene and clean the bathtub every time before bathing. Do this in advance so that there is no smell of household chemicals left in the bathroom before you begin, and thoroughly rinse off any remaining cleaning product.

Happy bathing for you and your baby!

Young mothers often confuse the concepts of bathing a baby. If washing is intended to cleanse the skin, then bathing is a healing procedure necessary for both the baby and his parents. Properly organized bathing will strengthen the baby’s immunity and teach him to have a healthy and restful sleep at night, so that parents can also rest peacefully.

How often should you bathe your newborn baby?

Every day when you change a diaper, you probably wash your baby several times or use wet wipes to maintain his personal hygiene. It is permissible to wash your baby with soap no more than once a week. This norm is determined by the low activity of the newborn and the effect of soap on sensitive baby skin.

How often should you bathe your newborn if you want to improve your baby’s health from birth? Pediatricians recommend performing water procedures daily. The sooner you introduce bathing into your child's daily routine, the more fun you will get from motherhood. Proper bathing in a large bathtub filled with cool water will help your baby expend excess energy, strengthen his immune system and prepare him for bed. After an active half-hour swim in the bath, the baby will drink his mother's milk with a huge appetite and instantly fall asleep for the whole night. Based on this, it is better to bathe the baby in the evening, before the last feeding.

You can start bathing your baby daily immediately after the umbilical wound has healed, that is, 7-14 days after birth. This regimen is recommended to be maintained in a child up to one year. Later, you will have to find suitable entertainment for your older baby in the bathtub, because he will no longer be able to swim freely in it, and toys in the water will not always entertain him for 30-40 minutes.

Changes in daily bathing routine

If you don't have the ability to regulate the temperature in your nursery with an air conditioner, bathing in the bath can be used to protect your baby from overheating during the hot summer months. To do this, increase the number of “swims” lasting 10-15 minutes to 3-4 times a day. And don't forget to give your child a drink of water before bathing so that he is not tempted to drink chlorinated tap water.

Much more often there are situations in which daily bathing is impossible due to poor living conditions. If there is no hot water and it is difficult to maintain the required temperature in the baby’s bathroom, the number of water procedures can be reduced to a minimum. It is still advisable to sometimes bathe in a small bath or in a large bath at a low water level.

Avoid bathing your newborn when sick. If you feel unwell, have a high temperature and are in pain, the baby will not experience the pleasure of bathing, but will only receive new unpleasant associations with the bathroom. On the other hand, if the exacerbation of the disease is already over, or if the baby easily coped with acute respiratory infections, bathing can continue as usual. At the same time, you can increase the temperature of the water that is usual for the baby by a couple of degrees, so that after the break the newborn feels quite comfortable in the water.

From the first weeks, teach your baby to bathe daily in cool water in a large bathtub. This regimen will strengthen the baby’s immunity and guarantee his parents a restful night’s sleep for 5-8 hours.

In our next article!

Maintaining the health of a newborn depends on proper care, but young parents have many questions about the correct actions and how often to bathe a child under one year old.

Should come first: washing the child’s face, cleansing the eyes, rinsing, bathing - all these procedures are required.

During the day, the baby repeatedly empties the bladder and intestines; timely hygiene helps to avoid inflammation, infections and skin irritation.

It is important to wash your baby's bottom and genitals under running water before each diaper change.

You can sometimes use wet baby wipes - if there is very little discharge, as well as on the road, in the clinic and under other circumstances.

However, simple tap water is still a priority. It cleanses better and will not cause an allergic reaction on the skin.

Such procedures for maintaining cleanliness after using the toilet are called washing.

Unlike washing, bathing is not done as often and does not depend on dirty diapers. Many pediatricians and parents consider this process not only from the point of view of hygiene, but also as:

the way the child develops physically;
a means to strengthen the body's defenses;
physiological and psychological entertainment;
source of pleasant emotions, stress relief.

For this to truly bring maximum benefit to the baby, parents need to know a lot and prepare well.

How long should you bathe a newborn?

The time a baby spends in water depends on several factors: the baby’s age, water temperature, the purpose of bathing, and the child’s mood.

In the very first weeks after discharge from the hospital, the baby should not bathe for too long, 5-10 minutes is enough.

By a month you can already increase the time to 10-15 minutes, and by six months to 25-30 minutes, if this process is enjoyable and the baby does not experience negative emotions.

When the purpose of bathing is only the hygiene of the child, the water temperature should be about 36-37 0 C.

If parents set a goal to strengthen the body, then there are two ways to do this.

Gradually lower the water temperature by one degree, and it is better to get used to the new temperature within several days, from 5 to 10. The lowest temperature at which you need to stop the decrease is 30 0 C.
Use cooler water to rinse your baby than for bathing. This temperature difference should be 1 0 C.

Naturally, in this case you need to carefully monitor the child’s well-being and mood. He should be comfortable; under no circumstances should he be allowed to freeze. The time spent in water also increases as the temperature decreases.

It must be remembered that at a water temperature of 36-37 0 C, the baby will simply enjoy the warmth and will not try to swim; if the purpose of bathing is physical activity, it is better to fill the bath with slightly cooler water. Just don’t forget about the gradualness of this transition.

The time spent in the water is also affected by the baby’s mood. If he is scared, it is better not to aggravate the stress and accustom the child to the procedure gradually. Joint bathing, songs, bright toys, kind words and a calm attitude of parents can help with this.

Strengthening the immune system by hardening the body is only possible if the child has no contraindications for this. You can start such procedures no earlier than one month of age.

How often to bathe with detergents

Pediatricians recommend using detergents 1-2 times a week.

More frequent use may lead to dry skin and flaking.

In this case, it is enough to buy regular baby soap and lubricate the baby’s skin with oil or cream after bathing.

However, on store shelves you can find a very wide range of baby care products both during and after bathing:

bath foams and gels;
liquid soap;
emulsions;
ready-made herbal decoctions or dry stems and inflorescences;
creams and oils.

You should not buy the entire line of care products recommended by the manufacturer in advance; an abundance of cosmetics can harm the child. If he does not have pronounced skin problems and does not need special products to eliminate them, it is better to limit himself to a minimal set.

Don’t forget about using traditional methods.

If the water is too hard and scales often form on the baby's skin, you can add starch to soften it.

To relax muscle tone and as a mild sedative, chamomile decoction has proven itself well.

Bathing in a decoction of string is also useful; it has good disinfectant properties and helps with various skin problems, for example, infant heat rash.

It is important that all cosmetics used are certified, designed specifically for children and do not contain dyes or perfumes.

Swimming in winter

Many parents have concerns about the safety of water procedures for their babies during the cold season.

In winter, the frequency of bathing depends on the room temperature.

If the apartment is warm enough and the thermometer does not fall below 21 0 C, then there are no contraindications for daily water procedures.

But if the house is cool enough, then you can reduce the number of baths to 2-3 times a week for 5-10 minutes. However, one should not forget about the child’s daily hygiene: washing, washing the face, cleansing the eyes, nose, etc.

To avoid temperature changes when leaving the bath, it is better to keep the door to it open, then the air will be the same temperature both in the bathing area and in the room.

A warm soft towel with a corner for the head, clean clothes, a diaper, skin care product and everything else that may be needed should be prepared in advance. This will allow you to dress your baby very quickly and he will not have time to freeze.

Optimal frequency of bathing children under one year old

It is better to bathe your baby daily, at least for the first 6 months, without exception.

As you get closer to one year, you can switch to the “every other day” mode, however, if this process brings joy to the child, gives him pleasure from contact with water and from playing with his parents, he should not be limited in this desire.

To avoid drying out the skin, it is enough not to use detergents too often.

Daily rinsing with plain water will not cope with heavy soiling, but will wash away sweat and skin flakes. You should also wash your hair with water only, without soap or shampoo, and use these products only once a week.

Nowadays you can find many devices on sale that make the bathing process easier:

support mattress;
slide;
hat with foam inserts;
rubber toys;
special books.

All this really helps parents.

There is no need to be afraid to use these inventions, however, you should not forget to carefully read the instructions before use to see if the item is appropriate for the baby’s age.

Bathing is not only hygiene, but also a ritual that brings many pleasant moments to both parents and baby. Relaxed, tired and clean, the child knows that now he will be fed, lulled in his arms, maybe there will be a bedtime story or a lullaby. Thus, he will be able to fall asleep quickly and with good emotions, and parents will be able to relax without worrying about the health and mood of their baby.

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