How To Clean A Baby\’s Ears

If you are someone who is new to parenting then you’ll understand the urge to want the best for your baby. At times, those of us who were new to parenthood felt like we weren’t doing things right, which is a feeling you probably relate to.

Well, if you are feeling that way, then know it is completely normal for you to feel so. Parenting can be something that is quite confusing and can take a bit of time to get the hang of it.

You might have done a lot of research before you became a parent but still feel overwhelmed. That’s natural, parenting is all about learning and taking time to adapt.

One of the common things parents tend to worry about is making sure they are looking after their child properly. This might be when they are feeding them, the way they are holding them, or even cleaning them. With so much advice out there it can be hard to navigate it all.

Don’t panic, that is where we come in. The main concern parents have when it comes to cleaning their baby is whether they are doing it correctly or not. So let’s take it step by step. If you are thinking about cleaning your baby’s ears you might be a bit stumped on how to do it. Well, this guide has got you covered.

Do You Need To Clean Your Baby’s Ears?

You might think that since your baby doesn’t get dirty on the outside much they are clean. Oftentimes, parents might forget about cleaning their baby’s ears or noses. Though the question stands as to whether you need to clean a baby’s ear.

Well, the answer is in some cases yes. When most people think about cleaning a baby’s ears they think about the earwax. However, earwax is actually something our bodies produce in order to protect the ears. So ideally, you don’t need to clean the earwax out of your baby’s ear.

Although, the baby’s ears should be cleaned. This doesn’t mean you are cleaning the inner ear, it means cleaning the outer ear. In some cases, a more thorough cleaning might be necessary for example if your baby is producing too much earwax.

In order for parents to understand whether or not their baby’s ears need cleaning, they need to understand what might be causing them to think it needs to be cleaned.

What Is Earwax?

As mentioned before, when most of us think about cleaning ears, we think of removing earwax. But what is earwax?

Earwax is something that our bodies produce in order to protect our ears. You might be wondering what our ears need protection from.

Well, the main thing is dirt and debris. The glands in our ears produce the earwax so that any dirt that enters the ear becomes trapped in the earwax. This way it cannot cause harm to our inner ear and eardrum.

So what does the earwax look like? Well, earwax ranges in color and consistency. In terms of the color of earwax, it can range from a yellow color to a brown. This color is typically lighter in babies. It is usually a soft, wet, and sticky consistency. In babies, earwax is much softer than adults.

Earwax, in most cases, naturally removes itself from the body. It does this by drying up and falling out of the inner ear. This means that there is no need for parents to remove the earwax themselves.

As we mentioned earlier, sometimes earwax can be a problem for babies. This is when babies produce too much earwax too quickly, that it does not have time to dry up and fall out naturally. When this happens, parents may be advised to help clean the earwax out of the ear.

How To Clean A Baby’s Ears

Now that you are aware of what might cause you to need to clean your baby’s ears, let’s have a look at the safest way to do this.

It is important that we keep the safety of the baby in mind as you are cleaning a sensitive area of the baby. If you do things in a certain way without safety in mind, you may end up damaging the baby’s ears.

Cleaning With A Cloth Or Cotton Ball

Babies’ ears need to be cleaned regularly. This does not mean cleaning the baby’s inner ear but rather the outer ear. To do this you will need a soft washcloth or a cotton ball. You will also need some warm water. Follow these simple steps to clean your baby’s ears carefully and safely.

• Step One – Make sure the cotton ball or the washcloth is wet with warm water.
• Step Two – If you are using a washcloth make sure to ring out excess water. You don’t want lots of water accidentally going in your baby’s ear.
• Step Three – Gently, slowly, and carefully wipe the outside of your baby’s ear. Do not stick the cotton ball or washcloth inside their ear.

This is how you should wash your baby’s ears regularly.

Cleaning Out Excess Earwax

If you have been instructed to clean out your baby’s earwax by a pediatrician, then you should follow their advice carefully. If the pediatrician prescribed your baby with ear drops this is how to use them.

• Step One – You need to make sure that your baby is lying on their side with the ear you want to put the eardrops in, facing up.
• Step Two – You need to open the ear canal so you can put the drops in. To do this, gently pull down on the earlobe.
• Step Three – Now you can place the amount of drops prescribed by your baby’s pediatrician in your baby’s ear.
• Step Four – You’ll want to keep your baby in that position for around 5 to 10 minutes to ensure that the drops stay in their ears. Once you have done both sides, you can clean up any ear drops that have run out with a tissue or cotton ball.

That is how you safely clean your baby’s ear.

Things Not To Do

There are a few things you should never do when cleaning your baby’s ear. The first thing is never put anything inside of their ear. This means do not use cotton swabs in your baby’s ear. Don’t try to remove wax with your finger. Never stick anything inside of your baby’s ear. This could damage your baby’s ear canal.

You should also avoid trying home remedies for your baby’s ear. This means things like olive oil should be kept out of your baby’s ear.

When it comes to cleaning your baby’s ear, you should avoid the inside of their ear unless instructed otherwise by a pediatrician. If you have heard of a product to clean your baby’s ear, do not use it unless you are given the all-clear by a pediatrician.

Final Thoughts

Babies are delicate and when we take care of them we have to be extremely careful and gentle. This is exactly how you should view cleaning your baby\’s ear. The bottom line is to only clean the outside of a baby’s ear with some warm water and a cotton ball.

In order to keep your baby safe when cleaning, do not put anything into their ears. This can result in some horrible injuries and infections.

Cleaning your baby\’s ear is a simple process. It doesn’t require anything fancy, just you, water and a cotton ball, and some gentleness. Hopefully, this guide has helped you to feel less overwhelmed and more confident about cleaning your baby’s ear safely.