'Why I don't use any soap or oils on my babies for months'

A dermal therapist has “shook” parents online after sharing why she doesn’t use any products on her babies, and reveals her one simple tip for washing a newborn.

New mums can get overwhelmed with all of the bath-time creams and oils marketed for newborns, but an Aussie skin expert says you don’t need any of them.

Carmen McNamara, a dermal therapist and founder of Skin Fairy Clinic, has just welcomed her third baby and shared her ‘newborn skincare guide’ in videos online which left many parents “shook”.

She revealed she leaves her baby’s skin clear of any soaps or moisturisers for at least eight to 12 weeks to help establish their microbiome - the microbes living in and on their body which affects nutrition, metabolism, and immunological responses.

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"Absolutely nothing apart from water"

McNamara posted a video on Tiktok with the caption, “newborn skincare guide”.

In the video she explains, “what am I using on my newborn baby skincare wise? Absolutely nothing apart from warm water when I’m washing her and baby wipes when I’m changing her nappy.”

She goes on to say, “Skincare doesn’t need to be elaborate. When they’re newborns their skin is fragile and sensitive and really needs time to build up and establish its microbiome and also its integrity.

“Less is more and I usually wait for 8 to 12 weeks before I use anything.”

The video was viewed more than 10,000 times, with many mums agreeing saying more parents need to know the “importance of not putting anything on our babies”

Another suggested to just use breastmilk to treat any skin issues.

McNamara tells Kidspot, she got a lot of feedback after posting the video.

“My social media blew up with questions of why and how come? Being a skin therapist for so many years it’s just something as a mother I have chosen as time has gone on to use less on my babies,” she says.

She believes many people were surprised because “there’s little to no education around it”.

“Less is more. Babies skin is fragile and thin, whatever we add on gets absorbed and when their skin is still establishing itself it doesn’t need a chemical or product over load,” she says.

RELATED: The ultimate guide to your newborn’s first week at home

Carmen McNamara, founder of Skin Fairy Clinic, shared her tips for washing baby skin. Source: TikTok. @theskinfairy

Introduce nappy cream as they get older 

She shared a second video with the caption, “POV: You’re a skin therapist of 17 years and with your third baby you only use warm water for the first three months of her life… and people are shook.”

Alongside the clip of her running warm water over small cloths, she posted, “Less is more… let the microbiome establish itself.”

Social media users told her they also “don’t use soap for ages” and another encouraged their kids “to not wash with anything until they were school age”.

As her baby is now eight weeks old she has introduced a nappy paste, to protect from rashes.

“I love anything zinc oxide-based currently using Sudocrem”.

“And for body moisturiser if needed (twice weekly I might use) I have Dermeze ointment which is eczema safe and easy to use, fragrance-free so won’t irritate bubs skin.”

“Still not using body wash, as we don’t need it, warm water and nappy wipes, is all that is needed.”

Originally published as 'Why I don't use any soap or oils on my babies for months'