How do your clean your baby's ears?

[Marie12]

Might seem a silly question, but I am sure you are not supposed to use a cotton wool bud or anything in case it goes too far into the ear drum and does some damage? I try and pick out any wax I see, much to my son's dismay!

Went to the dr's yesterday to get him checked out as he has been unwell and dr looked in his ears to check for any sign of infection and he said his ears are dirty, which made me feel like a bad mother!

[lucy5]

Use a cotton bud but dont go in too far, just gently not in the ear hole.

[Nemo1977]

I do same as lucy damp cotton bud around ear outer but not down the hole.

[MeAndMyBoy]

I had exactly this - thought DS had an ear infection as he kept grabbing his ear and was told he just had wax in them and to clear it out - Umm how? but was too embarressed to ask lol

Went to a pharamcist and bought a little dropper bottle (about a quid I think )and use house hold plain olive oil - hold the bottle in my clenched hand to warm the oil up and then squidge a few drops in his ear. He will ask if his ears are getting all sticky for ear medicine lol

[jangly]

Wonder if you can use these for babies.

[lucy5]

I think you can buy special baby cotton buds, they are chunkier, so that they can´t go into the hole. I think I used to buy them in safeway but i haven´t lived in uk for a few years, so I don´t know if you can still get them.

[2plus2plus1]

Yes Tescos do baby cotton buds. They have a widened base so it can't go in too far. Johnsons used to do them too. I still use them for my 5 yr olds, but only ever do them if there is wax visible. A nurse practitioner also recommended putting Olive oil in the ear canal & givng the ear a good wiggle to remove deeper wax (drains out overnight - quite messy). Only done this once though to cure earache, which was caused by wax pressing on the ear drum. HTH

[QueenPeaHead]

I just wiggle the corner of a muslin around in there periodically when they are looking manky.

would never use a cotton bud - they are just too squirmy for me to be sure I wouldn't poke their eardrums out.

[southeastastra]

i would just use a little bit of cotton wool to wipe the muck out like queenpeahead wouldn't use buds

[Marne]

I use cotton buds, just dont't poke them in too far.

[h23]

I use a baby wipe- they clean up all the wax that you can see on the outside.
You can do the ears with the baby wipe as part of the nappy change and so it's 2 jobs in one!

[Marie12]

Thanks all!