cleaning newborn girl - need advice please!

[vannah]

My little daughter is 3 weeks old, and having only had experience of changing a boy's nappy, Im a bit confused as to how much I need to clean witha girl...

According to my midwife, I only need to swipe once down the 'line' of her genitals with a wet cotton wool ball. Which I have been doing for the past three weeks.

However...the other day i opened up to have a look, and saw a lot of (sorry) thick white creamy/waxy discharge that did NOT come off with the cotton wool. Its clinging to her skin around the inner lips. A bit like the stuff that can accumulate under baby's armpits if not wiped well.

I vaguely remember my sister using cotton buds to clean the 'inside' - just inside the lips, but what is the best thing to do?

thankyou

My DD Is 8 1/2 now, but if I delve back into my creaking memory, I think I just gently wiped a couple of times with a wet cotton wool ball - it did work. Have you bathed her? I'd suggest you bathe her and then wipe 2 or 3 times to remove it.

a couple of wipes at each change and a flannel in the bath should do - be thorough (but gentle) after poos but I wouldn't go poking around with cotton buds

Agree - a few wipes but don't 'delve' - just an invitation for infection. The vagina is self cleaning apparently!

ok, will do. Thanks for replying and happy new year

hi vannah
my DD2 is 12 weeks and the midwife explained in hospital that the stuff you refer to is a result of the female hormone surge they get at birth (also explains the swollen genitals and the 'false period' blood newborn girls can produce)

once it is gone, it won't keep coming back and everything will look a lot cleaner!