With a
baby around the house, it's more important than ever to make sure you have the right stuff in your medicine cabinet. Here are a few recommended items:
- Emergency and Poison Control Center phone numbers
- Saline (mild salt solution) nose drops and a nasal bulb to help clear your baby's runny nose when he has a cold. Don't use the nasal bulb on his ears, though — it's not safe
- Small cuticle scissors or baby nail scissors for cutting your baby's nails
- Acetaminophen (Tylenol) drops in the right dosage for your child's current weight
- A digital thermometer. When your baby is 3 months or older, you can use an ear thermometer
- Petroleum jelly for diaper rash (and thermometer lubrication!)
- Body lotion to keep your baby's skin soft and smooth
- Antibiotic ointment and disposable bandages for small cuts and scrapes
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What You Don't Need
Be sure to remove these items, among others:
- Aspirin — it can lead to a severe liver disease called Reye's syndrome in children.
- Bubble bath — it can irritate your baby's skin and cause bladder irritation in girls.
- Deodorant soap or antibacterial soap — it's too strong for babies' skin.
Get a
full list of medicine chest dos and don'ts.
